How People Learn – Principles & Impact on Student Learning

Four research-based principles from How People Learn (Goldman & Pellegrino, 2015), focusing on practical, student-centered strategies that K–12 teachers can apply across all subjects. The goal is to improve student engagement, retention, and mastery, especially for English Learners (ELs), in districts like San Bernardino City Unified School District.

Key Learning Principles & Best Practices

1. Activate Prior Knowledge & Cultural Backgrounds
   
   

   • Learning is deeper when students’ experiences, culture, and language are acknowledged.
     
     

   • Strategies: K-W-L charts, storytelling, culturally relevant content, bilingual support.
     
     

2. Organize Knowledge for Deep Understanding
   
   

   • Students retain more when they see connections between concepts and real-life contexts.
     
     

   • Strategies: Focus on big ideas, use concept maps and inquiry-based tasks.
     
     

3. Promote Metacognition & Feedback for Learning

Overview: The third principle of How People Learn reminds us of The Importance of Metacognition (Thinking about Thinking): Learning improves when learners monitor their own thinking and strategies. This reflective process, called metacognition, involves students actively thinking about how they are learning - checking what they understand or don't understand, and whether they are making progress toward learning goals.  Students should learn to ask themselves questions like, "Do I get this? How does this new information fit with what I already know? What strategies can I use if I'm stuck?".  Teaching should incorporate opportunities for students to plan, monitor, and reflect on their learning. Research shows that when students engage in metacognitive activities (such as self-checks or explaining their reasoning), they become better at regulating their own learning - they can adjust strategies, seek help, and ultimately learn more deeply.  Thus, an effective learning environment guides students to think about their own thinking and to use strategies for understanding and solving problems.

3. • Self-reflection and meaningful feedback boost learning and ownership.
     
     

   • Strategies: Formative assessments, goal setting, targeted feedback.

Best Practices:

• • Use formative assessments (exit tickets, mini-quizzes, peer reviews) for real-time understanding checks.

  • Provide specific, actionable feedback to guide student improvement.

  • Teach students to set goals, track progress, and reflect on their learning process to enhance ownership.

4. Foster Social Learning in a Supportive Community

   • Students learn better in collaborative, inclusive environments.

   • Strategies: Cooperative learning (e.g., Think-Pair-Share), differentiation, inclusive classroom culture.