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At The British International School Abu Dhabi, we know that parents are looking for more than just strong academics. You want your children to grow into confident individuals, driven by curiosity and ready to thrive in a world that’s constantly evolving. That is why we are proud to be leading the way in metacognition and innovative teaching practices through our involvement in global research with Harvard Project Zero and Nord Anglia Education.
Metacognition means helping students think about their own thinking. It is a powerful approach that encourages learners to reflect, ask questions, and make connections, which are essential skills for lifelong learning.
In his recent Tes Magazine article, our Year 5 teacher Aaron Regan shared how he used Harvard Project Zero’s thinking routines in his classroom to improve reading comprehension. His students moved from guessing answers to explaining their reasoning with confidence.
“In a world where we are often pressured by coverage and testing, it is refreshing to be reminded that the most valuable thing we can give our students is the ability to think well.” – Aaron Regan
Thinking routines are simple, structured strategies that guide students to observe, interpret, and reflect. For example, routines like 'See, Think, Wonder' and 'Step In, Step Out, Step Back' help children explore texts more deeply and consider different perspectives.
Aaron’s research showed measurable results. Inference accuracy in his class rose from 35 percent to 61 percent over seven months, and students began using the routines’ language in other subjects, showing real transfer of learning.
Read Aaron’s full article on Tes Magazine: How metacognitive routines can boost reading comprehension
Aaron’s work is part of a broader initiative across Nord Anglia Education, which launched a yearlong research collaboration with Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This project brings together teachers from around the world, including BIS Abu Dhabi, to co-create bespoke thinking routines aligned with Nord Anglia’s Learner Ambitions: creativity, curiosity, compassion, collaboration, critical thinking, and commitment.
In her own Tes Magazine article, Dr. Kate Erricker, Nord Anglia’s Group Head of Education Research, explains how these routines are being co-created and tested by teachers across the globe.
The collaboration has resulted in 17 new thinking routines designed to help students organise their thoughts, ask better questions, and reflect more deeply. These routines are now being embedded across Nord Anglia schools, supported by professional development and coaching.
Read Dr Kate Erricker’s article on Tes Magazine: Why we’ve created 17 thinking routines to guide student learning
Learn more about Nord Anglia’s research launch: Nord Anglia Education launches yearlong research collaboration with Project Zero to create bespoke ‘thinking routines’ for teachers
At BIS Abu Dhabi, we do not just teach content, we teach students how to learn. Through metacognitive strategies and thinking routines, our students develop:
These are the qualities that will help them succeed not only in exams, but in life beyond the classroom.
We are proud to be part of a global teacher research group, contributing to cutting-edge educational practice. Our teachers are not only implementing these strategies, they are helping shape them. This means your child benefits from teaching that is informed by the latest research and tailored to their needs.