Introduction

Metacognitive strategies refer to the methods used to help students understand the way they are learning (Pratiwi, 2020). In other words, they are processes designed to get students to “think” about their “thinking”. Pratiwi defined metacognition essentially as the most common way of contemplating one’s own reasoning and learning. Metacognition intentional contemplating how you think and learn(Pratiwi, 2020). Metacognition includes directing and overseeing learning, and it is one of the main parts of learning. Metacognitive learning increments understudy inspiration since understudies feel more in charge of their own learning. Understudies who learn metacognitive procedures are more mindful of their own reasoning and bound to be dynamic students who learn all the more profoundly. Metacognitive strategies enable students to contemplate their own reasoning (Herawatyet al., 2019).. This attention to the learning system upgrades their command over their own learning. It additionally upgrades individual limit with regards to self-guideline and dealing with one’s own inspiration for learning (Herawatyet al., 2019).Teaching with metacognition empowers educators to acquire mindfulness about and command over how they think and instruct by arranging, checking, assessing, and changing their educational objectives and showing techniques as per their understudies’ necessities and the socio-cultural setting (Herawatyet al., 2019). In the research study, I will investigate the problem of metacognitive learning strategies to develop self-directed learning skills by grade seven teachers at Mashishila circuit in one of the deep rural areas in Mpumalanga Province.

The Background to the problem

The metacognitive learning problem is experienced by most of the teachers in the primary school. Self-adequacy moves along inspiration as well as learning achievement(Hayat et al., 2020). In this manner, recognizing the variables impacting the understudies’ scholastic achievement has at any point been one of the main worries of the analysts and instructive therapists. Working with subjects learning is not just a South African issue (Schulze & Bosman, 2018). It is a reason for worry to nations all through the world. The inquiry may be why formal tutoring cannot ensure that students get a sufficient degree of subject experts (Schulze & Bosman, 2018). It is notable that subjects assume a significant part throughout everyday life and in the advancement of nations in the twenty-first century. At Mashishila Circuit, grade 7 students end their conventional tutoring without gaining interest or expertise in any particular subjects.

It has been accepted by Tachie and Molepo, 2019 that metacognitive techniques could be worked effectively for students in science study halls in South Africa. Tachie and Molepo, 2019 explicitly wanted to empower more superior comprehension of metacognition and metacognitive procedures and abilities. The strategies connect with instructing and learning subjects. As well as explaining ways to help teachers implement metacognitive methodologies and abilities in their homerooms, the author outlines the need to propel the hypothesis base in the instructing and learning of subjects in a proper way (Tachie & Molepo, 2019).

The problem

During the last two decades, specialists universally have moved away from a simple examination of learning teachers’ lead (behavioristic view of the student teacher) to an investigation of learning teachers ‘insights’ (mental view on the learning teacher) (Toramanet al., 2020). The National Gathering of Teachers of Subjects (NCTM, 1989), for example, demonstrated that critical thinking in science should be a significant concentration in subjects. Critical thinking is an active process of analyzing and evaluating the information that is generated by a communication (Wang et al., 2021). Learning help in subjects is viewed as ‘critical thinking in which metacognition plays an important job since problem solvers become associated with mental and metacognitive conduct when they endeavor to take care of issues. Issues are settled in three phases, specifically, wanting to tackle the issue; the fundamental tackling of the issue; control, assessment of, and reflection on, the arrangement. Locally, this step towards perspectives in math instruction has pursued worldwide directions. Be that as it may, minimal exploration has been directed in South Africa on metacognition in the subjects classroom (Ahdhianto& Santi, 2020).

The South African National Curriculum Statement Grade R-7 (Schools) (Department of Education, 2002) for the learning region Subjects focuses on the significance of issue – tackling, thinking, correspondence, and decisive reasoning (İdawatiet al., 2020). The National Education Policy Act requires a teacherto assume seven distinct parts, viz. Learning arbiter; Interpreter and creator of learning projects and materials; Leader, chairman, and administrator; Scholar, Scientist, and Deep-rooted student; Commsolidarity, Citizenship, and peaceful job; Assessor; and Learning region trained professional. Some of these jobs straightforwardly infer metacognition. As a teacher of learning, the assessor is also subject trained professional.

The teacher ought to have a piece of intensive information on his/her subject, showing standards, methodologies, strategies, abilities, and instruction media as appropriate to South African circumstances (Cahayasti&Indrasari, 2018). Teachers should also have the option to screen and reasonably assess students’ advancement, insight, knowledge, and perspectives on showing techniques and realizing so these elements can be used while learning educational programs’ planning and implementation (Cahayasti & Indrasari, 2018).

The implication thereof is the development of metacognitive strategies and skills.  Teachers have at their disposal several strategies with which they can improve metacognitive strategies (Smith &Mancy, 2018). Ideally, it is essential for teachers to facilitate metacognitive strategies and create opportunities for learners to apply and practice these skills (Smith &Mancy, 2018). Metacognition assists you with being a mindful problem solver and assume responsibility for your learning. Teachers ought to model their way of thinking and discuss this matter with learners to recognize their thinking skills. It should be expected of learners to take responsibility for planning and regulating their learning gradually. In essence, insufficient metacognitive skills imply an inability to learn successfully (İdawatiet al., 2020). It has been experienced in the schools of South Africa that learners showing an inability to learn satisfactorily must be taught to implement metacognitive strategies and self-regulating behavior (Cahayasti&Indrasari, 2018). It is also possible that learners may have an insufficient knowledge base (Cahayasti&Indrasari, 2018).

The rationale of the study

The concept of meta-cognitive learning skills concerning thesubject strategies used by grade seven teachers at MashishilaCircuitin South Africa is an exciting topic with a deep-rooted impact. It has been a well-known concept for research in the past years. However, no study is related to the all subjects strategies used by grade seven teachers at Mashishila Circuit in South Africa.

Therefore, this research study seeks to bridge this gap and examine how to improve meta-cognitive skills among children at Mashishila circuit in South Africa. This study will help provide new insights and knowledge to future researchers and shed some light on the role of teachers in developing metacognitive learning skills among students in South Africa. It is the key rationale behind choosing and selecting this topic as it has significant practical implications and elaboration of lack of research which provides immense scope for future investigations.

Research Questions and Aim

Aim

• To find out whether grade 7 teachers are aware of metacognitive learning strategies

• To discuss importance of metacognitive skills for subject at mashishila circuit
• To discuss strategies, do teacher use to teach metacognitive skills
• To examine the challenges faced by grade seven teachers with the instructions of metacognitive strategies at mashishila circuit
• To investigate the strategic measures that can be used to assist grade 7 teachers with the development of metacognitive learning strategies to develop self-directed learning

Research Questions

RQ1 How metacognitive learning skills is essential for developing self-directed learning?

RQ2 Why are metacognitive skills are essential for subjectslearning according to literature?

RQ3 What type of strategies do teachers use to teach metacognitive skills at mashishila circuit?

RQ4 What challenges are grade 7 teachers facing with the instruction of metacognitive strategies at mashishila circuit?

RQ5 What type of strategic measures can be used to assist grade 7 teachers with the development of metacognitive learning strategies to develop self-directed learning?

Research design and methodology

Research design

This fundamental research is built upon the idea of research philosophy that includes the following three philosophies, namely positivism, interpretivism, and pragmatism. Interpretivism is the selected method for this research study. An interpretivist assumes that the study of the available data can only be done objectively. It usually involves the personal opinions and thoughts of the individual conducting the research (Žukauskaset al., 2018).

Interpretivism inclines towards subjective exploration. Exact, efficient and hypothetical responses to complex human issues are unrealistic. Human existence must be perceived from the inside. Human exercises can’t be seen from some outer reality. (Mohr et al., 2018).

Population & Sampling strategy

Data collection in the context of research design involves collecting, measuring and analysing accurate notions for research using specific validated techniques (Benoit et al., 2018). The interview of 15 school teachers will be conducted to examine and explore the in-depth information of the research study. The target population is the metacognitive learners of grade seven at mashishila circuit.

Methods of data generation

The data collection method is qualitative (Benoit et al., 2018). In the research study, the purposive method has been used to involve 15 teachers of primary schools in South Africa. The interview has been conducted in the convenience sampling mode of data.

Methods of data analysis

The data that will be collected with the help of interview method will be qualitative in nature and hence, to analyse this data, qualitative analysis method of thematic analysis will be used in this research study. The interview that has been conducted is one-on-one interview with teachers of primary schools in south Africa (Jamei et al., 2021).

Ethical considerations

In terms of ethical considerations, informed consent will be taken from every identified research participant to assure voluntary participation and personal details provided during survey will be kept confidential. Further originality of work will be emphasized by avoiding presentation of any plagiarized content in the research and credits to authors and scholars will be given through in-text citations at appropriate place.