Cognitive strategies are one type of learning strategy that learners use in order to learn more successfully.

Students in Vietnam putting post-its on a board

These include repetition, organising new language, summarising meaning, guessing meaning from context, using imagery for memorisation. All of these strategies involve deliberate manipulation of language to improve learning. Classifications of learning strategies distinguish between cognitive strategies and two other types, metacognitive strategies (organising learning), and social/ affective strategies (which enable interaction).

Example
A learner remembers new words by visualising them represented in a memorable or ridiculous situation. This makes it easier and faster to recall these words.

In the classroom
Activities which can be described as cognitive strategies include making mind maps, visualisation, association, mnemonics, using clues in reading comprehension, underlining key words, scanning and self-testing and monitoring.

Further links:

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/using-mind-maps-develop-writing

https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/blogs/adrian-underhill/ideas-activities-chart-mental-map-physicality-pronunciation

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