Self-Explanation
📋 What it is
Asking "why?" and "how does this fit?" out loud as you learn — explaining it to yourself.
🗣️ Coach says
After each new step, ask "why is that true?" and try to answer. Explaining it to yourself finds the holes in what you thought you knew.
🧠 Memory hook
Two letters, big power: "Why?" Ask it after every step and your understanding gets deeper.
😂 Giggle
Why did the question mark feel so smart?
Because asking "why?" is how understanding grows!
😲 Whoa!
Students who paused to explain WHY each step worked learned much more than students who just read the worked example — even though it took the same time.
✅ Quick check: You just learned that ice floats. What self-explanation question deepens it?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
"WHY does ice float?" (because it’s less dense than water) — asking why turns a fact into understanding.
A fact you can’t explain is easy to forget; the "why" gives it roots.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Pick one thing you learned today and explain WHY it’s true, out loud, as if to a younger kid. Notice any gaps.