Implementing Cognitive Strategies in English Language Lessons at General Secondary Education Institutions

In the modern education system, one of the key tasks is to increase the efficiency of the educational process and encourage students to engage in active cognitive activities. Using cognitive strategies allows learners to better understand complex language structures, lexical meanings, and grammatical rules, promotes better memorization of words, phrases, and rules, develops learners' autonomy, and activates their cognitive activity. The study aims to investigate the impact of cognitive strategies on the activation of cognitive processes in teaching a foreign language in general secondary schools to increase motivation and develop students' critical thinking skills. The study includes defining the essence of the cognitive method in foreign language teaching; analyzing the types and directions of using cognitive strategies in foreign language teaching; outlining the didactic and methodological principles of using cognitive strategies in teaching English in general secondary schools; developing a set of exercises based on the use of cognitive strategies for use in teaching English in general secondary schools. The article contributes to implementing the fourth UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): quality education. The cognitive method in foreign language teaching is a conscious perception, analysis, and processing of language material for further use in speech. It focuses on developing cognitive processes such as attention, memory, thinking, analysis, and synthesis of information.