The research findings describe a model of experiential learning that promotes the development of foundation phase student teachers’ metacognitive abilities for mathematics through classroom reflective discourse using an open approach. A case study was carried out on two foundation phase mathematics classes in South Africa’s universities; data were collected through observation and focus group interviews. The research’s main findings indicated that student teachers’ interest in reflective classroom discourse is important using an open-approach-based mathematics class, which helped pave the way for the student teachers to exhibit metacognitive abilities relevant to the teaching and learning steps of a foundation phase mathematics class. Deciding on the type of problem to work on, posing open-ended problems to colleagues for discussion in class, stimulating students’ reflective self-centred learning, whole-class discussion, comparison of a particular problem and summarising important information for self-development in teaching and learning through connecting students’ mathematical ideas all formed part of reflective classroom discourse. Recommendations were made for further development of metacognitive abilities.