Effectiveness of a Metacognitive Reading Strategies Program for Improving Low Achieving EFL Readers

Abstract

As the training of language learners was a main concern of EFL teachers, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of metacognitive reading strategies instruction (MRSI) on Taif University EFL students who achieved low results in reading. The final sample of this study was (21) female university students. The sample was divided into two groups; the experimental group, which consisted of (10) girls, and the control group, which consisted of (11) girls. By using the quasi experimental-research methodology, three research objectives were addressed in this study: (a) to examine whether there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the employment of metacognitive reading strategies and reading comprehension post-tests): (b) to explore whether there were significant differences between the mean scores of pre-and post-tests on the English Language reading test: (c) to find out whether there were any significant differences between the mean scores of the post-test and the follow up of the use of metacognitive reading strategies and the English Language reading comprehension test given to the experimental group. Data from pre-and post-test measurements were used to investigate the impact the intervention had on EFL low achievers in reading. Statistical analyses of the data showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the post-test reading comprehension test as well as the reading strategies questionnaire. These showed a significant improvement in the reading skill in the experimental group. They also revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test results for the experimental group on the reading comprehension test and the reading strategies. This showed that the experimental group improved in reading skills after the students participated in the program, as seen on the post-test. In the light of these results, the study provided a number of procedural recommendations that may contribute to raising the importance of metacognitive reading strategies training for the students with low achievement in reading.

Metacognitive Reading Strategies, Motivation, and Reading Comprehension Performance of Saudi EFL Students

“…Ilustre (2011) also investigated if metacognitive reading strategies are better predictor of text comprehension and she found out that Problem Solving Strategies correlated positively with reading comprehension. Ismail and Tawalbeh (2015) conducted a quasi-experimental study examining the effect of the metacognitive reading strategies on EFL low achievers in reading. The study revealed that training on the use of metacognitive strategies among low achieving EFL readers improves reading comprehension performance.…”

Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategy Use by English Language Teaching Students in Turkish Context: Sakarya University Sample

“…Students were able to grasp main ideas of reading texts better and they could make connections between reading passages and the world knowledge more effectively. Moustfa (2004, as cited in Ismail andTawalbeh, 2014) also carried out a study with 208 secondary school students on the effects of using metacognitive reading strategies on motivation and academic success. His findings showed that there was a positive relationship between academic achievement and metacognitive awareness of reading strategies.…”

“…As results, he argued that using reading strategies such as re-reading, underlining and circling of information helped students understand reading texts better. Ismail and Tawalbeh (2014) carried out a study with 41 EFL preparatory non-English major students on metacognitive reading strategies. were 122 ELT students.…”

“…Meng (2004, as cited in Ismail and Tawalbeh, 2014) conducted a study on training EFL college students in using reading strategies in target language reading. Then she reported the effects of using reading strategies on students' reading ability.…”

The Impact of Listening Strategy Training on the Meta-Cognitive Listening Strategies Awareness of Different Learner Types

“…Many research studies have probed the important role of listening strategy instruction and metacognitive listening strategies awareness in students' learning and achievement in various fields (Ismail & Tawalbeh, 2015;Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002;Yuksel & Yuksel, 2011). Sen (2009), for instance, examined the relationship between metacognitive strategy use and reading comprehension and found a marked improvement in learners' achievement.…”