Investigating Iranian EFL learners’ writing metacognitive awareness

Abstract

There has been a growing body of research in the few past decades on the role of metacognition in learning. In line with the evolution of research in the area of metacognition in education, there is a growing need for the better understanding the nature of the construct in foreign language (FL) teaching especially writing skill. In an attempt to develop a model of writing metacognitive awareness, based on both Flavel's (1987) and the two-dimensional dichotomy of knowledge and regulation of cognition (Brown, 1987;Jacobs & Paris, 1987;Schraw & Moshman, 1995), 59 English as a foreign language (EFL) learners with different proficiency levels were divided into two novice and expert groups. After writing an essay, the participants took part in a semi-structured interview. The content analysis of the data as well as the related literature revealed a model for Iranian EFL learners' writing metacognitive awareness in which knowledge of cognition with four subcomponents and regulation of cognition with five sub-components emerged.

Metacognitive awareness of skilled and less-skilled EFL writers

“…As was reported in the qualitative analyses, skilled and less-skilled EFL writers were different regarding the components and sub-components of writing metacognitive awareness which we identified in the framework (Maftoon et al 2014). In the present study, we aimed to analyze the above-mentioned relationships quantitatively so as to find whether there exist significant relationships and if there are some, which of them are stronger than others in the categories of MAW.…”

“…The interview questions and the final obtained findings can be found in Maftoon et al (2014). After the content analysis of responses, the preliminary items were prepared.…”

“…In order for bridging the existing gap, an inclusive and validated questionnaire was developed by Farahian (2017). We used the questionnaire in the present study so as to conduct quantitative analyses as a complementation for the earlier study by Maftoon, Birjandi, and Farahian (2014).…”

“…Based on the study carried out by Maftoon et al (2014) concerning the knowledge of cognition and regulation of cognition as the broad categories of the MAW, a framework was created during the qualitative analysis on the participants' metacognitive awareness. The summary of the obtained results is summarized in Table 1.…”

“…Knowledge of Cognition & Regulation of cognition) contains subcomponents which play critical roles in determining individuals' metacognitive awareness in terms of EFL writing. In the qualitative analyses of writers' essays (Maftoon et al 2014), a framework emerged that contributed to a wider understanding of the role of metacognition in foreign language writing, on one hand, and the development of an inclusive survey, on the other hand (See the final version of the MAWQ in Appendix). In the questionnaire which contains 36 items, the first 20 items are classified under the first broad category of Knowledge of Cognition within which 13 items assess declarative knowledge awareness (Person = 3, General Facts = 5, Task Knowledge = 5), 3 items are related to procedural knowledge, 4 items measure conditional knowledge.…”