Effect of Teaching Metacognitive Reading Strategies on Reading Comprehension of Engineering Students

Abstract

This experimental research investigates the impact of teaching metacognitive reading strategies on the reading comprehension of engineering students in the English for Science and Technology(EST) context. This research is the first empirical study of its kind in Libyan English as a Foreign Language (EFL/EST) context. The study utilizes the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) and a reading comprehension achievement test extracted from ‘Oxford English for Computing’ by Boechner and Brown (instruction manual). The treatment incorporates the explicit teaching of metacognitive strategies to the participants in the experimental group via the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) model. Paired-samples t-test results signify a considerable treatment effect among the experimental group. In conclusion, the findings support previous research indicating that explicit instruction effectively improves Libyan EST students’ metacognitive awareness and produces statistically significant gains in reading comprehension.

The Interplay between Metacognitive Knowledge, L2 Language Proficiency, and Question Formats in Predicting L2 Reading Test Scores

“…These results suggest that problem-solving strategies were effective in promoting reading test scores, regardless of question formats. These findings aid previous research, clarifying that students' metacognitive knowledge positively impacts their reading test scores [10,11,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]. However, these positive effects were largely attributed to problem-solving strategies [11,23,29] and were not restricted by question formats.…”

“…Similarly, Seedanont and Pookcharoen (2019) [19], Mohseni et al (2020) [17], and Khellab et al (2022) [16] investigated the instruction of metacognitive strategies in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes and reported similar findings. Seedanont and Pookcharoen (2019) [19] and Khellab et al (2022) [16] examined students' English reading test scores before and after weeks of instruction on metacognitive strategy use, while Mohseni et al (2020) [17] compared the reading performance of three groups: one receiving training on metacognitive strategy use, another receiving training on reading awareness, and a control group. All three studies concluded that instruction in metacognitive strategies significantly increased students' reading test scores.…”

“…However, the contribution of metacognitive strategies to L2 reading test scores remains a subject of debate among researchers. Some studies have found that employing metacognitive strategies can enhance students' awareness of their reading processes, enabling them to monitor comprehension and engage more deeply with the reasoning aspects of reading, thereby improving their performance in tests (e.g., [10,11,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21]). Conversely, others indicated that the use of metacognitive strategies does not necessarily guarantee improved reading test performance, as various factors, such as students' existing linguistic knowledge, need to be considered (e.g., [22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]).…”

The Development of a Reflective Language Learning Model: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach

“…Metacognitive strategies involve planning, monitoring, thinking, and evaluating a learning task during or after it occurs (Khellab et al, 2022;Richards & Schmidt, 2002). In the items loaded around this factor, learners think about learning experiences to do them better for the second time (item 1), reflect on the thinking process to improve learning procedures (item 3), reflect on learning beliefs and values to understand better to enhance their learning (items 4, 5), analyze learning experiences to get a new understanding (item 2), think over learning experiences to evaluate the outcome of learning (item 8).…”

The Intersection of Gender, Culture, and Metacognitive Reading Strategies in Iranian EFL Education: A Mixed-Methods Analysis in Pursuit of Inclusion and Equity

“…Research has underscored the role of metacognitive awareness in enhancing reading comprehension across various educational contexts (Algraini, 2022;Anderson, 2002;Carrell et al, 1989;Khellab et al, 2022;Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002). In light of this, proficiency in MRS becomes particularly crucial for EFL learners situated in culturally diverse settings, such as Iran.…”