Metacognitive instruction with young learners: A case of willingness to communicate, L2 use, and metacognition of oral communication

Abstract

This classroom-based, quasi-experimental study explored the impact of metacognitive instruction designed to promote young learners’ (1) willingness to communicate (WTC), (2) participation in communicative activities, and (3) metacognitive knowledge of oral communication. Forty-four Grade 3 students (8–9 years old) from two intact classes participated in the study. The learners in Class A ( n = 23) engaged in a series of activities designed to increase their metacognition in relation to WTC, while Class B ( n = 21) served as the control. Three outcome measures were explored in the pre-post design: (1) WTC questionnaire; (2) second language (L2) production during group work; and (3) empty WTC pyramids that the participants drew before and after the intervention. In addition, post-intervention interviews were conducted to understand the learners’ metacognitive knowledge of oral communication. The results showed that the intervention did not have an observable impact on the learners’ WTC. However, their metacognitive knowledge of oral communication was heightened after the intervention. The behavioral data showed that the experimental participants produced the target language more and that group members started to share turns more evenly. The study concludes that metacognitive instruction can be a useful pedagogical tool to improve L2 learners’ metacognition as well as classroom participations patterns, even with young learners whose metacognition can be obscure or inaccurate.

The Predictability of Chinese English as a Foreign Language Students’ Willingness to Communicate Through Teachers’ Immediacy and Teacher–Student Rapport

“…Their logical (strategic) and psychological (moral) actions form the main elements of teaching. Logical or strategic actions include activities, such as defining, demonstrating, explaining, correcting, interpreting, and evaluating (Sato and Dussuel Lam, 2021). Psychological or moral actions include tasks, such as motivating, persuading, rewarding, punishing, and planning.…”

“…The positive consequences of this interaction have been confirmed in several studies (Derakhshan et al, 2019;Pishghadam et al, 2019;Fathi et al, 2021). Positive teacher-student relationship can be effective in an emotional and social relationship of the class (Derakhshan et al, 2020;Xie and Derakhshan, 2021), motivation to learn (Arens et al, 2015), attachment to the learning environment (Chow et al, 2018), academic achievement (Hussain et al, 2021), creativity (Henry and Thorsen, 2018), satisfaction (Hiver and Al-Hoorie, 2020), reduced bullying (Sato and Dussuel Lam, 2021), cooperation in class activities (Fredrickson and Joiner, 2018), learning engagement (Hiver and Al-Hoorie, 2020), hard work in the face of problems (Sato and Dussuel Lam, 2021), friendly help and support (Hiver et al, 2021), understanding of behavior between individualism (Munezane, 2015), creating responsibility (Lee et al, 2019), better behavior in the learning environment (Cao, 2014), freedom in learner work (Denies et al, 2015), and greater classroom attendance (Fredrickson and Joiner, 2018). In general, numerous evidences indicate that the positive teacher-student relationship changes the well-being of teacher and student and is a basis for the next social relationship of the student (Derakhshan et al, 2020).…”

Digital Literacy as a Meta-Cognitive Component of Younger Students’ Intellectual and Creative Potential in Foreign Language Lessons

“…Vygotsky also put forward the thesis about the positive influence of multilingualism on the development of thinking at the primary school age, relying on the more intensive development of the knowledge system in conditions of the need for conscious control of linguistic operations (Vygotsky 1978). Since the 60s to the present, the world of pedagogical evidencebased science has reliable empirical data, relying on the law of repetition and reproduction of previously performed thought processes, putting forward the thesis of learning a foreign language as an intensifier of complex knowledge development by expanding their structure (Sato, Lam, 2021).…”

Enhance student ict literacy and conceptual understanding using selm (simas eric learning model)

“…Communication is included in students' metacognitive skills. In communicating activities, learning and teaching activities occur between students (Sato & Dussuel, 2021). Discussion activities in the classroom took place effectively; many students were enthusiastic about discussing with the groups that had been formed.…”