Metacognitive Strategy Training for ESL Reading

Abstract

Recent research in second language reading has focused on metacognition, literally, cognition of cognition. These studies investigate metacognitive awareness of reading strategies and the relationships among perception of strategies, strategy use, and reading comprehension.Strategy research suggests that less competent learners may improve their skills through training in strategies evidenced by more successful learners. Relatively little research on metacognitive strategy training has been done in a second language context or, more specifically, in second language reading. This article reports a study of metacognitive strategy training for reading in ESL. Strategy training was provided to experimental groups. Control groups received no strategy training, but participated in pre-and posttesting. Several research questions are addressed: "Does metacognitive strategy training enhance L2 reading?" If so, "Does one type of strategy training facilitate L2 reading better than another?" "How is the effectiveness of metacognitive strategy training related to the learning styles of the students?" Results show that metacognitive strategy training is effective in enhancing second language reading, and that the effectiveness of one type of training versus another may depend upon the way reading is measured. Further, our results show that the effectiveness of the training is related to differences in the learning styles of the students. TESOL QUARTERLY FIGURE 1 Sample Training Passage NUTRIENTS IN FOODNutrients are parts of food that are important for life and health. Nutrients are important for three reasons. First, some nutrients provide fuel for energy. Second, some nutrients build and repair body tissues. Third, some nutrients help control different processes of the body like the absorption of minerals and the clotting of blood. Scientists think there are 40 to 50 nutrients. These nutrients are divided into five general groups: carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins.The first group of nutrients is carbohydrates. There are two kinds of carbohydrates: starches and sugars. Bread, potatoes, and rice are starches. They have many carbohydrates. Candy, soft drinks, jelly, and other foods with sugar also have carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are important because they provide the body with heat and energy. Sugar, for instance, is 100 percent energy. It has no other food value. Sugar does not build body tissues or control body processes. If there are too many carbohydrates in the body, they are stored as body fat. The body stores fuel as fat.There are two types of fats: animal and vegetable. Butter, cream, and the fat in bacon are animal fats. Olive oil, corn oil, and peanut oil are vegetable fats. The body has fat under the skin and around some of the organs inside. The average adult has 10 to 11 kilograms (20 to 25 pounds) of body fat. If adults eat too many carbohydrates and fats, they can add another 45 kilograms (100 pounds) to their bodies. Fat is extra fuel. When the body needs energy, it changes the fat into car...

Comparative Effect of Memory and Cognitive Strategies Training on EFL Intermediate Learners’ Vocabulary Learning

“…There are many studies concerning about finding the effect of strategy instruction on comprehension skill (Carrell et al, 1989;Cadierno-Lopez, 1992;El-Koumy, 1999;Kitajima, 1997;Kusiak, 2001;Holunga, 1994;Talbot, 1995;Thompson & Rubin, 1996), While there is a few numbers of studies that their focuses are on the effect of strategy instruction on the productive skills. Ellis (1994) states: "one area in which strategy training may be particularly useful is in vocabulary acquisition" (p. 556).The overt training of the cognitive and memory strategies can rarely be found in the literature when they are to be compared especially when the case is the www.ccsenet.org/elt English Language Teaching Vol.…”

“…Ellis (1994) states "perhaps the most comprehensive classification of learning strategies to date is that provided by Oxford (p. 539;also in Brown, 2001, p. 217). There are many studies that seek to find the effect of teaching learning strategies on the learners specific skill or area of language (Ayaduray & Jacobs, 1997;Bimmel et al, 2001;Cadierno-Lopez, 1992;Carrell et al, 1989;Holunga, 1994;Kitajima,1997;Kusiak, 2001;Ozeki, 2000;Raymond, 1993;Talbot, 1995;Thompson & Rubin, 1996) and this shed light on more effort to in making learners aware of all possible strategies for different skills that was then accompanied with what was called as "strategy instruction".…”

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Asian Social Science, Vol. 5, No. 5, May, 2009

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