The Correlation between the Fourth Grade Students’ Level of Functional Literacy and Metacognitive Awareness

Abstract

The present study aims at presenting the relationship between the fourth grade primary school students' level of functional literacy and metacognitive awareness. The study group of the research is made up of 406 fourth grade students attending school during 2015-2016 academic year in Niğde. This study adopts survey model and its data collection tools include the Functional Literacy Experience Scale based upon Ecological Theory (FLESBUET) and the Metacognitive Awareness Scale for Children. In relation to these points, this study also attempts to explore the students' demographical characteristics, their level of functional literacy and metacognitive awareness and whether the level of functional literacy and metacognitive awareness differentiate according to their gender, preschool education and their mother's employment status. In the light of the findings, it has been concluded that there is a moderate level of positive and significant correlation between the level of functional literacy and metacognitive awareness of the 4 th grade primary school students (r=.480, p<.001). It has also been found that, the students' level of functional literacy and metacognitive awareness differentiate if they take preschool education and if their mother is employed. However, there seems to be no differentiation according to their gender.

The relationship between functional literacy and problem-solving skills: A study on 4th-grade students

“…Sümen and Çalışıcı (2016) found a significant relationship amongst teacher candidates' problem-solving skills, metacognitive awareness, and mathematics literacy. Özenç and Dikici (2016) revealed a moderate and positive relationship between 4th grade students' literacy levels and their metacognitive awareness. Metacognition enables the problem solver to strategically code the problem, develop a mental scheme, choose and plan an appropriate strategy to achieve the goal, and recognize and overcome challenges along the way.…”

“…In her study, Özenç (2012) found functional literacy of 4th and 5th grade students at medium level. Again, Özenç and Dikici (2016) revealed that 4th grade students' functional literacy was medium. Unlike these studies, Glušac, Pilipovic, and Milic (2020) determined that the functional literacy of 3rd grade secondary school students was at a disturbing level.…”

“…Duran and Özen (2018) investigated digital literacy in Turkish Language courses. In addition, while Özenç (2012) examined the relationship between functional literacy and academic achievement, Özenç and Dikici (2016) examined the relationship between functional literacy and metacognitive awareness, and Tezel and Tezgören (2019) examined the relationship between scientific literacy and problem-solving skills of 8th-grade students. Furthermore, many studies are examining the relationship of problem-solving skillswith different variables (Saygılı, 2000;Özsoy, 2005;Salami & Aremu, 2006;Sharifi, 2006;Berkant & Eren, 2013;Yang & Sim, 2016.…”

Mathematical Literacy Ability and Metacognitive Characteristics of Mathematics Pre-Service Teacher

“…The characteristics of metacognition are realizing that the solution strategy is not right but not improving it, planning the strategy that is made but not realizing the accuracy of the strategy, not showing monitoring activities and not sure what is being thought and tends to not master the concept. For the functional literacy group, the use of metacognition leads to awareness of their knowledge but still has difficulty connecting some related mathematical concepts (Ali et al, 2020;Özenç & Dikici, 2016;Zhussupova & Kazbekova, 2016). In the use of metacognition activities, the characteristics that are raised are being aware of what is thinking, planning various strategies consciously to increase the accuracy of his thinking, but not always using these strategies, tending to monitor his thinking processes, showing a tendency to master the mathematical concepts underlying the problem.…”