Metacognitive awareness of strategy use in EFL reading comprehension in Bangladesh

It is argued that learners’ metacognitive awareness of strategy use is significantly associated with their achievement in reading comprehension. In order to ascertain this association, the present researcher carries out the investigation to substantiate the existing findings. This current study is a partial replication of Carrell (1989) and Vogely (1995) with regard to their methods and objectives. The objectives of this research are to explore the higher secondary-level EFL learners’ perceptions of themselves as readers, of their use of comprehension and repair strategies, of difficulties as well as the effectiveness of reading strategies, and its relationship with their reading comprehension, if any. For this investigation, quantitative data collected from 148 higher secondary-level EFL learners via a modified Metacognitive Awareness Strategy Questionnaire (MASQ; Carrell, 1989) and a reading comprehension test were analyzed through statistical tools available in SPSS. The results reveal that learners possess a moderate awareness of reading strategies, and their perceptions of effective strategies and of the difficulty of strategy use are significantly and positively related to their reading comprehension. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications are discussed and scope for future studies is recommended.

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Enhancing Comprehension by Effectively Using Reading Strategies

English Language and Literature Studies ◽

10.5539/ells.v8n4p14 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 14

Author(s):

Preeti Jaiswal

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

English Language ◽

Metacognitive Awareness ◽

Comprehension Test ◽

Foundation Program ◽

Metacognitive Reading Strategies ◽

University Of Bahrain ◽

Esl Learners

The paper examined the reading strategies used by ESL learners at University of Bahrain to comprehend academic material. It investigated the interdependence between the use of reading strategies by ESL learners’ and their reading comprehension attainment. To accomplish this goal, three instruments were used: a survey of the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) by Mokhtari and Sheorey (2002) and a Pre-reading comprehension test and Post-reading comprehension test and a paired sample t-test. The paper used quantitative data collected from 100 students studying in the Foundation Program at the English Language Centre and Department of Applied Studies at University of Bahrain. The findings of this research showed a notably positive relationship between the use of cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies by the students and their reading comprehension achievement. The compilation of the quantitative data, displayed that students practiced Global Reading Strategies appreciably, followed subsequently by Support Reading Strategies and Problem Solving Reading Strategies.

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Foreign language reading strategy use of intermediate level adult Turkish EFL learners

Journal on English as a Foreign Language ◽

10.23971/jefl.v7i2.648 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 135

Author(s):

Fatma Aydin ◽

Ozgur Yildirim

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Foreign Language ◽

Repeated Measures ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Reading Strategy ◽

Strategy Use ◽

Intermediate Level ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Foreign Language Reading

<p>The purpose of this study was to investigate foreign language reading strategy use of a group of intermediate level adult Turkish EFL learners. The participants of the study were 87 Turkish first-year university students who were taking intermediate level English courses at a state university in Turkey. The main instrument of the study was a reading strategies survey which consisted of 30 items with three sub-scales: global or metacognitive reading strategies, problem-solving or cognitive reading strategies, and support reading strategies. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to support the quantitative data. The quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequencies, percentages) and one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. As for the analysis of the qualitative data, tape-recorded interviews were first transcribed and then analyzed by grouping each interviewee’s response according to the sub-scales of the survey. Results of the study indicated that intermediate-level adult Turkish EFL learners show the moderate overall use of reading strategies; problem-solving strategies are the most favored strategies, and they are followed by global reading strategies and supplementary reading strategies.</p>

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Predictors of Successful Reading Comprehension in Bilingual Adults: The Role of Reading Strategies and Language Proficiency

Languages ◽

10.3390/languages6010018 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 18

Author(s):

Deanna C. Friesen ◽

Bailey Frid

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

Text Analysis ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Background Knowledge ◽

Strategy Use ◽

Dominant Language ◽

Analysis Strategies

The current study investigated the type of strategies that English–French bilingual adults utilize when reading in their dominant and non-dominant languages and which of these strategies are associated with reading comprehension success. Thirty-nine participants read short texts while reporting aloud what they were thinking as they read. Following each passage, readers answered three comprehension questions. Questions either required information found directly in the text (literal question) or required a necessary inference or an elaborative inference. Readers reported more necessary and elaborative inferences and referred to more background knowledge in their dominant language than in their non-dominant language. Engaging in both text analysis strategies and meaning extraction strategies predicted reading comprehension success in both languages, with differences observed depending on the type of question posed. Results are discussed with respect to how strategy use supports the development of text representations.

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Reading Comprehension Strategies among EFL Learners in Higher Learning Institutions

10.31235/osf.io/p7cde ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Arab World English Journal ◽

Hamza Al-Jarrah ◽

Nur Salina binti Ismail

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Conceptual Knowledge ◽

Cultural Knowledge ◽

Higher Learning ◽

Comprehension Strategies ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Reading Comprehension Strategies ◽

Reading Materials ◽

Learning Institutions

A variety of reading strategies are required to comprehend reading materials. Without effective reading strategies, students mostly face reading comprehension difficulties. This study aims to investigate reading comprehension strategies among English foreign language (EFL) learners in higher learning institutions. The study employed qualitative method and 10 Arab students of Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) were interviewed. Inductive thematic approach was used to analyze data. The findings indicates that the most commonly used reading strategies among the EFL learners are logical knowledge (under linguistic schema), formal construction (under formal schema), cultural knowledge (under cultural schema), and prior knowledge and conceptual knowledge (under content schema). This study concludes that reading strategies help the EFL learners in understanding English reading materials. To improve reading strategies for EFL learners, there is a need for collective effort of English language teachers, curriculum designers, educationists, education policy makers, and the EFL learners themselves.

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A Review of Studies on Cognitive and Metacognitive Reading Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension for ESL/EFL Learners

English Language Teaching ◽

10.5539/elt.v12n6p94 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 94

Author(s):

Aziza M. Ali ◽

Abu Bakar Razali

Keyword(s):

English Language Learners ◽

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

English Language ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Written Information ◽

Efl Teachers ◽

Correct Reading ◽

Efl Students ◽

Metacognitive Reading Strategies

Being able to read well is important for English language learners. Through the process of reading, the learner becomes an active participant in producing an interaction with the writer of the text through predicting, analyzing, summarizing and using other types of reading strategies. However, building such a connection between the reader and the written information of the text is complex and for English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL) students, it can be quite difficult for them to apply different types of reading strategies. This article provides a review of literature on 27 studies on the teaching of reading strategies (particularly cognitive and metacognitive reading strategies) for ESL/EFL learners, which reveals that ESL/EFL teachers need to keep updating their teaching methods to meet the ESL/EFL students’ needs, particularly in the use of correct reading strategies. The authors also highlight some of the main issues that prevent ESL/EFL students from improving and developing their reading comprehension. Furthermore, the authors discuss and conclude the article by suggesting to ESL/EFL teachers some teaching strategies to be applied in the reading lesson to improve the ESL/EFL students’ use of reading strategies.

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The Effects of Collaborative and Non- Collaborative Approaches to Teaching Reading Strategies on Iranian efl Learners’ Reading Comprehension and Attitude toward Reading

Íkala Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura ◽

10.17533/udea.ikala.v25n01a05 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 55-73

Author(s):

Azadeh Rajaei ◽

Seyed Hassan Talebi ◽

Shirin Abadikhah

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Strategy Instruction ◽

Reading Strategy ◽

Control Group ◽

Teaching Reading ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Reading Strategy Instruction ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Experimental Group

In an EFL context reading is a very important skill in language learning. This study aims at finding if instruction of reading strategies in two different collaborative and non-collaborative approaches affects reading comprehension and attitude toward reading differently. Forty-five Iranian adult female EFL learners at pre-intermediate general English proficiency level in Iran Language Institute (ili) were selected and divided into three groups of 15 students. One group functioning as the control group did not receive any strategy instruction; the second group, as the first experimental group, received reading strategy instruction in collaborative groups (Collaborative Strategic Reading or csr), and the third group considered as the second experimental group received reading strategy instruction in a non-collaborative way. A reading comprehension test and a reading attitude questionnaire were given to all three groups at the beginning of the term as pretests and after the experiment as posttests. The results obtained through one-way anova indicated that though both experimental groups outperformed the control group, there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups in reading comprehension and attitude toward reading. Therefore, it is up to teachers to weigh the advantages of using the collaborative approach to teaching reading against its disadvantages.

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Role of Content Schema in Reading Comprehension Among Saudi EFL Students: EFL Teachers’ Perspective and Use of Appropriate Classroom Strategies

International Journal of English Linguistics ◽

10.5539/ijel.v8n4p96 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 96

Author(s):

AbdulRahman Al Asmari ◽

Choudhary Zahid Javid

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

English Language ◽

Reading Skills ◽

Background Knowledge ◽

Language Teachers ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Classroom Strategies ◽

English Language Teachers

This empirical survey investigates the perceptions of English language teachers towards the role of content schemata in reading comprehension among Saudi EFL learners. Furthermore, it also attempts to explore the use of appropriate classroom strategies employed by English language teachers to activate content schemata to enhance learners’ reading comprehension. A modified Likert-scale strongly-agree to strongly-disagree questionnaire was administered to 61 male and female EFL faculty from English Language Center (ELC), Taif University to generate data. The findings have reinforced that background knowledge of Saudi EFL learners help them significantly in reading faster with better understanding. It has also been reported that pre-reading strategies of brainstorming, classroom discussions about the topic and questioning are the most favored ones to activate Saudi EFL learners’ background knowledge. It has also been learnt that while-reading strategies of directing the students’ attention to signal words, main idea, important phrases, titles, subtitles and effectively linking the target text to their students’ cultural and social experiences also contribute towards reading comprehension. The findings have also revealed that English language teachers consider low English language proficiency and poor reading skills of Saudi ELF leaners as well as the lack of appropriate teaching aids as the major obstacles in activating the content schemata. Several recommendations have been forwarded which have significant pedagogical implications in materializing much sought-after goal of effective ELT in the KSA by ensuring better reading skills among Saudi EFL learners.

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A Study of Factors Affecting EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension Skill and the Strategies for Improvement

International Journal of English Linguistics ◽

10.5539/ijel.v6n5p180 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (5) ◽

pp. 180 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Abbas Pourhosein Gilakjani ◽

Narjes Banou Sabouri

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Review Paper ◽

Vital Role ◽

Primary Objective ◽

Academic Tasks ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Comprehension Skill ◽

Written Materials

<p>Reading comprehension is a significant skill that furthers the development of learners’ various academic tasks. It helps them decoding a text, analyzing, explaining, and expressing their own ideas about written materials. Learners should develop a strong ability to understand written materials to struggle with the academic tasks that their teachers deal with them. A primary objective of reading comprehension is to aid learners improve skills and comprehension of texts if they want to be skilled readers. In this review paper, the researchers define the term reading comprehension and reading strategies, elaborate previous findings about the relationship between reading strategies and reading comprehension skill, state factors affecting reading comprehension skill, explain the effective strategies for reading comprehension, and finally mention suggestions for improving reading comprehension skill. The findings of this review paper indicated that appropriate reading strategies play a vital role in improving EFL learners’ reading comprehension skill.</p>

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Contributions of the cognitive, affective and linguistic domains to strategy use and degree of strategy use to effective reading performance

Khazar Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ◽

10.5782/2223-2621.2015.18.4.17 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 17-34

Author(s):

Seyed Hassan Talebi ◽

Behnaz Seifallahpur

Keyword(s):

Reading Comprehension ◽

Language Proficiency ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Learning Strategy ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Reading Strategy ◽

Reading Performance ◽

Strategy Use ◽

Cognitive Domain ◽

Test Analysis

According to Oxford (1990), different learner variables affect the choice of learning strategy. It was also found that effective L2 readers know how to use strategies to foster reading comprehension and ineffective readers have little awareness of strategies to read effectively (Yang, 2002). This study investigates the contribution of three relatively important variables and their components (namely, the cognitive domain or awareness and use of strategies, the linguistic domain or general English proficiency level, and the affective domain or attitude toward reading in L2), to reading strategy use in English. The second purpose of the study is to find out the effect of reading strategy use on reading comprehension. For these purposes, 100 undergraduate Iranian EFL students participated in this study. They were given Language Proficiency Test, Test of reading comprehension in English, Reading Strategy Awareness and Use Questionnaire, and finallvy a questionnaire on attitude toward Reading. The obtained data were analysed using descriptive statistic (means, standard deviations), Pearson correlation procedure, regression analysis, ANOVA, and Scheffe post-hoc multiple range test. Analysis of data showed the three aforementioned variables, namely awareness and use of reading strategies, linguistic proficiency, and attitude toward reading had significant contributions to strategy use. However, strategy awareness showed to have the most contribution to strategy use. In addition, among the subgroups of strategy awareness, the metacognitive component showed to contribute more to strategy use. In this study it was also found students with higher strategy use gain better scores on the reading test. It is concluded that as degree of strategy use affects reading performance, in order to improve effective use of reading strategies teachers and learners should pay more attention to the development of awareness of reading strategies, especially the metacognitive component in order to have a good use of reading strategies for efficient reading.

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Reading Needs Analysis of EFL Learners in the Saudi Context: Identifying Needs and Deficiencies

International Journal of English Language Education ◽

10.5296/ijele.v6i2.13863 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 92

Author(s):

Asmaa A. AlGhamdi ◽

Sundus Z. AlQadi ◽

Jumana M. AlHammad ◽

Nadia A. Shukri

Keyword(s):

English Learners ◽

Reading Strategies ◽

Quantitative Data ◽

Reading Speed ◽

Female Students ◽

Needs Analysis ◽

Efl Learners ◽

Depth Data ◽

King Abdulaziz University ◽

Preparatory Year

The aim of the current study is to do a reading needs analysis of preparatory-year students in the Saudi context. The scope is to identify the reading needs and deficiencies of EFL learners at King Abdulaziz University. The instrument used is a paper-based questionnaire that was distributed among the participants. A total of sixty-three female students participated in the study. The questionnaire is adapted from the needs analysis questionnaire for non-English learners (Gravatt, Richards & Lewis, 1997). Two open-ended questions were added in order to get in-depth data from the participants. The statistical analysis was utilized for the quantitative data via SPSS whereas the open-ended questions were analyzed thematically using NVivo. The results demonstrate that EFL learners in the Saudi context have deficiencies of some reading strategies such as reading speed and reading to respond critically. However, they do not have difficulties with general comprehension of reading texts and they are able to read slowly in order to understand the details of the text. Regarding preferences, they mostly like to read works of fiction such as stories or novels but they do not prefer to read long texts. Based on the findings, this study was able to draw a number of implications and propose several recommendations.

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