scholarly journals The Effect of Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Training on Intermediate Iranian EFL learners’ Willingness to Communicate

Author(s):  
Maryam Farzam

The present study aimed at exploring the effects of cognitive and metacognitive strategy training on the WTC of Iranian EFL learners. The participants of the study included 90 Iranian EFL learners at the intermediate level of English language proficiency. They were divided into three groups based on their performance on a general proficiency test. One group received cognitive strategy instruction, another metacognitive strategy instruction and the last one served as the control group. The participants were also tested before and after the treatment in terms of WTC. The results of statistical analysis showed that both cognitive and metacognitive strategy training had a positive effect on the WTC of Iranian EFL learners. It was also revealed that metacognitive and cognitive strategy training had similar effects on the WTC of the participants. 

2001 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 255-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monika Kusiak

This article discusses the results of research investigating the effect of metacognitive strategy training on the reading comprehension and metacognitive knowledge of Polish intermediate learners of English as a foreign language. Results of a pretest and posttest questionnaire and a reading comprehension test administered to both an experimental and a control group of students suggest that students who were taught to apply self-regulatory strategies while performing a task related to reading could enhance their metacognitive knowledge of themselves as readers, their perceptions of the reading process and reading strategies, and their motivation as well as self-evaluation of reading skills. With respect to the students’ reading comprehension, a comparison of the effect of the training on students at two levels of language competence indicates that the training was more effective for the less proficient students. The study points to the effectiveness of metacognitive strategy training for students at an intermediate level of language proficiency. It also stresses the significance of learners’ beliefs concerning reading and underscores the role of metacognition in developing reading skills.


2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-57
Author(s):  
Ali Asghar Ghasemi ◽  
Hooshang Yazdani ◽  
Mohammad Amin Mozaheb

This study explores whether metacognitive strategy training can influence the lexical knowledge of L2 learners of the present study, and what they think about the use of metacognitive strategies in language learning classes. To do so, a 50-item multiple-choice vocabulary test, developed by the researchers based upon Nation’s (1990) levels of language proficiency, was employed to measure the learners’ vocabulary knowledge progress during the period of instruction. The instruction received by the experimental group was based on the Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA) Model, developed and validated by Chamot and O’Malley (1994). The findings revealed that the experimental group outperformed the control group in their endeavors for comprehending and producing vocabulary. This may be attributed to the fact that after this intervention, participants have developed their metacognitive awareness and their thinking skills. The study concludes with pedagogical implications and highlights avenues for future research. ﺗ مّ د ﻣ ﺞ ا ﺳ ﺗ ر ا ﺗ ﯾ ﺟ ﯾ ﺎ ت ﻣ ﺎ و ر ا ء ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﯾ ﺔ (MS) ، ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻲ ﺗ ﻌ ﺗ ﺑ ر ا ﻟ ﻔ ﺋ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻔ ر ﻋ ﯾ ﺔ ا ﻟ ر ﺋ ﯾ ﺳ ﯾ ﺔ ﻻ ﺳ ﺗ ر ا ﺗ ﯾ ﺟ ﯾ ﺎ ت ﺗ ﻌ ﻠّ م ا ﻟ ﻠّ ﻐ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ ﻣ ﻧ ﺎ ھ ﺞ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠّ م ا ﻟ ﻠّ ﻐ ﺔ ا ﻷ ﺟ ﻧ ﺑ ﯾ ﺔ ﻟ ﺗ ﺳ ﮭ ﯾ ل ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻔ ﻛ ﯾ ر ا ﻟ ﻌ ﺎ ﻟ ﻲ و ا ﻟ ﺗ ﺧ ط ﯾ ط ا ﻟ ذ ا ﺗ ﻲ و ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠّ م ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺳ ﺗ ﻘِّل و ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ م ا ﻷ ﻓ ﺿ ل ﻓ ﻲ ﻧ ﮭ ﺎ ﯾ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻣ ط ﺎ ف . و ﻓ ﻘًﺎ ﻟ ذ ﻟ ك ، ﺗ ﻌ دّ ھ ذ ه ا ﻟ دّر ا ﺳ ﺔ ﻣ ﺣ ﺎ و ﻟ ﺔً ﻟ ﻺ ﺟ ﺎ ﺑ ﺔ ﻋ ﻣ ﺎ إ ذ ا ﻛ ﺎ ن ا ﻟ ﺗ د ر ﯾ ب ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﺳ ﺗ ر ا ﺗ ﯾ ﺟ ﯾ ﺔ ﻣ ﺎ و ر ا ء ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﻲ ﯾ ﻣ ﻛ ن أ ن ﯾ ؤ ﺛّ ر ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻣُﻌ ﺟ ﻣ ﯾ ﺔ ﻟ ﻠ ﻣ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﻣ ﯾ ن و ﻣ ﺎ ذ ا ﯾ ﻔ ﻛّر ﻓ ﯾ ﮫ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠّ ﻣ و ن ﺣ ول ﺗ د ر ﯾ س ا ﺳ ﺗ ر ا ﺗ ﯾ ﺟ ﯾ ﺎ ت ﻣ ﺎ و ر ا ء ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﯾ ﺔ . و ﻟ ﻠ ﻘ ﯾ ﺎ م ﺑ ذ ﻟ ك ، ﺗ مّ ا ﺳ ﺗ ﺧ د ا م ا ﺧ ﺗ ﺑ ﺎ ر ﻣ ﻛ و ن ﻣ ن 50 ﻋ ﻧ ﺻ ر اً ﻣ ﺗ ﻌ د د ا ﻻ ﺧ ﺗ ﯾ ﺎ ر ا ت ا ﻟّ ذ ي ﺗ مّ ﺗ ط و ﯾ ر ه ﺑ و ا ﺳ ط ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺑ ﺎ ﺣ ﺛ ﯾ ن ا ﺳ ﺗ ﻧ ﺎ دًا إ ﻟ ﻰ ﻣ ﺳ ﺗ و ﯾ ﺎ ت ا ﻟ ﻛ ﻔ ﺎ ء ة ا ﻟ ﻠ ﻐ و ﯾ ﺔ ﻟ د ى ا ﻟ ﺷ ﻌ ب (Nation) (1990 م ( ، ﻟ ﻘ ﯾ ﺎ س ﺗ ط وّ ر ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻔ ر د ا ت أ ﺛ ﻧ ﺎ ء ﻓ ﺗ ر ة اﻟ ﺗد ر ﯾ س . ا ﺳ ﺗ ﻧ د ت ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﯾ ﻣ ﺎ ت ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻲ ﺗ ﻠ ﻘّﺗ ﮭ ﺎ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺟ ﻣ و ﻋ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺗ ﺟ ر ﯾ ﺑ ﯾ ﺔ إ ﻟ ﻰ ﻧ ﻣ و ذ ج ﻣ ﻧ ﮭ ﺞ ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ م ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻷ ﻛ ﺎ د ﯾ ﻣ ﻲ ) CALLA ( ا ﻟ ذّي أ ﻋ دّه و و ا ﻓ ق ﻋﻠ ﯾ ﮫ ﺷﺎ ﻣو ت وأ وﻣﺎﻟ ﻲ ) 1994 ( . ﻛ ﺷ ﻔ ت ا ﻟ ﻧ ﺗ ﺎ ﺋ ﺞ أ نّ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺟ ﻣ و ﻋ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺗ ﺟ ر ﯾ ﺑ ﯾ ﺔ ﺗ ﻔ و ﻗ ت ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺟ ﻣ و ﻋ ﺔ ا ﻟ ﺗ ﺣ ﻛ ﻣ ﯾ ﺔ ﺑ ﺎ ﻟ ﻧّﺳ ﺑ ﺔ ﻟ ﻔ ﮭ م و إ ﻧ ﺗ ﺎ ج ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻔ ر د ا ت . ﻣن اﻟ ﻣﻣﮑن أ ن ﯾﻌود ذ ﻟ ك إ ﻟ ﻰ ﺣ ﻘ ﯾ ﻘ ﺔ أ نّ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺗ ﻌ ﻠ ﻣ ﯾ ن ﺑ ﻌ د ھ ذ ا ا ﻟ ﻌ ﻼ ج ﯾ ﻣ ﻛ ﻧ ﮭ م ا ﻟ ﺗ ﻔ ﻛ ﯾ ر أ ﻛ ﺛ ر و ر ا ء ا ﻟ ﻣ ﻌ ر ﻓ ﯾ ﺔ و ﺗ ط و ﯾ ر ﺗ ﻘ دّم ﺗ ﻔ ﻛ ﯾ ر ھ م . ﺗ ﺧ ﺗ ﺗ م ا ﻟ دّر ا ﺳ ﺔ ﺑ ذ ﮐ ر ﺑ ﻌ ض ا ﻵ ﻓ ﺎ ق ا ﻟ ﺗ ر ﺑ و ﯾّﺔ و ﺗ ﺳ ﻠ ﯾ ط ا ﻟ ﺿّو ء ﻋ ﻠ ﻰ ﺑ ﻌ ض ا ﻟ ﺳّﺑ ل ﻟ ﻠ ﺑ ﺣ ث ﻓ ﻲ ا ﻟ ﻣ ﺳ ﺗ ﻘ ﺑ ل .


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arab World English Journal ◽  
Mohammed Msaddek

This experimental study is intended to uncover how the meaning-checking procedure is conducted by Moroccan English as a foreign language (EFL) learners and explore the perceived impact of metacognitive strategy instruction on the way they monitor their comprehension act in textual processing. Predicated on a pre-post-test design, the study is a manifestation of the extent to which the learners’ monitoring behaviour during the reading process can be subject to utter improvement through the conduct of an instructional intervention. To investigate this issue at length and provide plausible, pertinent evidence, a sample of 113 of Moroccan first-semester students majoring in English Studies were targeted. The data were elicited through the usage of such research instruments as reading comprehension texts (i.e., narrative, expository), ‘self-report questionnaire’ and reading comprehension tests (i.e., pre-test, post-test). The findings evinced that, owing to strategy instruction, the comprehension-checking behavior among the experimental group (n=63) significantly improved at post-test compared to the control group (n=50). Finally, some practical implications are brought forward and a few limitations confronting the study under focus are cited.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 761
Author(s):  
Mehran Davaribina ◽  
Shahram Esfandiari Asl

The present study was an attempt to compare the effect of concept mapping strategy instruction and translation strategy instruction on the reading comprehension ability of the Iranian EFL learners. To do so, 90 EFL learners at the intermediate level studying in a language institute in Ardabil, north Iran were randomly assigned into three equal groups (concept map, translation and control).  Having taken a reading pretest, the participants in experimental groups were instructed using mentioned strategies whereas the control group learners were taught the same content with no strategies integrated. Results of analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) revealed that the participants in the experimental groups significantly outperformed the participants in the control group, suggesting that the application of concept mapping and translation strategy training can generate more positive effect on the reading comprehension ability of the learners. Also, the findings of the study indicated that the concept mapping group outperformed the translation strategy group on the reading posttest. Pedagogical implications and suggestions of the study will be discussed.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abulfazl Mesgarshahr ◽  
Esmaeel Abdollahzadeh

One of the pedagogical implications of the research on the Willingness to Communicate (WTC) might be to propose practical ways of making language learners more willing to communicate in the classroom. This study investigated the impact of teaching communication strategies (CSs) on Iranian EFL learners’ WTC. To this end, 8 intact classes were included as the experimental and control groups. The control group underwent regular language instruction, while the experimental group received the treatment (i.e., communication strategy training). The self-report measurement of WTC (MacIntyre, Baker, Clément, & Conrad, 2001) was done before (pre-test) and after the treatment (post-test). The results of the independent-samples t test showed that the degree of WTC of the treatment group was significantly higher compared with that of the control group. It was concluded that teaching CSs helps learners become more willing to communicate in the classroom.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Gholamhossein Shabani ◽  
Davood Mashhadi Heidar

<p>The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of two models of texts (contrived versus authentic texts) on Iranian intermediate EFL learners’ lexical collocation learning. The participants were sixty students majoring in English. They were students in the second semester of academic year 2015 who were selected through a proficiency test titled Comprehensive English Language Test (CELT), administered at the commencement of the study, the result of which showed that the two groups were homogeneous in terms of their language proficiency. They were divided into two equal comparison groups: The Authentic Text group (AT) and Contrived Text group (CT), either of which included thirty ones.  The quantitative data on the participants’ knowledge on lexical collocations were collected using a pre-planned pretest on lexical collocation, comprising forty multiple-choice-items. The pretest on lexical collocation went through a pilot study. The same version of the test of lexical collocation, with the rearrangement of some items, was administered to the both comparison groups after the completion of the treatment period for the AT group and placebo for the CT group. The analysis of the quantitative data was done using Independent Samples T-test and paired-samples T-test. The results of the Paired-samples T-test and Independent Samples T-test indicated that the AT group was significantly different from the control group; in other words, the AT group outperformed the CT group.  Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research were included as well.</p>


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 200-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alessia Rosi ◽  
Tomaso Vecchi ◽  
Elena Cavallini

AbstractResearch on decision making and aging has shown that some decision-making skills decrease with age. Despite these age-related declines, no study has yet investigated the possibility of promoting improvements in decision-making skills in older adults. The present study was designed to address this gap in literature by examining the efficacy of a metacognitive-strategy decision-making training on practiced and non-practiced tasks. The training was based on the use of specific metacognitive principles and analytical strategies for promoting an analytical mode of thinking in the decision-making process. We examined 66 older adults (Mage= 67.52 years, SD = 5.38; age range 60-81) assigned to two training groups: a metacognitive-strategy decision-making training group and an active control group involved in a strategic memory intervention. Both training groups attended four 2-hour training sessions conducted once a week. Results showed that, after intervention, the decision-making training group improved their decision-making skills significantly more than the active control training group. Crucially, the positive effect of the training was evident in both practiced and non-practiced decision-making tasks. This is the first study investigating the efficacy of a decision-making training in older adults based on metacognitive and strategic principles.


Author(s):  
(Mark) Feng Teng

Abstract This study investigated a learner-based approach of applying online reading to improve learner autonomy and lexical knowledge. Learner autonomy was operationalized as learners’ self-initiation and self-regulation. A total of 90 students at a Chinese university were divided equally into three groups. Participants in the Experimental Group One (EG1) read online after receiving a package of nine hourly sessions in metacognitive strategy training. Participants in the Experimental Group Two (EG2) read online without receiving any strategy training. Participants in the Control Group (CG) only read printed versions of the target materials. Students in the EG1 outperformed those in the other two groups in terms of their ability to plan, monitor, and evaluate reading. Planning became the most exercised skill, followed by evaluating and monitoring. A significant difference between EG2 and CG with respect to their abilities was not detected. Students in the EG1 also improved the most in lexical knowledge, and although students in the EG2 showed higher lexical knowledge scores than those in the CG, the difference was not significant. In addition, improvements in lexical knowledge were maintained best by EG1 on a delayed test. Overall, this study suggests that providing students with metacognitive strategy training for online reading is an effective approach.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Hassan M. Kassem

The current study investigated the effect of communication strategy instruction on Saudi EFL learners’ strategy use, speaking proficiency and speaking self-efficacy. Two intact classes of EFL freshmen at Thadiq Sciences and Humanities College, Shaqra University, KSA participated in the study in the first semester of the academic year 2018-2019. They were assigned to an experimental group (N = 20) and a control group (N = 19). A speaking test and a speaking self-efficacy questionnaire were administered to the two groups. Students’ oral production and communication strategy use were assessed by independent raters. Independent samples t-tests performed on the pretest mean scores of the two groups showed that they were homogenous in strategy use, speaking proficiency and speaking self-efficacy prior to the treatment. Treatment group students were then taught four communication strategies: circumlocution, approximation, appeal for help, and fillers in the Listening and Speaking 2 (Eng 122) course. The control group received the teaching sequence adopted in the course’s textbook which includes no training on communication strategy. Independent and paired samples t-tests revealed that the treatment group outperformed the control group in all dependent variables, hence supporting the positive effect of communication strategy training on strategy use, speaking proficiency and speaking self-efficacy. Pedagogical implications are offered.


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