A Survey Study of Chinese College Engineering Students’ Use of Metacognitive Strategies in English Writing

Abstract

Metacognitive strategy has been recognised as a crucial factor in language learning, and its role in English writing for Chinese learners still remains unknown. The present study investigates 215 Chinese college engineering students’ use of metacognitive strategies through employing research methods of questionnaire survey and writing proficiency test. According to the results, it is found that selective attention and self-monitoring are used in writing quite often, while planning and self-evaluation are seldom used. Besides, the differences in the use of metacognitive strategies between freshmen and sophomores are not statistically significant. It is also found that engineering students of higher writing proficiency tend to employ metacognitive strategies in academic writing more frequently and effectively than those with poor writing skills. It is eventually suggested that metacognitive strategies should be imparted to the students, and that the training of metacognitive strategies should be integrated into classroom activities of English writing teaching.