Contribution of Meta-Cognitive Competence in Preserving Student Self-Regulation in Algerian Higher Education: A Case from ENS of Laghouat

Abstract

The processes of teaching and learning the English language have reached a globalized turn to the extent that educators and learners became highly exposed to teaching materials and classroom strategies to ensure long-life, independent, and self-guided learning. Ultimately, in a language class, learners may confront difficulty in understanding a literary text which can derive from the limited language proficiency, and presiding over lack of linguistic, cultural, and academic competence. In order to affirm this hypothesis and answer the question of the extent to which can self-directed learning be achieved and improved through metacognitive competence in performing a task in literature, this study aims at highlighting the effectiveness of incorporating certain innovative teaching activities and management practices, notably self-cognition and self-reflection on pursuing learners’ metacognition in understanding a literary text. By adopting a quasi-experimental methodological design, this study uses a participant observation with twenty- six subjects at Higher College of Teachers of Laghouat, they are assigned into two groups to measure their level of meta-cognitive competence and self-regulation, and prove their impact on achieving independent learning in studying a literary text. Results assured learners’ enthusiasm, high competence, and positive responses upon compiling metacognition and self-reflection which are not only learning strategies, but also learning paradigms for increasing learners’ self-directed learning and performance in class. Further studies may include engaging in improving independent learning and self-regulation of post-graduated learners through compensation and memory-related strategies.