Effectiveness of a Metacognitive Reading Strategies Program for Improving Low Achieving EFL Readers

Tha’Er Issa Tawalbeh,Nasrah Mahmoud Ismail

doi:10.5539/ies.v8n1p71

Abstract

As the training of language learners was a main concern of EFL teachers, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of metacognitive reading strategies instruction (MRSI) on Taif University EFL students who achieved low results in reading. The final sample of this study was (21) female university students. The sample was divided into two groups; the experimental group, which consisted of (10) girls, and the control group, which consisted of (11) girls. By using the quasi experimental-research methodology, three research objectives were addressed in this study: (a) to examine whether there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the employment of metacognitive reading strategies and reading comprehension post-tests): (b) to explore whether there were significant differences between the mean scores of pre- and post-tests on the English Language reading test: (c) to find out whether there were any significant differences between the mean scores of the post-test and the follow up of the use of metacognitive reading strategies and the English Language reading comprehension test given to the experimental group. Data from pre- and post-test measurements were used to investigate the impact the intervention had on EFL low achievers in reading. Statistical analyses of the data showed that there were statistically significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the post-test reading comprehension test as well as the reading strategies questionnaire. These showed a significant improvement in the reading skill in the experimental group. They also revealed that there were statistically significant differences between the pre-test and post-test results for the experimental group on the reading comprehension test and the reading strategies. This showed that the experimental group improved in reading skills after the students participated in the program, as seen on the post-test. In the light of these results, the study provided a number of procedural recommendations that may contribute to raising the importance of metacognitive reading strategies training for the students with low achievement in reading.

Highlights

The status quo of reading comprehension of non-specialist Saudi students English language instruction has been required for intermediate and secondary school students for six years in Saudi Arabia, many university professors and educators have viewed that the English reading level of most college students is far from satisfactory, especially for students who are non-specialists of English
By using the quasi experimental-research methodology, three research objectives were addressed in this study: (a) to examine whether there were significant differences between the experimental group and the control group on the employment of metacognitive reading strategies and reading comprehension post-tests): (b) to explore whether there were significant differences between the mean scores of pre- and post-tests on the English Language reading test: (c) to find out whether there were any significant differences between the mean scores of the post-test and the follow up of the use of metacognitive reading strategies and the English Language reading comprehension test given to the experimental group
This study was carried out in part because the researchers were unable to find studies which examine the effectiveness of metacognitive reading strategies on the low reading achievers by experiment, especially in Saudi Arabia

Summary

Introduction

English language instruction has been required for intermediate and secondary school students for six years in Saudi Arabia, many university professors and educators have viewed that the English reading level of most college students is far from satisfactory, especially for students who are non-specialists of English. Reading in a foreign language is very complex and many factors impact the foreign readers’ reading processes and their comprehension of texts. These factors include their background knowledge, language proficiency in the L1 and L2, and metacognitive knowledge. Since English is neither spoken at home nor in daily communications in Saudi Arabia, the only opportunities EFL students have to learn English occur in English classes. According to Eskey (2005), many EFL students may not need to speak English in their daily lives but they need to read it to access the richness of information in English

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Discussion

Conclusion