The Effect of Metacognitive Strategy Instruction on Moroccan EFL Learners’ Strategy Use and Reading Achievement

Abstract

The intent of this quasi-experimental study is to investigate the impact of explicit metacognitive reading strategy instruction (RSI) on Moroccan English as a foreign language (EFL) university learners’ strategy use and reading achievement. It reflects whether this sort of instruction can make of learners strategic and critical readers. In this regard, a pre-post-test design involving the administration of reading comprehension pre- and post-tests to both the control and the treatment group was used. Two research questions were addressed: To what extent does explicit metacognitive reading strategy instruction influence Moroccan EFL university learners’ strategy usage? To what extent does explicit instruction in metacognitive reading strategies impact Moroccan EFL university learners’ reading achievement gains? A total of 113 participants were targeted in an attempt to reveal the perceived correlation exiting among the variables of strategy training, strategy use and reading achievement. The elicited data were collected by means of the reading comprehension texts, ‘self-report questionnaire’ and reading comprehension tests (e.g., pre-test, post-test). The findings unveiled that, through exposure to reading strategy training, as an effective medium of enhancing the learners’ reading potential, the experimental group (N=63) reflected a more significant improvement at the level of strategy usage and reading performance than their counterpart, the control group (N=50), did at post-testing. Finally, the study concludes with some recommendations relatable to pedagogy and research.