چکیده:
Research has showed a positive relationship between metacognitive knowledge and
success in reading comprehension. Thus, it is important to be aware of metacognitive
strategy use in reading comprehension. This study was intended to explore
metacognitive strategies in reading academic texts among more and less proficient
English university student readers. To this end, 75 English as a foreign language
(EFL) students (including 45 more proficient and 30 less proficient students), who
were selected nonrandomly from 2 universities, participated in this mixed-methods
study. To collect data, the Survey of Reading Strategies and the Test of English as
Foreign Language were administered to them. Also, to elicit how they utilize the
metacognitive strategies, 5 more proficient and 5 less proficient EFL readers were
asked to undertake think-aloud tasks. Results of quantitative (t-tests) and qualitative
data analysis showed that there were significant differences between the metacognitive
strategies used by more and less proficient readers. More proficient readers reported
using the strategies at a high frequency level overall, but less proficient readers
reported using them at a moderate frequency level. More proficient readers preferred
to use problem solving strategies followed by global strategies, whereas less proficient
ones preferred to use problem solving strategies followed by support strategies. In
addition, the results of think-aloud indicated that the more and less proficient readers’
methods of employing metacognitive strategies differed, to some extent, from each
other in quality of use. The findings provide implications for low proficiency EFL
readers who intend to improve their reading comprehension and learning autonomy.
خلاصه ماشینی:
27-46, 2016 <H1>Exploring Metacognitive Strategies in Reading Academic Texts among More and Less Proficient EFL University Students</H1> Ali Roohani* Assiociate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Shahrekord University <H1>Raheleh Sabzeali</H1> MA in TEFL, Shahrekord University <H1>Azizullah Mirzaei</H1> Assiociate Professor of Applied Linguistics, Shahrekord University Abstract Research has showed a positive relationship between metacognitive knowledge and success in reading comprehension.
Also, the ability to read academic texts is considered as one of the most important skills that English as a foreign language (EFL) university students need to acquire to perform cognitive and procedural tasks such as taking a test, writing a paper or giving a speech (Levine, Ferenz, &amp; Reves, 2000).
g. , Sheorey &amp; Mokhtari, 2001; Zhang, 2001) has also showed that successful readers, in general, display a higher degree of metacognitive awareness, which enable them to use reading strategies more effectively than their unsuccessful peers.
Metacognitive reading strategies are higher order performance methods/techniques that refer to the planning, monitoring, and evaluating the success of a learning activity (Pressley &amp; Afflerbach, 1995).
It seems that little research has explored the use of metacognitive reading strategies of Iranian EFL students, including more and less proficient students, majoring in English at the university where they have to read academic texts.
The second research question was intended to see whether there was any significant difference between more proficient and less proficient EFL readers in the perceived use of metacognitive reading strategies.