The Effects of Metacognitive Reading Strategy Instruction on Reading Comprehension, Metacognitive Reading Strategies Use, and Attitudes of Thai EFL Engineering Students

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research investigated the effects of metacognitive reading strategy instruction (MRSI) on reading comprehension of Thai EFL undergraduates majoring in Mechanical Engineering in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) setting. Their attitudes toward MRSI and their use of metacognitive reading strategies in helping them comprehend the reading texts were also explored. The participants of the study included two intact classes. One class served as a control group which received traditional reading instruction whereas the other class was the experimental group which received the MRSI. Three instruments were used to collect data: a reading comprehension pretest and posttest, an attitude questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. In term of qualitative data analysis, it used thematic analysis to identify key themes in interview transcripts to capture core ideas, followed by grouping codes into potential themes and refining them iteratively for accuracy. In addition, the themes were examined for connections to construct a narrative reflecting participants’ perspective on the use of MRSI in understanding English reading texts, supported by relevant excerpts from interviews to enhance credibility. The findings of the study indicated a significant improvement in the participants’ reading comprehension after receiving MRSI, as evidenced by their higher post-test scores compared to pre-test scores (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the findings showed that after 13 weeks of instruction the participants held positive attitudes towards the implementation of MRSI in improving their reading comprehension. Finally, the findings also suggested that the participants frequently used metacognitive reading strategies before reading, during reading, and after reading. The global reading strategy proved to be the most commonly used in the English Reading for Academic Purposes class, followed by the support strategy and problem-solving strategy respectively across three groups of participants (highly proficient readers, moderate proficient readers and low proficient readers). However, highly proficient readers tended to automatically employ metacognitive reading strategies to focus their attention, to monitor and to direct their own learning processes quite efficiently, to arrive at meaning, and to make necessary adjustments when something goes wrong. In contrast, moderate proficient readers were likely to apply metacognitive reading strategies for understanding and remembering purposes to understand the significance of combining different aspects of the text to form a more complete comprehension, emphasizing a significant change towards deeper mental involvement with reading content. Low proficient readers aimed to strengthen their comprehension by repeating crucial information. Although this approach is helpful for solidifying fundamental understanding, it often only scratches the surface in terms of engagement. In conclusion, the study suggests that integrating metacognitive reading strategies instruction into various educational contexts, including ESP classes, can enhance students' reading comprehension, improve their attitudes toward metacognitive reading strategies instruction and facilitate their use of these strategies in comprehending the English reading texts. This suggests that such strategies should not be limited to English reading classes but should also be incorporated into other disciplines that involve reading activities, thereby fostering students' mastery of reading with strategies that facilitate comprehension.

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