METACOGNITIVE STRATEGY INSTRUCTION (MSI) FOR READING: CO-REGULATION OF COGNITION

Abstract

This paper aims to show how a teacher and ESL learners can successfully engage in
mutual regulation of strategy use as they co-construct meaning from the reading text. It
focuses on the teacher’s effort at giving direct explanation of various learning strategies
for reading, that is, it illustrates how learners are explicitly taught not only the various
components of a learning strategy but also the rationales of the “how”, “when” and
“where” to use that particular strategy. The study on co-regulation of strategy use adopts
a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. It was conducted via the
implementation of a Metacognitive Strategy Instruction (MSI) for academic reading. The
instruction session started with an explicit direct explanation of learning strategies that
include macro strategies such as planning, comprehension monitoring, problem solving,
evaluating and modifying. Subsequently, the learners were taught how to apply the
strategies using a strategic processing framework called Self-regulated Learning
Approach to Strategic Learning (SRSL) to construct meanings from the reading text. The
qualitative account of the learners’ strategy use was elicited using a qualitative
retrospective written recall protocol (RWP). The study found that both the High
Proficient (HP) and Low-proficient (LP) learners benefited reasonably well from the
experience of the MSI sessions. The learners reported on how the strategies helped
facilitate their reading process. The key issue revealed in the study is that the MSI
sessions have managed to at least prepare if not transform the learners into becoming
metacognitively sophisticated readers.