READING STRATEGIES AND

METACOGNITIVE AWARENESS:

ENHANCING READING PROFICIENCIES

AMONG ESL STUDENTS IN IIUM

FOUNDATION PROGRAM

EDU 701- RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTIONAt higher learning institutions : Students

must have the necessary language skills to succeed academically

One of it is having the skill to read effectively

College reading materials are known to be challenging

Most reading materials are in EnglishMany research have found that ESL

students often face difficulties with reading abilities

Reading problems of ESL learners :Research have discovered that ESL learners :

Approach reading passivelyRely too much on dictionariesNot critical in readingReluctant to give ideas – do not want to be seen as wrong

Use ineffective and inefficient reading strategies

College reading materials are often unfamiliar and difficult. The extensive range of topics and variety of tasks that students are constantly faced with could give problems to students;especially to their cognitive process ( Izaham Shah, 2008 )

What could probably help these students ?

Reading strategiesMetacognitive Awareness

EFFECTIVE READING FOR ESL READERS

READING STRATEGIESMETECOGNITIVE AWARENESS

Learning technique, study skills

How learners make sense of what they read

Summarizing, making inferences, guessing from context, planning, self-evaluation etc

Cognitive,metacognitive,

compensation reading strategies

Reader’s awareness of strategies during the reading process

Conscious application of strategies

PROBLEM STATEMENTReading classes in Center for Foundation Studies,

International Islamic University Malaysia (CFS, IIUM )

Students are generally exposed to reading skills,

however exam scores in reading are not as encouraging

Reading classes are teacher – centered

Learning instructions are not made explicit to students

How students process knowledge is not emphasized

PURPOSE OF STUDY TO INVESTIGATE THE READING STRATEGIES

USED WHENCOPING WITH ACADEMIC

READING TEXT

TO DISCOVER STUDENTS’ AWARENESS OF THE

READING STRATEGIES EMPLOYED

TO INVESTIGATE TO WHAT EXTENT THE

STRATEGIES AND AWARENESS FACILITATE

THEIR READING PROCESSES

RESEARCH QUESTIONS1. What are the strategies frequently used when

answering reading comprehension?

2. Is there any relationship between reading

strategies and reading achievement?

3. Is metacognitive awareness of strategies

related to reading achievement?

4. What are students’ knowledge level of the

strategies used?

METHODOLOGYResearch design : CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH - to describe existing relationshipThis current research will investigate possible

relationships between reading strategies, metacognitive awareness and students’ reading performances

Quantitative and qualitative methods of enquiries -investigate frequency of reading strategies use -measure awareness of strategies - perceptions of students own knowledge level

of reading strategies

Participants

Level 6 (Advanced) English proficiency

students of CFS, IIUM

Aged between 18 – 20 years of age; Malay

15 males and 15 females

Taken from two reading classes

Have undergone a few semesters of

English proficiencies classes

Data Collection ProcedureEPT Exam Paper ( 2 sets : pre-test and

post-test )A reading Strategy Questionnaire -SORS -SILLMARSI – Metacognitive Awareness Reading

Strategy InventoryRestropective Interview

DATA ANALYSISDescriptive and Inferential StatisticsAverage scores to determine frequencyPaired samples t – test procedure