A Comparative Study of Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies among Iranian Monolingual and Bilingual EFL Learners[Latin Thesis]

Masoumeh Ghamoushi

Researchers argue that learning strategy use is one of the main variables affecting language learning. Also they agree that awareness and monitoring of one's comprehension processes are significantly important aspects of skilled reading. Such awareness and monitoring processes are often referred to as metacognition. Recent researches (Cohen,1998; Anderson,2002; Santana,2003; Şenay Şen ,2009) have shown that the strategies that distinguish successful learners from unsuccessful ones are metacognitive strategies. Different factors such as motivation, gender, cultural background, attitudes and beliefs, type of task, age and L2 proficiency, learning style, and tolerance of ambiguity influence the choice of strategy use among students learning a second language (Oxford, 1989). Another factor which may affect learners' strategy use and has not received enough attention is bilinguality. Some researchers state that knowledge of more than one language facilitates the acquisition of additional languages. Inspired by these views, this study was designed to compare three categories of metacognitive awareness of reading strategies among monolingual and bilingual EFL learners. To this end, 100 Persian monolingual and 100 Turkish/ Persian bilingual male and female second-year college students, majoring in English Literature, ELT, and Translation with the age range of 20-28 participated in this study. Both groups took part in a Nelson Test of proficiency and they completed Metacognitive Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) questionnaire. Bilingual subjects completed another questionnaire, namely Self Rating Proficiency Scale for the measurement of bilingual subject' proficiency in Persian language. The results showed significant differences between monolingual and bilingual learners in the use of Overall and Global metacognitive reading strategies, i.e., the bilingual students used more overall and Global metacognitive reading strategies. However, no significant differences were found between monolingual and bilingual learners in the use of Problem-Solving and Supportive metacognitive strategies. The implications for EFL teaching and material development are presented. Key words: Bilingualism, Language Learning Strategies, Metacognitive Strategies, Metagognitive Awareness of Reading strategies, Global Reading Strategies, Problem-Solving Strategies, Supportive Reading Strategies.