Metacognitive Strategies in Learning English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

Introducción Several studies related to LLSs have been conducted with the purpose of answering the question of how successful language learners achieve the learning goals. According to Judge (2012), the first research reports began in 1970 with studies done by Rubin and Stern in 1975. These studies reported that the main concern of these researchers was to know what good students did different from those students who did not reach successful results in the learning process, concentrating their studies in directed classrooms focused from teacher-centred approaches to student-centred ones (Rubin, 1987; Zhao, 2009 as cited in Gursoy, 2010). In language learning, the cognitive theory which observes processes of how learners acquire, interpret, remember and utilize information becomes significant due to its direct connection with learners’ comprehensive approach, meanwhile, metacognitive strategies become relevant because they regulate and direct the language learning process referring this to an individual’s awareness of thinking about the way to acquire the target language (Bidabadi, 2013). The study addressed the following research question: What are the students’ perceptions in relation to the use of metacognitive strategies to learn English as a Foreign Language? Objetivos The purpose of this study is to investigate the student’s perceptions in relation to the use of metacognitive strategies to learn English as a Foreign Language. Método This qualitative study used phenomenological methodology as the purpose of this research was to explore the students’ experience in relation to the use of metacognitive strategies in the field of English as a Foreign Language. Qualitative research focuses on the understanding of human behavior, believes, motivations and values which are extremely complex due to the interest of uncovering meaning of phenomenon and understanding people’s interpretations of their experiences (Lapan, 2012). The subjective experience of individuals and how they interpret their reality stresses the importance in qualitative studies (Cohen, 2018). In applied linguistics, qualitative research has gained recognition for providing significant insights in different aspects of language acquisition and its direct connection with social and cultural influences in language learning (Dörnyei and Griffee, 2010). This study adopted the interpretative paradigm for the intentions of understanding and interpreting the reality in terms of actions (Cohen, 2018). Principales resultados There were four main metacognitive strategies identified in the twelve extracts: arranging and planning learning, developing comprehension, seeking out practice opportunity and building background. The subtheme arranging and planning the learning was determined by activities done by learners like looking for what is in the next lesson, summarizing or making notes, looking for effective arrangements, and practicing for coming presentations. The next subtheme developing comprehension was identified when participants underlined key words and sentences in text and then looked for word meaning for better comprehension. For the following subtheme seeking out practice opportunity, the learners expressed their interest for preparing themselves for future tests or personal improvement. The last subtheme, building background was used when learners thought about previous teachers’ methodologies and compared them to analyse their learning process. Opinions given by learners determined their perceptions which were positive when using the metacognitive strategies. They said that they could remember and identified information easily by relating it with the context which helped them to understand and comprehend better both written and spoken texts leading them to have better preparation and results. Conclusiones This study conducted a qualitative study about learners’ experiences in relation to the use of metacognitive strategies in EFL classes. Learners who used language learning strategies in the study of English as a Foreign Language identified activities applied in the clases which matched with the metacognitive strategies. Thematic analysis identifies patterns or themes deriving from qualitative data in order to interpret and explain what is beyond of what has been said (Braun and Clarke, 2006). The taxonomy proposes by Oxford (1990) was used to analyse the metacognitive strategies. Students recognized the benefits of metacognitive strategies and how their use helped them with their progress, however, in one of the quotes it is expressed by one of the participants how frustrated may be find difficulties and not to have control over them what makes teachers think on their emotional impact.