An application of metacognitives strategies in academic reading of graduate students studying at the international graduate studies human resource development center,Burapha University

Abstract

The purposes of this research were to examine and compare the relationships between the use of metacognitive strategies and academic reading proficiency levels among the TESL/TEGL graduate students studying at the IG-HRD Center, Burapha University, and to investigate the problems encountered in their academic reading. The participants were 39 graduate students categorized into three groups namely high, medium, and low reading. The participants were 39 graduate students categorized into three groups namely high, medium, and low reading proficiency levels on the basic of their academic reading test scores. A questionnaire on Metacognitive Strategies for Reading and semi-structured interview questions were employed to collect the data. Mean, standard deviation, and effect size were statistical devices for the data analysis. Content analysis was used to analyze the data from the interview. The finding revealed that overall relationship between the use of metacognitive reading strategies and academic reading proficiency levels of TESL/TEGL graduate students was related in negative direction (r=-.21). The relationship between each strategy of metacognitive strategies and academic reading proficiency were: Planning (r=-.272), Monitoring (r=.056), and Evaluating (r=.203). There were slight differences  in the use of metacognitive reading strategies between those of high and medium and low reading proficiency levels (ES=0.15); and between those of medium and low reading proficiency levels (ES= 0.13). Finally, the problems the graduate students most frequently encountered were reading habits and attitudes, vocabulary; and prior knowledge, respectively.