A Comparison Between Juvenile Delinquents' and Teachers' Opinions on Metalinguistic and Metacognitive Skills

• Published in: Journal of correctional education (1974) Vol. 59; no. 2; pp. 145 - 171
• Main Authors: Sanger, Dixie, Spilker, Anna, Scheffler, Marilyn, Zobell, Anneli, Belau, Don
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lanham Correctional Education Association 01.06.2008; Correctional Educational Association
• Subjects: Adolescents; At Risk Students; Attitude Measures; Beliefs, opinions and attitudes; Classrooms; Cognitive style; Communication Problems; Comparative Analysis; Correctional Education; Correctional Institutions; Criminal statistics; Data analysis; Delinquency; Evaluation; Executive Function; Females; Instructional Leadership; Juvenile offenders; Language; Language awareness; Leaders; Learning; Linguistics; Listening; Listening Skills; Literary style; Metacognition; Metalinguistics; Nouns; Opinions; Oral Language; Reading comprehension; Reading Skills; Researchers; Semantics; Social Studies; Speech Communication; Speech Skills; Student Attitudes; Student Behavior; Student surveys; Students; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Characteristics; Teacher Evaluation; Teachers; Teaching Styles; Thinking Skills; Violence; Writing instruction; Writing Skills; Writing teachers; Written communication; Written Language; United States
• ISSN: 0740-2708

This study compared the opinions of female juvenile delinquents and their teachers from one correctional facility on students' communication behaviors involving metacognitive and metalinguistic skills. The researchers used two parallel surveys that compared the opinions of 31 students and five teachers, on students' behaviors that addressed thinking, listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Descriptive statistics were computed on 35 multiple choice items and qualitative findings were analyzed from teachers' comments. Statistical differences were found between students and teachers' meta skills in reading and writing. Students rated their performance higher compared to teacher ratings on 26 of the 35 (74.3%) items. They rated themselves lower/worse than teachers on 9 of 35 items (25.7%). Qualitative findings from teachers' comments revealed concerns about students' thinking, listening, speaking and writing behaviors.