Chinese senior high school EFL students' metacognitive awareness and reading-strategy use

• Published in: Reading in a foreign language Vol. 21; no. 1; pp. 37 - 59
• Main Authors: Zhang, Lawrence Jun, Wu, Aijiao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Honolulu University of Hawaii, National Foreign Language Resource Center 01.04.2009; Reading in a Foreign Language
• Subjects: China; Chinese; Chinese languages; English (Second Language); English as a second language; English as a Second Language Learning; Foreign Countries; High School Students; High Schools; Language Proficiency; Metacognition; Metalinguistic Awareness; Problem Solving; Questionnaires; Reading Comprehension; Reading Instruction; Reading Strategies; Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Second Language Reading; Second Languages; Secondary School Students; Secondary schools; Self Evaluation; Student Surveys; Surveys; Teaching Methods; China; Singapore
• ISSN: 1539-0578; 1539-0578

This paper reports findings from a study that assesses metacognitive awareness and reading-strategy use of Chinese senior high school students who are learning English as a foreign language (EFL). A total of 270 students responded to a 28-item survey of reading strategies (SORS). The strategies were classified into 3 categories: global, problem-solving, and support. The results showed that the students reported using the 3 categories of strategies at a high-frequency level. Both the main effect for strategies and the main effect for learners' proficiency were significant. The high-proficiency group outperformed the intermediate group and the low-proficiency group in 2 categories of reading strategies: global and problem-solving; but no statistically significant difference was found among the 3 proficiency groups in using support strategies. Pedagogical implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the changing Chinese society.