This study was an investigation of the relationships among willingness to communicate, two motivational variables (intrinsic goal orientation and self-efficacy), three self-regulated learning strategies (metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies, effort regulation strategies and peer learning strategies), and measures of English speaking and listening proficiency. The study primarily drew on the concept of self-regulation derived from educational psychology. A sample of 279 English majors studying at a private university in eastern Japan participated in this study. Data from a Japanese version of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and scores of an in-house proficiency test designed to measure speaking and listening skills were collected. Factor analysis and Rasch analysis were conducted to develop a reliable shortened Japanese version of the MSLQ. Multiple one-way ANOVAs indicated that students with higher speaking and listening abilities as measured by an in-house proficiency test, tended to use more metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies and effort regulation strategies compared with those with intermediate and lower speaking and listening proficiency. There were no statistically significant differences in peer learning strategies for speaking and peer learning strategies for listening. Finally, structural equation modeling was used to test hypothesized speaking and listening models of the relationships among willingness to communicate, intrinsic goal orientation, self-efficacy, metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies, effort regulation strategies, peer learning strategies, and English speaking and listening proficiency. Modified models indicated that intrinsic goal orientation and self-efficacy influenced effort regulation strategies, which in turn predicted peer Learning strategies and metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies. It was also found that peer learning strategies influenced metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies. Finally, metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies as well as willingness to communicate predicted speaking skills, but listening skills were only predicted by metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies. Thus, the results illuminated the complex interrelationships among willingness to communicate, self-efficacy, intrinsic goal orientation, effort regulation strategies, and metacognitive during-task self-regulation strategies in predicting speaking and listening skills. Follow-up interviews with a focus group of students revealed that classroom teaching was mainly focused on speaking tasks that required proactive learning behaviors and effort and that listening tasks occupied only part of the class and that usually comprehension of main points served their purposes. The information helps explain why the speaking model had stronger interrelationships among willingness to communicate, motivational variables, self-regulation strategies, and the proficiency variable. / Educational Psychology

Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study was designed to investigate whether metacognitive instruction could be used to improve the reading comprehension of isiXhosa-speaking English Second Language (ESL) learners in the FET phase. The metacognitive instruction encompassed increasing the learners’ metacognitive awareness, equipping them with metacognitive reading strategies and facilitating the transfer of these strategies to content subjects such as Life Sciences and Geography. The Vygotskian sociocultural theory that accounts for the roles of social, cultural, and historical contexts in comprehending text during academic reading tasks provided an appropriate theoretical framework for conducting the research. The study was comprised of one cycle of action research, framed within a paradigm of praxis. It took place in a high school in a disadvantaged community in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. A qualitative methodology allowed for in-depth insight into the metacognitive habits of ESL learners through various forms of data collection. Eight participants in Grade 10, ranging between 16 and 19 years of age, took part in the study. Their reading comprehension abilities varied, as did their English proficiency. The data were presented as collected in the phases of the action research cycle and summed up in three data processes. Each data set was embedded in the chronological timeline of the study’s progress and discussed in light thereof. Three broad themes were derived from the data, using qualitative content analysis. The data revealed that metacognitive instruction can improve the English reading comprehension of isiXhosa-speaking learners. This was reflected in both the quantitative and qualitative data sets. The quantitative data were used descriptively and interpreted qualitatively, in line with the qualitative methodology. The results of the study indicated that before metacognitive instruction can be successful, language proficiency, basic linguistic skills, and mental representations are crucial. The findings showed that mind mapping and constructing mental representations of the text are two effective metacognitive reading strategies that are easily transferable across the curriculum. They also revealed the strong link between culture and reading practices amongst different population groups. Cultural understandings of concepts such as respect and authority had a profound influence on the learners’ considerations of what it means to learn, read and understand. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ten doel gehad om te bepaal of metakognitiewe onderrig aangewend kan word ter verbetering van leesbegrip by Xhosasprekende leerders wat Engels Tweede Taal (ETT) in die fase verdere onderwys en opleiding (VOO) neem. Metakognitiewe onderrig het behels om die leerders se metakognitiewe bewustheid te verhoog, hulle dan met metakognitiewe leesstrategieë toe te rus, en hulle laastens daardie strategieë na inhoudsvakke soos Lewenswetenskappe en Geografie te laat oordra. Vygotsky se sosiokulturele teorie het ’n toepaslike teoretiese raamwerk gebied vir die navorsing, wat die rol van sosiale, kulturele en historiese kontekste in teksbegrip gedurende akademiese leestake in ag geneem het. Die studie het uit een siklus aksienavorsing binne ’n praktiese paradigma bestaan. Dit is in ’n hoërskool in ’n benadeelde gemeenskap in die provinsie Wes-Kaap, Suid-Afrika, onderneem. ’n Kwalitatiewe metodologie het deur middel van verskeie vorme van data-insameling diepe insig in die metakognitiewe gewoontes van ETT-leerders gebied. Altesaam agt graad 10-leerders van tussen 16 en 19 jaar, met wisselende leesbegripvermoëns én vaardigheid in Engels, het deelgeneem. Die data is aangebied soos dit in die fases van die aksienavorsingsiklus ingesamel is, en is in drie dataprosesse saamgevat. Elke datastel is op die chronologiese vorderingstydlyn van die studie geplaas en teen daardie agtergrond bespreek. Drie algemene temas is met behulp van kwalitatiewe inhoudsontleding uit die data afgelei. Die data het getoon dat metakognitiewe onderrig wél Xhosasprekende leerders se leesbegrip in Engels kan verbeter. Dít het uit sowel die kwantitatiewe as kwalitatiewe datastelle geblyk. In pas met die kwalitatiewe metodologie, is die kwantitatiewe data beskrywend aangewend en kwalitatief vertolk. Die studie het beklemtoon dat taalbedrewenheid, basiese taalvaardighede en geestesvoorstellings noodsaaklik is vir suksesvolle metakognitiewe onderrig. Die bevindinge toon dat konsepkaarte (“mind mapping”) en die konstruksie van geestesvoorstellings van die teks twee doeltreffende metakognitiewe leesstrategieë is wat maklik op die hele kurrikulum toegepas kan word. Die studie het ook ’n sterk verband tussen kultuur en leespraktyke onder verskillende groeperinge uitgewys. Die kulturele begrip van konsepte soos respek en gesag het ’n diepgaande invloed gehad op wat die leerders onder ‘leer’, ‘lees’ en ‘begryp’ verstaan het.

My diploma thesis is focused to innovative approaches in primary schools, and specifically the methods of critical thinking. It describes the theoretical basis of methods of critical thinking, dealing with three-phase model of learning and program Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking. This thesis treats individual critical thinking methods used in conventional lessons non- specialist primary schools. The empirical part of the action research was conducted in the Lauder school in Prague, where the author works as the class teacher. Investigations Research investig of pupils author explores how specific methods is using in the classroom perceive subjectively by pupils. Form of a questionnaire aimed at teachers find out how often teachers use these methods into their lessons, and if the methods of critical thinking are actually effective. The data obtained from the empirical investigation are presented in written and graphical form and are interpreted with regard to the theoretical background of this thesis.

Pour comprendre le développement de la conscience métacognitive d'enfants plurilingues, il est nécessaire d'examiner quels sont les facteurs qui seraient susceptibles de la développer ou de la freiner. La conscience rnétacognitive est considérée comme un élément essentiel de développement des capacités d'apprentissage. Définie en tant que capacité à planifier et à contrôler les processus réflexifs, une conscience métacognitive accrue est susceptible d'aider l'enfant plurilingue à prendre le contrôle de l'organisation de son propre apprentissage. L'examen de l'influence des facteurs susceptibles de l'améliorer a été conduit à partir d'une approche par les biographies langagières. Les résultats suggèrent que l'apprentissage d'une langue étrangère à un âge où l'enfant peut prendre conscience de son apprentissage, est l'un de ces facteurs d'amélioration. Les avantages de l'expérience d'apprentissage d'une langue étrangère sont aussi bien d'ordres sociaux que métacognitifs. / Nowadays children more often come into contact with multiple languages at different ages and in variable contexts. Consequently, they may at times be required to communicate in situations in which they lack sufficient understanding of the language used. Knowing about communication, that is, being aware of the interaction, of the potential obstacles and of different strategies to overcome them, is essential to bring exolingual situations to a successful end. Are there features of language acquisition that affect the development of this facet of metacognitive awareness? ln this thesis a specific aspect of early plurilingualism is examined. Reactions of children who learned a new language at an age and in a context in which they were able to be conscious about their learning are compared to those of children who learned a new language from birth onwards. Results demonstrate that a conscious language learning experience is a relevant factor in the development of metacognitive awareness

The thesis on topic "Development of Metacognitive Thinking of Pupils by RWCT Practices" asks a research question: "How does RWCT develop the metacognitive thinking of pupils at elementary school and what are the outputs?" The aim is to find out the possibilities and the limits of the pupils' metacognition using the RWCT (Reading and Writing for Critical Thinking). In the theoretical part, this thesis deals with the definition of metacognition, relation among metacognition and autoregulation, metacognition and self-reflection, metacognition and teaching, and last but not least the RWCT procedures in terms of the objectives of the program itself and the objectives of the RVP ZV (Framework Educational Program for Basic Education). The possibilities of using the RWCT procedures in connection with the development of metacognitive thinking of pupils at elementary school level were examined using the action research that took place in a fifth grade, where RWCT procedures are being regularly used. During searching answer on the research question is used analysation and description on basis of participated observation, pupils' products, written reflection and pupils' self-reflection. Furthermore with non-structural interview. From action research results that RWCT practices initiate discussion between...

La présente étude vise à étudier: (1) les perceptions des élèves à l’égard de l’apprentissage du vocabulaire qui influence le choix et l’utilisation des stratégies (Discovery Study) et (2) déterminer l’effet de l’utilisation de stratégies métacognitives qui étaient intégrées dans les leçons d’apprentissage du vocabulaire utilisées par les étudiants de l’Université de Malaisie pour apprendre le français comme langue étrangère (Main Study). Cette étude comprenait des variables telles que les différences individuelles et les facteurs situationnels et sociaux qui agissent comme facilitateurs et contraintes dans l’apprentissage du vocabulaire des apprenants. Une approche qualitative a été appliquée pour l’objectif 1et l’approche quantitative utilisée pour atteindre l’objectif 2. Les sujets de recherche dans la présente étude étaient 45 étudiants de premier cycle à l’UiTM (Université de la Technologie Mara, Penang) au cours de l’année académique de 2015 : une classe de 21 ayant reçu des stratégies d’apprentissage métacognitif dans l’apprentissage du vocabulaire impliquant le groupe expérimental et une autre classe de 24 étudiants ayant servi le groupe contrôle et ayant reçu seulement la méthode d’apprentissage traditionnelle, c’est-à-dire sans composants métacognitifs. Les principales sources de données de cette étude ont été analysées par le programme de SPSS telles que le t-test pour évaluer les différences significatives pour les moyennes de performance des tests de connaissances du vocabulaire entre le groupe contrôle et le groupe expérimental au cours de pré et post-test et l’Excel 2007 pour analyser de façon descriptive la fréquence, le pourcentage ,la moyenne et l’écart type des composants de la stratégie métacognitive utilisés. En outre, l’analyse One Way ANCOVA a été utilisée pour déterminer les effets de l’utilisation de la stratégie métacognitive pendant les leçons d’apprentissage du vocabulaire. De plus, des questionnaires et des entretiens semi-structurés ont été utilisés pour recueillir des données et des documents de cours, les réponses réfléchies des élèves (The keys ideas) et les notes lors des interventions de classe étaient comme des sources de données supplémentaires. Les résultats révèlent que la perception des élèves vis-à-vis de l’apprentissage du vocabulaire de la langue cible affecte la sélection et l’utilisation de la stratégie, où la perception négative a abouti à un apprentissage infructueux alors que les perceptions positives conduiront à un apprentissage efficace. Les résultats d’analyse ont révélé que les différences individuelle et les facteurs situationnels et sociaux influençant l’utilisation et les choix des stratégies telles que les croyances, les états affectifs, la langue cible et le contexte. En outre, l’utilisation de la stratégie métacognitive dans l’apprentissage du vocabulaire a été bénéfique pour améliorer les performances des connaissances du vocabulaire des apprenants. Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent également que les perceptions de l’apprentissage du vocabulaire et l’utilisation de stratégies métacognitives dans l’apprentissage du vocabulaire français ont eu des répercussions sur l’apprentissage des langues étrangères. / The present study aims to investigate twofold: (1) to investigate the students’ perceptions toward vocabulary learning which influences the choice and the use of the strategies (Discovery Study) and (2) to investigate and describe the effect of using Metacognitive strategies which were integrated in vocabulary learning lessons employed by Malaysian University students in learning French as a foreign language (Main Study); This study included variables such as Individual differences and Situational and Social factors that act as facilitators and constraints of the students’ vocabulary learning. Qualitative approach is applied for objective 1 and whilst quantitative approach is used to fulfil objective 2. The research subjects under the present investigation were 45 undergraduate students studying at UiTM (University of Technology Mara, Penang Campus) in academic year 2015; one class of 21 which received metacognitive learning strategies in learning vocabulary involving the experimental group; the other class of 24 students served as the control group and received only traditional method of learning without metacognitive components. The primary data sources of this study were analysed by SPSS such as t-test to assess the significant differences for mean of vocabulary knowledge tests performance between the control group and experimental group during pre and post-tests and as well Excel 2007 to analyse descriptively the frequency, percentage mean and standard deviation of metacognitive strategy components use. Furthermore, One Way ANCOVA analysis was used to determine the effects of using metacognitive strategy during vocabulary learning lessons. Moreover, questionnaires and semi-structured interview were used for collecting data and course documents, students’ reflective answers (Keys ideas), and notes during the class interventions were additional data sources. The findings reveal that students’ perception towards vocabulary learning of the target language affects the selection and use of the strategy, where the negative perception resulted in an unsuccessful learning whilst positive perceptions will lead to effective learning. The analysis results found that the factors were strongly related to influence the use of the strategies such as beliefs, affective states, learner factors, target language and context. Moreover, using metacognitive strategy in the vocabulary learning was beneficial in enhancing the students’ vocabulary knowledge performances. Findings from this study also suggest that perceptions towards vocabulary learning and the use of metacognitive strategies in learning French vocabulary had impacts on foreign language learning.

Academic achievement is deemed a significant indicator for a successful future. Cognitive ability, home environment, and metacognition are among the many factors research has posited to contribute to academic achievement and later success (Alloway & Alloway, 2010; Bradley & Caldwell, 1984, Veenman, Wilhelm, & Beishuizen, 2004). The present study examines the relation between cognitive ability (working memory (WM) and nonverbal ability), metacognitive awareness, implicit theories of IQ, home environment (socioeconomic status (SES), home life, and parental involvement in homework), and learning outcomes (grades) in two distinct sample populations. The study used a sample of 11-15-year-olds and their parents from two high schools in Carriacou, Grenada (n=50) and Lakeshore Middle School in Florida (n=38). A stepwise regression revealed that cognitive ability, implicit theories of IQ, and home environment predicted overall grades of the Grenada sample. Several differences between the two cultures emerged including what predicted their implicit theories of IQ. The present study will benefit the educational community, as the findings could provide new insight into how students’ cognitive ability, implicit theories of IQ, and home life influence learning outcomes in a developed and developing population. The practical implications suggest more effective culturally responsive educational programs for students based on their learning style and learning needs. The present study has significance with reference to Grenada, in that because of little to no research available investigating this topic it will provide a basis for subsequent research to occur.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was: (a) to examine the predictive utility of the achievement goal and Student Approaches to Learning (SAL) frameworks for characterizing Chinese students’ motivation and achievement, and (b) to investigate how Confucian-heritage culture (CHC) may combine with achievement goals or SAL to generate different learning processes and outcomes and to promote optimal motivation. A questionnaire was conducted during a two-week period with over 700 first-year students who took both of the two courses—college English classes for non-English majors and advanced mathematics classes for science students—at a university in northern China. The questionnaire consisted of students’ self-reported demographic information and the instrument that was designed to measure: (a) goal orientations, (b) attitudes towards the specified CHC values, (c) SAL constructs, and (d) two variables widely used in research in this field—metacognitive strategy and school well-being. Exploratory factor analyses were conducted to examine the consistency of the extracted factor solutions with the four goal constructs postulated by the 2 x 2 conceptualization, the two SAL contructs posited by the SAL framework, and the five cultural value contructs derived from the literature review. Standard analysis procedures were used to calculate the reliability of the scales and to determine which items should be retained for further analyses. Then regression analyses were employed to examine the relationship of the goal orientation framework and SAL framework to cultural values, school well-being, metacognitive strategies, and grades. Results indicated that the 2 x 2 achievement goal framework was an appropriate model for characterizing the types of achievement goals these Chinese students pursued and for predicting a number of achievement-relevant processes and outcomes, as was the revised two-factor SAL framework for characterizing the different ways students approached their learning and for predicting these learning processes and outcomes. The results supported Chinese students’ multiple goal pursuit in an additive goal pattern, an interactive goal pattern, or a specialized goal pattern to promote their optimal motivation and achievement. The results also provided evidence that CHC values combined with achievement goals or SAL either in an additive or interactive pattern to facilitate Chinese students’ learning processes and outcomes. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2008-07-31 12:20:50.812

Thesis (M.T.S.C.)--Miami University, Dept. of English, 2008. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 80-84).