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Metacognition and self-regulated learning (SRL) for Chinese EFL listening development
Author
Zeng, Yajun
Supervisor
Goh, Christine Chuen Meng
Abstract
The main purpose of the study is to explore an alternative approach to L2 listening strategies. As such, a metacognition-based self-regulated learning (SRL) model (Winne & Hadwin, 1998) is proposed, empirically trialled and tested.
The project adopts a mixed-method research approach and comprises three interrelated studies. 1) A survey study of 1044 participants explored the relationship between five metacognitive variables measured in Vandergrift et al. (2006) and the participants' listening performance on two listening tests. 2) An intervention study of 24 participants (12 experimental vs. 12 control groups) focused mainly on metacognitive growth and listening development in a two-month period. 3) A case study of two high achievers and two low achievers over a six-month period intended to look into how growth in metacognition and listening performance occur in learners with different levels of achievement.
Results showed that Chinese undergraduates had a fairly high degree of metacognitive awareness of listening in directed attention, problem-solving, and planning and evaluation, but not in person knowledge factor and the mental translation strategy. Regression analyses with the scores of the participants’ listening tests against the MALQ scores indicated that around 13%-15% of the variance in listening performance could be explained by learner’s metacognitive knowledge in listening. The finding provided further evidence to the relationship between the reported metacognitive awareness in listening and learners’ listening performance (Vandergrift, et al., 2006). Furthermore, the study identified a differing correlational pattern of MALQ variables concerning Chinese EFL learners, in which mental translation was positively correlated with person knowledge, and negatively correlated with planning/evaluation and problem-solving. The negative correlations were not reported in previous studies.
Results also confirmed the effectiveness of the metacognition-based SRL approach in achieving the dual objectives for Chinese EFL learners’ listening development. Both independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests revealed that the SRL group outperformed the control group in listening performance after the two-month self-regulated learning program and the progress was statistically significant (p<.01).
Results further identified marked differences in the self-regulatory behaviours of the high achievers and the low achievers at four self-regulated learning phases and thus delineated distinct developmental paths of self-regulatory abilities in listening for Chinese EFL learners with different achievement levels. Although the high achievers defined the listening task in somewhat similar ways to the low achievers, they differed substantially in other three SRL phases: goal setting and planning, strategy enactment, and metacognitive adaptation.
These three strands of findings were reported to provide empirical evidence to the effectiveness of applying self-regulated learning (SRL) approach for L2 listening development in independent settings. It was argued that the traditional approach to extensive listening possessed facilitating elements in helping learners develop listening performance, but it could be greatly enhanced with a more systematic procedure for incorporating self-regulated learning approach into L2 listening development beyond the classroom. This would not only develop Chinese EFL learners’ richer metacognitive knowledge and better performance in listening but would also help them achieve higher self-regulatory abilities in the long run.
The project adopts a mixed-method research approach and comprises three interrelated studies. 1) A survey study of 1044 participants explored the relationship between five metacognitive variables measured in Vandergrift et al. (2006) and the participants' listening performance on two listening tests. 2) An intervention study of 24 participants (12 experimental vs. 12 control groups) focused mainly on metacognitive growth and listening development in a two-month period. 3) A case study of two high achievers and two low achievers over a six-month period intended to look into how growth in metacognition and listening performance occur in learners with different levels of achievement.
Results showed that Chinese undergraduates had a fairly high degree of metacognitive awareness of listening in directed attention, problem-solving, and planning and evaluation, but not in person knowledge factor and the mental translation strategy. Regression analyses with the scores of the participants’ listening tests against the MALQ scores indicated that around 13%-15% of the variance in listening performance could be explained by learner’s metacognitive knowledge in listening. The finding provided further evidence to the relationship between the reported metacognitive awareness in listening and learners’ listening performance (Vandergrift, et al., 2006). Furthermore, the study identified a differing correlational pattern of MALQ variables concerning Chinese EFL learners, in which mental translation was positively correlated with person knowledge, and negatively correlated with planning/evaluation and problem-solving. The negative correlations were not reported in previous studies.
Results also confirmed the effectiveness of the metacognition-based SRL approach in achieving the dual objectives for Chinese EFL learners’ listening development. Both independent samples t-tests and paired samples t-tests revealed that the SRL group outperformed the control group in listening performance after the two-month self-regulated learning program and the progress was statistically significant (p<.01).
Results further identified marked differences in the self-regulatory behaviours of the high achievers and the low achievers at four self-regulated learning phases and thus delineated distinct developmental paths of self-regulatory abilities in listening for Chinese EFL learners with different achievement levels. Although the high achievers defined the listening task in somewhat similar ways to the low achievers, they differed substantially in other three SRL phases: goal setting and planning, strategy enactment, and metacognitive adaptation.
These three strands of findings were reported to provide empirical evidence to the effectiveness of applying self-regulated learning (SRL) approach for L2 listening development in independent settings. It was argued that the traditional approach to extensive listening possessed facilitating elements in helping learners develop listening performance, but it could be greatly enhanced with a more systematic procedure for incorporating self-regulated learning approach into L2 listening development beyond the classroom. This would not only develop Chinese EFL learners’ richer metacognitive knowledge and better performance in listening but would also help them achieve higher self-regulatory abilities in the long run.
Date Issued
2012
Call Number
PE1128 Zen
Date Submitted
2012