METACOGNITIVE READING STRATEGIES AMONG ENGLISH DEPARTMENT STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY AT A PRIVATE UNIVERSITY
Keywords:
academic reading, English department students, metacognitive reading strategies, private university, qualitative case studyAbstract
Abstract: Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill for English Department students because they are required to engage with various academic texts throughout their studies. However, many students still encounter difficulties in understanding complex texts, identifying key information, and evaluating the credibility of sources. One factor that may influence students’ reading performance is the use of metacognitive reading strategies. While previous studies have primarily focused on the relationship between metacognitive awareness and reading achievement, limited research has explored how English Department students employ these strategies in actual academic reading contexts. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the metacognitive reading strategies used by English Department students at a private university and examine how these strategies support their reading comprehension. This research employed a qualitative case study design involving 30 English Department students. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and students’ reading reflection journals. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed four major themes: planning before reading, monitoring comprehension during reading, using support strategies, and evaluating information credibility. The participants reported that these strategies helped them understand academic texts more effectively, identify important information, and overcome comprehension difficulties. Among the identified strategies, monitoring comprehension and evaluating source credibility were the most frequently used. The study concludes that metacognitive reading strategies play a significant role in supporting students’ academic reading experiences. These findings suggest that explicit instruction on metacognitive reading strategies should be integrated into academic reading courses to enhance students’ reading competence and independent learning skills.
