Metacognitive Instruction for Sustainable Learning: Learners’ Perceptions of Task Difficulty and Use of Metacognitive Strategies in Completing Integrated Speaking Tasks

Weiwei Zhang, Donglan Zhang and Lawrence Jun Zhang
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Weiwei Zhang: Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Donglan Zhang: Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
Lawrence Jun Zhang: Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: This mixed-methods study investigated English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners’ perceptions of task difficulty and their use of metacognitive strategies in completing integrated speaking tasks as empirical evidence for the effects of metacognitive instruction. A total of 130 university students were invited to complete four integrated speaking tasks and answer a metacognitive strategy inventory and a self-rating scale. A sub-sample of eight students participated in the subsequent interviews. One-way repeated measures MANOVA and structure coding with content analysis led to two main findings: (a) EFL learners’ use of metacognitive strategies, in particular, problem-solving, was considerably affected by their perceptions of task difficulty in completing the integrated speaking tasks; (b) EFL learners were not active users of metacognitive strategies in performing these tasks. These findings not only support the necessity of taking into account learners’ perceptions of task difficulty in designing lesson plans for metacognitive instruction, but also support a metacognitive instruction model. In addition, the findings provide empirical support for the utility of Kormos’ Bilingual Speech Production Model. As the integrated speaking tasks came from a high-stakes test, these findings also offer validity evidence for test development in language assessment to ascertain sustainable EFL learning for nurturing learner autonomy as an ultimate goal.

Keywords: metacognitive strategies; metacognitive instruction; learners’ perceptions of task difficulty; Kormos’ Bilingual Speech Production Model; integrated speaking tasks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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