The impact of metacognitive strategies on university students’ reading comprehension skill

A basic academic requirement and main necessity exists for students who learn English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to develop their reading comprehension skills. This study investigates the impact of metacognitive strategies on university students’ reading comprehension abilities. Sixty university students participated in the study through random assignment which created experimental and control test groups. The experimental group learned metacognitive techniques which combined summarization practices with memorization and analytical methods yet the control group received traditional instruction without strategy training. A TOEFL-based reading comprehension test served as the measurement tool through which the participants demonstrated their reading development. This instrument showed Cronbach’s Alpha reliability of 0.80 for pre and posttest evaluations. The participants in the experimental condition achieved higher reading comprehension performance when compared to those in the control group as indicated by study outcomes. The experimental group students achieved an average 17.89 points in the post-test while the control group averaged 12.58 points. Results indicated that students achieved improved text comprehension following metacognitive strategy instruction as this effect was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Students used strategies to work with text materials while tracking their comprehension advancement and developing effective learning conduct. The investigation uncovered compelling proof demonstrating how metacognitive strategies enhance reading comprehension skills of students. Managed reading skills develop through students who combine analytical thinking with self-control abilities and deepen their involvement with text content using those strategic methods. Research findings justify that universities need to incorporate metacognitive strategy instruction within their education to address present-day reading competency requirements of students. By implementing metacognitive training methods students achieve a significant increase in academic outcomes and develop better lifelong learning abilities which defines metacognitive education as essential for teaching English as a foreign language.