The Association Between Intermediate EFL Learners’ Autonomy and Metacognitive Strategy Use in Online Reading Comprehension Instruction

This correlational study investigated the link between the level of learner autonomy (LA) and the frequency of the use of metacognitive strategies (MS) in performing online reading comprehension tasks by Iranian intermediate EFL learners. To ensure the homogeneity of the sample, the Oxford Quick Placement Test was administered to ۱۲۵ EFL language learners participating in online classes held on the Skype platform. Out of these ۱۲۵ learners, ۸۰ participants whose scores fell into the intermediate level were chosen as the main sample. The participants received reading comprehension strategy instruction for ۲۰ sessions. At the end of the course, the LA Questionnaire and the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory were administered to measure LA and MS use, respectively. Data analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between these two variables. The findings align with previous research, highlighting the importance of online task-based instruction in developing both metacognition and autonomy in reading comprehension skill. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of the implementation of online reading comprehension tasks in boosting autonomous learning and metacognition among Iranian intermediate EFL learners.

کلیدواژه ها:

learner autonomy ، metacognitive strategy ، online task-based reading comprehension instruction ، intermediate level