Using Metacognitive Instruction to Improve Reading Comprehension

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect on reading comprehension of explicitly teaching metacognitive strategies to 20 second graders who were reading on or above grade level. Participants were taught metacognitive strategies and reminded to use them with a bookmark intervention. Pre and post intervention scores on a comprehension assessment created by the researcher were compared using a t-test for dependent samples. Participants’ comprehension scores increased significantly after they used the bookmark to apply explicitly taught metacognitive strategies. The increase in mean total scores of 1.6 points (pretest mean= 4.15 to posttest mean = 5.75) was significant at the p < .000 level and sub-scores regarding comprehension within and about the text also increased significantly. These results suggest the think-mark bookmark intervention may help improve reading comprehension in primary students by encouraging metacognitive strategy use.