“
Global lingvistika: yangi yondashuvlar va tadqiqotlar”
mavzusidagi xalqaro ilmiy-amaliy anjuman
~ 274 ~
THE DEVELOPMENT OF METACOGNITION IN INTENSIVE READING
STAGES
Reymbaeva Nargiza
Uzbekistan State World Languages University 4
th
year student
Scientific adviser:
Khayrullaeva Dilorom
Position: Head teacher
Annotation:
The article is about the development and role of metacognitive
skills at the different phases of intensive reading and how metacognition can be
promoted at pre-reading, during-reading, and post-reading stages with some teaching
practices and techniques. It emphasizes how students' control and knowledge over
their thinking process, such as planning, monitoring, and evaluating result in
enhanced understanding and improved reading strategies. Empirical evidence
suggesting a positive relationship between metacognitive development and reading
competence is also presented.
Keywords.
Metacognition, intensive reading, reading comprehension, cognitive
strategies, metacognitive awareness, stages of reading, text analysis, critical thinking,
reflective reading.
Introduction.
Reading goes beyond simply scanning words on a page, it
requires skillful combination of interpretation and analytical thinking. In the
academic world, learners are introduced to new vocabulary using integrated methods
like Intensive Reading, which as the name suggests, focuses on developing a detailed
understanding of selected texts. This method goes hand in hand with extensive
Reading which is the process of scanning literature for general information. Intensive
reading centers on detailed comprehension of shorter texts to build vocabulary,
grammar, and overall comprehension skills. Still, learners need to engage in a
reflective approach through meticulous self-driven questioning to maximize the
benefits of this method. This is where metacognitive strategies are integral.
Shifting one's focus to their cognitive processes is referred to as metacognition:
assessing and regulating one’s mental operations. In relation to reading, it allows
learners to understand the way they read, the methods they are employing, and how
those methods could be adapted for better understanding and retention. With such
undergoing self-analysis, learners greatly change the manner in which information is
given to them into a curriculum where they become in charge of making instructional
plans, monitoring their progress, and evaluating themselves as time progresses.
The development of metacognitive skills is fundamentally critical in the three
core phases of intensive reading: pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading. In
“
Global lingvistika: yangi yondashuvlar va tadqiqotlar”
mavzusidagi xalqaro ilmiy-amaliy anjuman
~ 275 ~
these phases, learners are guided to set objectives, make inquiries, reflect, and self-
assess based on the text’s complexity and their individual needs. Such processes
broaden one’s comprehension of the reading material, but also develop one’s
problem-solving and critical thinking skills that can be applied to other academic
tasks and real-life challenges.
In the classroom of today characterized by learners drowning in bountiful
streams of information, the ability to read accurately and autonomously is more
imperative than ever. Thus, the development of metacognitive awareness during
intensive reading should be one of the prime goals for educators. This article seeks to
understand how metacognitive skills evolve through the various stages of intensive
reading, and it intends to provide methodologies aimed at assisting students reflect on
themselves as adept and confident readers.
Literature review. The concept of metacognition was introduced by Flavell
(1979)
25
, who emphasized its role in reasoning and cognitive processes. Piaget's
(1971) cognitive development theory and Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural perspective
further underscored the importance of self-regulation and strategic thinking in
learning activities. Metacognitive knowledge is divided into three components:
- Knowledge about self: Understanding personal strengths and weaknesses as a
reader.
- Knowledge about tasks: Recognizing the demands of different reading
activities.
- Knowledge about strategies: Identifying effective techniques for
comprehension.
According to Pressley and Afflerbach (1995)
26
, effective readers consistently
deploy metacognitive strategies throughout every phase of reading. Additionally, a
study conducted by Mokhtari and Reichard (2002) found that engaged users of
metacognitive strategies perform more successfully in reading comprehension tasks.
In second language acquisition, metacognitive instruction is especially
beneficial. Language learners will struggle to comprehend because they lack
vocabulary or unknown syntax. By instructing them in how to think about their
reading-how to plan, monitor, and they are given the tools to correct these issues
independently. Moreover, as the students learn these techniques, they become self-
directed learners, capable of transferring strategies from one subject to another and to
life outside of the classroom.
Stages of Metacognitive Reading
25
Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of cognitive–developmental
inquiry.
American Psychologist, 34
(10), 906–911.
https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.34.10.906
26
Pressley, M., Gaskins, I.W. Metacognitively competent reading comprehension is constructively responsive reading:
how
can
such
reading
be
developed
in
students?
Metacognition
Learning
1
,
99–113
(2006).
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-006-7263-7
“
Global lingvistika: yangi yondashuvlar va tadqiqotlar”
mavzusidagi xalqaro ilmiy-amaliy anjuman
~ 276 ~
Metacognitive reading strategies are typically categorized into three stages:
1. Pre-reading Stage:
- Planning strategies such as setting goals, previewing texts, and predicting
content are essential for effective comprehension. These strategies prepare readers to
engage actively with the material.
- For primary school students, creating a reading plan fosters lifelong skills for
organizing and approaching texts efficiently.
2. During-reading stage:
- Monitoring comprehension involves questioning understanding, making
inferences, adjusting reading speed, and using resources like dictionaries or
annotations.
- Self-regulated learning models emphasize continuous evaluation of
understanding during this stage. Readers refine their strategies based on feedback
from the text.
3. Post-reading stage:
- Evaluating the effectiveness of strategies used during reading helps readers
improve future performance. Activities like summarizing, reflecting on
comprehension, and identifying areas for improvement are critical.
Schraw and Dennison (1994)
27
pointed out that reflective practices at this level
are critical to the development of metacognitive awareness and help learners
internalize effective reading behaviors.
Instructors have a key role to enhance metacognitive development. Effective
instructional techniques are:
•
Think-aloud: Modeling the process of thinking while reading.
•
Strategy instruction: Teaching explicit metacognitive strategies.
•
Collaborative learning: Allowing peer discussion and strategy sharing.
•
Reflective journals: Promoting self-evaluation and consciousness.
Through incorporating metacognitive instruction into reading curriculum,
educators can motivate learners to become more reflective about their thinking and
better equipped to deal with challenging reading tasks. Metacognitive skills have
been discovered to be trainable and improvable based on research. Instructional
personnel have a vital role to perform in developing by demonstrating metacognitive
strategies, guided exercise, and reflection. Examples include think-aloud strategies,
reading journals, and graphic organizers to help students see and cope with their
thinking processes.
28
27
Schraw, G., & Dennison, R. S. (1994). Assessing Metacognitive Awareness. Contemporary Educational Psychology,
https://doi.org/10.1006/ceps.1994.1033
28
O’Malley JM, Chamot AU.
Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition
. Cambridge University Press; 1990.
“
Global lingvistika: yangi yondashuvlar va tadqiqotlar”
mavzusidagi xalqaro ilmiy-amaliy anjuman
~ 277 ~
List of literature used:
1. Flavell, J. H. (1979). Metacognition and cognitive monitoring: A new area of
cognitive-developmental inquiry.
American Psychologist, 34
(10), 906–911.
2. Pressley, Michael & Gaskins, Irene. (2006). Metacognitively competent
reading comprehension is constructively responsive reading: How can such reading
be developed in students?
3.
Schraw, G., & Dennison, R. S. (1994). Assessing Metacognitive Awareness.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 19, 460-475.
4. O‘Malley JM, Chamot AU.
Learning Strategies in Second Language
Acquisition
. Cambridge University Press; 1990.
