THE USE OF METACOGNITIVE STRATEGIES SUPPORTING READING COMPREHENSION

Abstract

Reading comprehension is a dynamic process of constructing meaning, and therefore is based on a deliberate, reflective posture from the reader, who needs to use different strategies to understand the information which is explicit in the text, to infer other information, and to integrate them coherently.  This article discusses metacognitive strategies the reader can make use of before, during, and/or after reading a test, stressing that different types of text may require the use of different strategies and, as a result, it is necessary that the reader makes decisions on which ones are more appropriate taking into consideration the type and genre of the text, besides his/her own expectations, reading context and emerging needs.  The literature in the area points out that reading strategies, including metacognitive strategies, which are about reflecting upon one’s own thoughts, are affective in helping students develop their reading comprehension and overcome difficulties. Therefore, these strategies can and should be taught, as this training is essential for becoming an autonomous reader capable of understanding different types of texts. There are various metacognitive strategies described in the literature, and this article focuses especially on the strategies of monitoring, self-explanations, and justifications, stressing the importance of teachers knowing, encouraging and helping students with the use of metacognitive strategies in reading comprehension.

Keywords: reading comprehension; metacognitive strategies; metacognition.