Effectiveness of Metacognitive Interventions on Students’ Academic Self Regulation in Learning English

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of metacognitive intervention on academic self regulation among higher secondary students in English learning. An experimental design was employed, with participants divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received explicit instruction in metacognitive strategies, planning, monitoring, and evaluating, while the control group continued with traditional classroom instruction. Pre test results indicated no significant difference in self regulation (SR) scores between the two groups, confirming comparable baseline levels. Post test analysis, however, revealed a substantial improvement in the experimental group (M = 139.5, SD = 10.0) compared to the control group (M = 107.7, SD = 8.9). The difference was statistically significant (t = 4.63, p = 0.001) with a large effect size (d = 1.03). Paired sample comparisons further demonstrated significant gains within the experimental group (mean difference = 16.15, p < 0.001), while the control group showed smaller improvements (mean difference = 10.5, p < 0.001). These findings support Zimmerman’s (2002) model of self regulated learning and Schraw and Moshman’s (1995) framework of metacognition, highlighting the role of metacognitive knowledge and regulation in fostering learner autonomy. The study concludes that structured metacognitive interventions significantly enhance students’ self regulation in English learning. Future research should extend these interventions to other subjects, educational levels, and longitudinal contexts.