Metacognitive Reading Strategy Use in L1 and L2 Reading Between General Middle School Learners and Gifted English Language Learners

The goal of the study was to investigate the differences of the metacognitive reading strategy use between general middle school learners (GMSLs) and gifted English language learners (GELLs) in L1 and L2 reading. 90 GMSLs matriculated in a middle school of A city and 74 GELLs enrolled in a gifted English program participated in the study. In order to collect data, the Metacognitive Awareness of Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI) and the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) were used. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation efficient and paired sample t-tests. This study found that there were similarities and differences of metacognitive reading strategy use between GMSLs and GELLs in L1 and L2 reading. Both groups tended to use problem solving strategy the most, global strategy the next, and support strategy the least. However, GMSLs used more metacognitive reading strategies in L1 than in L2 while GELLs employed them in L2 more frequently than in L1. Also, they had different frequencies of each metacognitive reading strategy in L1 and L2. Finally, this study provides pedagogical suggestions for educators who plan or develop teaching English reading instructions.