Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategy Use in Reading Comprehension: A Structural Equation Modelling Approach

171 Pages·2018·2.77 MB·English

by  Limei Zhang (auth.)

Limei Zhang
Metacognitive and
Cognitive Strategy
Use in Reading
Comprehension
A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategy Use
in Reading Comprehension
Limei Zhang
Metacognitive and Cognitive
Strategy Use in Reading
Comprehension
A Structural Equation Modelling Approach
123
Limei Zhang
NanyangTechnological University
Singapore
Singapore
ISBN978-981-10-6324-4 ISBN978-981-10-6325-1 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6325-1
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2017952908
©SpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.2018
Thisworkissubjecttocopyright.AllrightsarereservedbythePublisher,whetherthewholeorpart
of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations,
recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission
orinformationstorageandretrieval,electronicadaptation,computersoftware,orbysimilarordissimilar
methodologynowknownorhereafterdeveloped.
The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publicationdoesnotimply,evenintheabsenceofaspecificstatement,thatsuchnamesareexemptfrom
therelevantprotectivelawsandregulationsandthereforefreeforgeneraluse.
The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this
book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the
authorsortheeditorsgiveawarranty,expressorimplied,withrespecttothematerialcontainedhereinor
for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to
jurisdictionalclaimsinpublishedmapsandinstitutionalaffiliations.
Printedonacid-freepaper
ThisSpringerimprintispublishedbySpringerNature
TheregisteredcompanyisSpringerNatureSingaporePteLtd.
Theregisteredcompanyaddressis:152BeachRoad,#21-01/04GatewayEast,Singapore189721,Singapore
Preface
This study is a revised version of my Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the National
InstituteofEducation,NanyangTechnologicalUniversity,inJuly2013.Itconcerns
the investigation of the relationships between Chinese college test takers’ strategy
use and reading test performance.
There are five main objectives in this study: (a) examining and identifying the
patterns of Chinese college test takers’ strategy use for the reading comprehension
test; (b) exploring the factorial structure of EFL reading test performance as mea-
sured by the retired College English Test Band 4 (CET-4) Reading subtest; (c) in-
vestigating the relationships between test takers’ strategy use and reading test
performance;(d)examining therelationshipsbetween metacognitiveandcognitive
strategy use in test situations; and (e) investigating gender differences in strategy
use and reading test performance.
Inwritingthebook,IwishtoexpressmysinceregratitudetoProf.ChristineGoh
for her invaluable and sustained support, enlightening guidance, and most impor-
tantly,forherinsightfulcommentsthroughoutthemanuscript.Itismygreathonor
to have had the opportunity to work with such an amazing and considerate
professor.
I also wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to Prof. Antony Kunnan for
giving me enlightening suggestions about structural equation modeling and for his
ongoing technical advice; Prof. Lawrence Jun Zhang for his insightful comments,
warm encouragement, and unyielding support during my study; and especially to
Prof.ScottParis,withoutwhomitwouldnothavebeenpossibleformetostartthis
fruitful journey and choose the appropriate research direction.
My heartfelt thanks go to Prof. Guangwei Hu, Prof. Yan Wang, and Prof.
Yongbing Liu for their generous help toward the completion of the project, all the
students involved in the study for their contribution of time, cooperation, and
assistance, and other colleagues and researchers who were often the best critics.
Finally, I am greatly obliged to my family for their unwavering support,
encouragement, and unconditional love in the course of my research.
Singapore, Singapore Limei Zhang
v
Contents
1 Introduction.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.1 Statement of the Problem... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 1
1.2 Context of the Study . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 2
1.2.1 Chinese College English Teaching and Its Reform... .... 2
1.2.2 The College English Test . .... .... .... .... ..... .... 4
1.3 Purpose of the Study . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 7
1.4 Research Questions... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 10
1.5 Key Terms . .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 11
1.5.1 First Language (L1) Reading and Second Language (L2)
Reading.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 11
1.5.2 Test Takers’ Characteristics.... .... .... .... ..... .... 11
1.5.3 Strategic Competence and Metacognitive and Cognitive
Strategies. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 12
1.5.4 Reading Skills and Reading Strategies ... .... ..... .... 13
1.5.5 Second Language Reading Test Performance .. ..... .... 14
1.5.6 Exploratory Factor Analysis Versus Confirmatory Factor
Analysis . .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 14
1.5.7 Structural Equation Modeling.. .... .... .... ..... .... 15
1.5.8 Multi-sample/Multi-group Structural Equation
Modeling. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 15
1.5.9 Cross-Validation.... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 16
1.6 Significance of the Study ... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 16
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 18
2 Development of the Framework of Language Use .. .... ..... .... 25
2.1 Hymes’ (1967, 1972) Theory of Communicative Competence.... 26
2.2 Canale and Swain’s (1980) and Canale’s (1983a) Model
of Communicative Competence .. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 27
2.3 Bachman’s (1990) Framework of Communicative Language
Ability .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 28
vii
viii Contents
2.4 Bachman and Palmer’s (1996, 2010) Framework
for Language Use.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 29
2.5 Relevance to the Study..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 31
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 32
3 Reading Comprehension and Strategy Use.... .... .... ..... .... 35
3.1 Research About Reading Comprehension... .... .... ..... .... 36
3.2 Relevant Models of Reading Comprehension.... .... ..... .... 38
3.2.1 Multi-component Models . .... .... .... .... ..... .... 39
3.2.2 Information Processing Models. .... .... .... ..... .... 42
3.2.3 The Simple View of Reading .. .... .... .... ..... .... 45
3.2.4 Schema Theory..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 45
3.2.5 Construction–Integration Model .... .... .... ..... .... 47
3.2.6 Constructively Responsive Reading Model.... ..... .... 48
3.2.7 Relevance to the Study... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 49
3.3 Theory of Metacognition and Its Application to Reading
Comprehension.. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 51
3.3.1 Definition of Metacognition ... .... .... .... ..... .... 51
3.3.2 Methods of Eliciting Strategy Use .. .... .... ..... .... 53
3.3.3 Empirical Studies on Strategy Use and Reading Test
Performance .. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 57
3.4 StudiesonGenderDifferencesinStrategyUseandReadingTest
Performance .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 68
3.5 Relevance to the Study..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 70
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 76
4 Study Procedures and Data Collection ... .... .... .... ..... .... 85
4.1 Research Design. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 85
4.2 Study Participants.... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 86
4.2.1 Participants in Study 1 ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 86
4.2.2 Participants in Study 2 ... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 87
4.3 Research Instruments . ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 89
4.3.1 Development and Validation of the ReTSUQ.. ..... .... 90
4.3.2 Validation of the Reading Test. .... .... .... ..... .... 98
4.4 Data Collection and Scoring. .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 104
4.4.1 Administration of Research Instruments .. .... ..... .... 104
4.4.2 Data Scoring and Preparation .. .... .... .... ..... .... 105
4.5 Statistical Analyses... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 106
4.5.1 Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) .... .... ..... .... 106
4.5.2 Multi-group Structural Equation Modeling .... ..... .... 106
4.5.3 Computer Software Programs Used . .... .... ..... .... 107
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 107
Contents ix
5 Effects of Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategy Use on Reading
Test Performance ... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 111
5.1 Descriptive Statistics.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 112
5.2 SEM Analysis for Two Samples.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 112
5.3 SEM Analysis for Cross-validation.... .... .... .... ..... .... 114
5.4 Discussion . .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 118
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 127
6 Gender Differences in Metacognitive and Cognitive Strategy Use
and Reading Test Performance . .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 131
6.1 Descriptive Statistics.. ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
6.2 SEM Analysis for Two Groups .. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
6.3 SEM Analysis for Cross-validation.... .... .... .... ..... .... 133
6.4 Discussion . .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 140
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 144
7 Implications and Recommendations.. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 147
7.1 Implications for Classroom Teachers .. .... .... .... ..... .... 148
7.1.1 Pedagogical Implications of Study 1. .... .... ..... .... 148
7.1.2 Pedagogical Implications of Study 2. .... .... ..... .... 149
7.2 Implications for the Field of Language Testing .. .... ..... .... 149
7.2.1 Theoretical Implications .. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 149
7.2.2 Methodological Implications... .... .... .... ..... .... 151
7.3 Recommendations for Classroom Instruction and Future
Research... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 152
7.3.1 Potential Use of the ReTSUQ.. .... .... .... ..... .... 152
7.3.2 Recommendations for Future Research... .... ..... .... 153
7.4 Conclusions .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 155
References.. .... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .... 156
Appendix A: Participant Information Sheet and Consent Form... .... 159
Appendix B: The Reading Test Strategy Use
Questionnaire (ReTSUQ).. .... .... .... .... ..... .... 161
Appendix C: EFA Pattern Matrix of the ReTSUQ. .... .... ..... .... 165
List of Figures
Fig. 3.1 The hypothesized unitary model . .... .... .... .... ..... .. 74
Fig. 3.2 The hypothesized higher-order model . .... .... .... ..... .. 75
Fig. 3.3 The hypothesized correlated model ... .... .... .... ..... .. 75
Fig. 5.1 Tested unitary model with Sample 1 with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 116
Fig. 5.2 Tested unitary model with Sample 2 with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 117
Fig. 5.3 Tested higher-order model with Sample 1 with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 117
Fig. 5.4 Tested higher-order model with Sample 2 with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 118
Fig. 5.5 Tested correlated model with Sample 1 with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 118
Fig. 5.6 Tested correlated model with Sample 2 with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 119
Fig. 5.7 Final SEM model ... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 120
Fig. 6.1 The baseline model for the male group with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 136
Fig. 6.2 The baseline model for the female group with standardized
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 136
Fig. 6.3 The final model for the male group... .... .... .... ..... .. 139
Fig. 6.4 The final model for the female group . .... .... .... ..... .. 139
xi
List of Tables
Table 1.1 Content, item types, and score value on the CET-4... ..... .. 5
Table 4.1 Distribution of participants from five universities for
Study 1 ... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 88
Table 4.2 Descriptive information of participants
for Study 1 .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 88
Table 4.3 Distribution of participants from five universities for
Study 2 ... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 88
Table 4.4 Descriptive information of participants
for Study 2 .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 88
Table 4.5 Categories and numbers of items in the ReTSUQ.... ..... .. 91
Table 4.6 Descriptive statistics for the ReTSUQ. .... .... .... ..... .. 94
Table 4.7 Results of unrotated principal component analysis.... ..... .. 96
Table 4.8 Subscales and reliability estimates of the ReTSUQ... ..... .. 97
Table 4.9 Fit indices for CFA model to confirm the factor structure
of the ReTSUQ. .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 99
Table 4.10 Descriptive statistics of the CET-4 Reading
subtest.... .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 100
Table 4.11 Pattern matrix and factor correlation matrix of section SKSN
on the CET-4 Reading subtest... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 101
Table 4.12 Pattern matrix and factor correlation matrix of section BCLZ
on the CET-4 Reading subtest... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 102
Table 4.13 Pattern matrix and factor correlation matrix of section RID
on the CET-4 Reading subtest... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 102
Table 4.14 Patternmatrix andfactorcorrelationmatrix ofsection MCLZ
on the CET-4 Reading subtest... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 103
Table 4.15 Fit indices for Model 1 to confirm the factor structure
of the CET-4 Reading subtest ... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 104
Table 4.16 Fit indices for Model 2 to confirm the factor structure
of the CET-4 Reading subtest ... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 105
Table 4.17 Subsections of the CET-4 Reading subtest with reliability
estimates .. .... .... ..... .... .... .... .... .... ..... .. 105
xiii