The effects of teaching metacognitive strategies on Thai university EFL learners’ TOEIC listening comprehension

Abstract

The TOEIC has emerged as the benchmark for assessing the English language proficiency and communication abilities of individuals whose first language is not English. Achieving a high score on this examination may prove challenging for them. While numerous studies have explored metacognitive strategies for reading comprehension, there is a paucity of research on metacognitive strategies for listening comprehension, especially in the TOEIC context in Thailand (Maliwan, 2020; Namsaeng, 2021). This study investigates how teaching metacognitive strategies affects 201 students’ listening comprehension in a southern Thai university. It draws on the research framework adapted from O’Malley and Chamot (1988) and Oxford (1990). Using a mixed-methods design, the study combines quantitative data from pre- and post TOEIC listening comprehension tests, a 6-point Likert-scale listening questionnaire (MALQ), and qualitative data from self-report interviews with test-taking students. Based on the pre-TOEIC listening comprehension test, the students were classified into 2 proficiency levels: low-proficient and high-proficient. Following the metacognitive strategy instruction, they were asked to take the post-test and were interviewed. The pre and post-test scores, as well as the reported use of the strategies, were analyzed and compared using descriptive and inferential statistics, along with content analysis of the interview data. The results demonstrated that teaching metacognitive strategies can facilitate comprehension of listening texts at both proficiency levels and help guide them in selecting which metacognitive strategies are effective while taking the TOEIC tests. The study also discusses several limitations and offers directions for future research along with practical recommendations.