Motivation and Metacognitive Strategy Use in Reading English as a Foreign Language Among Adolescent Learners

While self-regulated learning (SRL) has become an important paradigm in the field of English as a foreign language (EFL) learning, how adolescent learners utilize SRL strategies in the field of reading remains underexplored. Also largely unknown is the relationship between SRL strategy use and readers’ motivational beliefs. To bridge the gaps, the current study aims to uncover the complexities of motivational variables and metacognitive awareness of reading strategies among 343 Chinese adolescent EFL readers. Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to examine whether the high, medium, and low achieving readers differed in the levels of motivation and SRL strategy use. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was performed to examine to what extent motivation influenced strategy use. The findings revealed a high level of metacognitive awareness of reading strategies and task value for reading but a medium level of self-efficacy and growth mindset. Significant differences existed in the levels of self-efficacy, task value, and growth mindset and their frequency of reading strategy use across the readers of three competence levels. While self-efficacy and growth mindset were related to all three strategies in EFL reading, task value was related to global reading and support strategies. Implications for reading instruction are discussed.