Clarifying the Muddy Waters of Metacognition in English Language Learning

Metacognition, which is commonly defined as thinking about thinking, is a key mental process that is associated with learning and encompasses metacognitive knowledge (i.e., an understanding of one’s cognitive processes, abilities, and strategies), metacognitive experience (i.e., conscious judgments or feelings that accompany a cognitive activity), and the effective use of metacognitive strategies for monitoring and controlling cognition and learning. Therefore, the development of second language learners’ metacognitive knowledge, skills, and strategies is often a fundamental goal of TESOL programmes. This chapter reviews relevant theories and recent research in English language learning that teachers may use to update their knowledge and understanding of metacognition and ways in which to foster their students’ metacognitive knowledge, skills, and strategies. In educational psychology, metacognition is situated in self-regulated learning theory. Therefore, to highlight the central role of self-regulation in language learning, an overview of self-regulation is presented to clarify the role of metacognition in self-regulated language learning. In addition, this chapter includes a discussion of research that highlights the role of teachers in boosting their students’ metacognition and presents research-informed activities to increase students’ metacognitive awareness and strategies that do not take a lot of class time and are easy to incorporate into most language lessons. Directions for action research on metacognition in English language learning are also provided.