The role of metacognitive strategies in enhancing reading comprehension
Published:
Jul 24, 2026
Keywords:
reading comprehension, metacognition, summarization, self-questioning, teaching strategies
Abstract
Reading comprehension is a key indicator of academic success for elementary and lower secondary school students. Despite its importance, instructional practices often prioritize fluent word and sentence decoding over actual comprehension, leading to noticeable gaps in this critical skill. This study aimed to examine the impact of two metacognitive strategies—summarization and self-questioning—on improving students’ reading comprehension. The sample comprised 69 sixth-grade students (38 girls and 31 boys), who were randomly assigned to one of three groups: two experimental groups (E1 and E2) and one control group (CG). Group allocation was based on students' initial performance on a standardized reading comprehension test for Greek-speaking students (Test-A), ensuring an even distribution of low-, medium-, and high-performing students across the three groups. Following the assignment, all participants completed tasks involving summarization and self-question generation. The intervention lasted for eight weeks: students in Group E1 received instruction in summarization techniques, while those in Group E2 were trained in self-questioning strategies. The control group continued with the standard curriculum. Upon completion of the intervention, all students were re-assessed using Test-A and the same summarization and self-questioning tasks. A follow-up assessment using the same measures was conducted one month later. Findings revealed a significant improvement in reading comprehension among both experimental groups, with the most notable gains observed in students who had initially performed at lower levels. Additionally, evidence suggested transfer of learning across the two strategies. These results highlight the value of explicit instruction in metacognitive strategies for enhancing students' reading comprehension skills.
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Tsiamtsialis, M. (2026). The role of metacognitive strategies in enhancing reading comprehension . Psychology: The Journal of the Hellenic Psychological Society, 31(2), 316–342. https://doi.org/10.12681/psy_hps.42067
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