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Abstract

An interview schedule for assessing metacognitive awareness about reading was developed, based upon the work of Myers and Paris (1978). Scoring scales were developed for each item, which allowed for a variety of parametric statistical procedures. This interview schedule was administered to 88 children in grades 2, 4, and 6. Item-by-item results showed general increases in metacognitive knowledge with grade and a particularly high level of awareness in grade 6 children of above-average reading comprehension ability. A principal components analysis of the interview item scores yielded four metacognitive factors, which were labelled Withholding Closure, Reading Skill, Semantic Selection, and Use of Context. Further analyses showed that all factor scores increased with grade and, again, that high-ability sixth-graders had a particular advantage in the two semantic factors (Semantic Selection, Use of Context). Correlational analyses suggested that the Use of Context factor is the strongest contributor to comprehension in grade 6, but may be detrimental to comprehension in grade 4. Implications of these results for the measurement of metacognitive awareness, for a model of the development of reading skill, and for the improvement of instruction are discussed.

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Metacognitive Awareness about Reading and its Relation to Reading Ability

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