The Effects of Meta-Discussion Strategies Toward Low English Proficiency Students in Oral English Performance

Abstract

The ability to speak proficiently is very important among English as a second language (ESL) students. Educators should employ teaching approaches to make teaching and learning more effective. This paper discusses the effects of teaching meta-discussion strategies on low English profeciency students’ achievement in oral English. This study used a quasi-experimental design using a non-equivalent control-group design. The sample population was 177 students comprising of 94 students in the experimental group and 83 students in the control group. The students in the experimental group were exposed to metadiscussion strategies for seven weeks under the guidance of two instructors. This study used the indicators of teaching and learning process questionnaire (InTLPQ) to measure the respondents’ level of meta-cognitive awareness, meta-attention, meta-comprehension and meta-cognitive reflection. The independent variables in this study are meta-cognitive awareness, meta-attention and meta-comprehension. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results of the MANOVA revealed that there was a statistically significant difference in the post-test score between the treatment and control groups with the value p = 0.00; p < 0.01. The Stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated both that the three independent variables are correlated and that they contributed positively to the achievement of the respondents’ oral English. In conclusion, with constant practice of these strategies, students could enhance their oral ability by overcoming their weaknesses during the learning process. Saadiah Kummin et al. 76