Exploring Metacognitive Strategy Use in Listening Comprehension

[[abstract]]ABSTRACT The present study aims to investigate the metacognitive listening strategies used by successful EFL learners in Taiwan, together with the variable of topic familiarity. The participants were 12 students at National Taiwan Normal University. According to their number of years of English learning, they were divided into 3 groups. Two experimental instruments were used in the study. Immediate retrospective verbal reports were administered first to the participants to explore their metacognitive listening strategy use. Semi-structured interviews were conducted later to further examine their metacognitive listening strategy use and to find out the factors affecting the use of metacognitive listening strategies. The results showed that the participants were good at using metacognitive listening strategies. The top three metacogntive listening strategies frequently used were Attention, Identification, and Monitoring respectively. With regard to the differences of metacognitive listening strategy use among the three groups, it was found that the experienced listeners used metacognitive listening strategies in a better quality than less experienced listeners. With regard to the effect of topic familiarity on metacognitive listening strategy use, the participants used more Planning and Monitoring strategies when listening to the familiar topic and more Attention and Identification when listening to the unfamiliar topic. Finally, it was found that the number of years of learning English and good learning experience contributed to the participants’ use of metacognitive listening strategy, experience of going to English-speaking countries changed the participants’ attitudes towards listening in a positive way, and their beliefs influenced their metacognitive listening strategy use as well.