Metacognitive Knowledge Raising Via Explicit Reading Strategy Instruction in Flipped Instructional Environment: A Mixed-Method Study Focusing on EFL Learners' Reading Skill Development

Research in second language learning has identified the absence of metacognition awareness among learners as one of the major problems contributing to students' inability to develop reading skills. This mixed-method study sought to investigate the impact of metacognitive awareness raising via explicit reading strategy instruction in a flipped instructional environment on Iranian EFL learners' reading skills. To this end, a sample of 56 EFL learners at the pre-intermediate level (28 in the treatment group and 28 in the control group) who were selected based on convenient sampling from one of the private language institutes in Kerman, Iran, participated in the study. Data werecollected using the Oxford placement test, a reading pre-test, a post-test, and a semi-structured interview. The findings revealed that EFL learners in the treatment group outperformed the control group in reading comprehension from the pre-test to the post-test. The results of the semi-structured interview confirmed the results of the t-test, and it was concluded that the learners were satisfied with the treatment due to its cooperative, fun, and informative nature. The participants, even though they mentioned some negative points such as the unavailability of the instructor and wasting time on both methods and unimportant details, reported on the effective role of both flipped context and the strategy itself. In sum, the results confirmed that integrating flipped classrooms with metacognitive development increased EFL learners' reading comprehension.