TEACHERS AS A PART OF METACOGNITIVE ROLE MODELS TO IMPROVE CHILDREN’S READING AND WRITING MOTIVATIONS

Abstract

This study reflects the reading and writing motivations of children in early childhood. Children use a wide range of learning strategies to enhance their writing and reading skills, such as previewing, predicting, skimming and scanning, guessing, and paraphrasing. Therefore, the teacher has to find ways to assist children in developing their learning ability through learning strategy. One of learning strategy that is used in this research is Metacognitive Strategy Instruction (MSI). It is different among other learning strategies, using MSI for learning strategy can make children become regulators of reading and writing strategies and use reflective thinking: Looking back on what I have learned. How did I learn it? What processes did I use? What was successful? What was not? What knowledge and skills have I achieved? Also, strategic thinking: Looking forward to what I need/want to learn. How could I learn it? What (cognitive) strategies could I use? What knowledge/ skills do I have and could apply? Ten children’ parents were participated and administered the pre-questionnaire form, and after their children getting MSI training they got post questionnaire form, using three children’ motivational profile: enjoyment, value, and self-concept. The result showed that in both profiles, enjoyment is the aspect that scores highest, followed by value and finally self-concept. It would thus seem that these pre-school children attribute high levels of enjoyment or importance to reading and writing more easily than they associate them with situations that give them value. The post-MSI Training scores outperformed the scores of motivational reading and writing group profiles.

Keywords: Reading, Writing, Motivation, Metacognitive Role Models