Metacognitive Strategies Employed by Indonesian Senior High School Students to Foster English Speaking Proficiency
Keywords:
Metacognitive strategies, speaking skills, EFL secondary students, language learning strategies, self-regulated learningAbstract
Developing English speaking skills remains a persistent challenge for EFL learners in Indonesia, particularly at the secondary school level. This study investigates the metacognitive strategies used by second-grade students at SMA Batik 2 Surakarta, Indonesia, to enhance their English speaking proficiency. Employing a qualitative case study design, data were collected from 30 students through non-participant classroom observations and semi-structured interviews with five purposefully selected informants. Data validity was ensured through source and method triangulation, and analysis followed Miles and Huberman’s interactive model. The findings revealed four core metacognitive strategies: self-management, self-monitoring, delayed production, and self-evaluation. Self-management involved resource utilization such as digital dictionaries and Google Translate. Self-monitoring encompassed imitating teacher input and rehearsing pronunciation. Delayed production was characterized by pre-speaking preparation including writing, translating, and memorizing sentences. Self-evaluation involved error detection and self-correction during and after speaking performance. These strategies were found to facilitate planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes critical for autonomous speaking development. However, an over-reliance on translation-mediated strategies was identified, potentially hindering spontaneous oral fluency. The study concludes that metacognitive strategy instruction should be systematically integrated into EFL speaking curricula, with emphasis on balancing technological mediation and authentic communicative practice. Recommendations for pedagogical practice and future research are provided.
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