The Cyclical Model of Self-Regulated Learning and Metacognitive Awareness of Iranian EFL Learners’ Grammar Strategies

An awareness of one’s own learning processes seems not to occur without language learners, engagement in SRL strategies in terms of behavioral, emotional, cognitive, metacognitive, and environmental aspects during learning procedures, which leads to high-quality planning for learning (Krause Coates, 2008). This mixed method study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of self-regulated language learning in developing metacognitive awareness of grammar strategies and compared it with non-self-regulated groups. To this end, a total of 122 homogenized intermediate EFL learners were randomly allocated to one of three groups (two experimental and one control).  To collect data, all groups were subjected to three different treatments. The data analysis of non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis indicated that self-regulated language learning strategies instruction (cyclical emotional regulation) had a significant effect on the EFL participants’ metacognitive awareness of grammar strategies. Also, the SRL (C ER) model improved the learners’ metacognitive awareness more than the SRL (C) model and was followed by F on F method, which showed the lowest performance. For more evidence of learners’ engagement in SRL strategies during the learning process, an SRGL questionnaire was administered to EFL learners at the pre-test and post-test phases. A paired sample t-test data analysis revealed that the participants in both SRL models outperformed in the use of self-regulatory strategies. The result of the paired t-test of emotion regulation data also represented a large effect size. Regarding learners’ attitudes towards implementing SRL models, the frequency data and chi-square analysis of both experimental groups indicated that most students significantly held a positive perception of these techniques. Therefore, this study provides implications for teachers and syllabus designers to design SRL task modeling compatible with learners’ language levels.