The Effects of Quality Books for Children and the Metacognitive Strategy on Students’ Self-Esteem Levels

Abstract

Using a quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control groups, 93 eighth grade students were randomly assigned either to the experimental or to the control group and responded to the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale two weeks before and after the intervention. While the students in the experimental group were instructed in quality books for children and reading comprehension skills based on metacognitive strategy for 10 weeks, the control group only received typical non-quality books. Study results showed that while the pre-test self-esteem scores of the students in both groups were similar before the intervention, the post-test self-esteem scores of the students in the experimental group were significantly higher than of those in the control group. Quality books and metacognitive strategy for students may not only help improve reading comprehension but also may increase self-esteem level.