The Effect of Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Training on Intermediate Iranian EFL learners’ Willingness to Communicate

Abstract

The present study aimed at exploring the effects of cognitive and metacognitive strategy training on the WTC of Iranian EFL learners. The participants of the study included 90 Iranian EFL learners at the intermediate level of English language proficiency. They were divided into three groups based on their performance on a general proficiency test. One group received cognitive strategy instruction, another metacognitive strategy instruction and the last one served as the control group. The participants were also tested before and after the treatment in terms of WTC. The results of statistical analysis showed that both cognitive and metacognitive strategy training had a positive effect on the WTC of Iranian EFL learners. It was also revealed that metacognitive and cognitive strategy training had similar effects on the WTC of the participants.