The Perceptions of Saudi Arabian Teachers of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Students Regarding Metacognitive Assessment of Reading Comprehension Strategies

Background: This study is the only one of its kind that discusses metacognitive assessments with Arab DHH students and teachers. Metacognition is the awareness of one’s own thought processes; it aids many individuals in various aspects of daily living; it is especially important for cognitive processes such as reading. When reading, students can learn how to use different metacognitive strategies to regulate their reading comprehension. While research has covered metacognitive strategies regarding how typical students and students with certain disabilities use such strategies, there is little research regarding metacognitive assessments that teachers of students who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) use. Aims and Method: Using a survey method, this quantitative research endeavored (a) to understand the awareness that Saudi teachers of DHH students have regarding metacognitive strategies and their use and (b) to identify the types of metacognitive assessments these teachers utilize with their DHH students. Demographic data was obtained from the respondents. The relationships between perceptions and different variables (e.g., gender, years of experience, educational qualification, and types of programs) were analyzed. Results: Not surprisingly, teachers’ knowledge of metacognitive assessment correlated with their use of such tools with their DHH students. In addition, the majority of the respondents (n = 213; 57.14%) stated they did not feel metacognitive assessments are indicated for use with elementary school children. Educational background and training and years of experience were found to significantly affect perceptions. Conversely, no correlation was found between perceptions and gender. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that ability to communicate with students is vital for assessing metacognitive processes. Further, this study also found teachers’ knowledge of metacognitive assessments is vital to their perception of metacognitive assessments.