a mixed-method study of introvert efl learners’ listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness

Listening is regarded as an essential skill for language learning, and metacognitive intervention has been utilized widely to facilitate this skill for learners in recent years. besides metacognitive factors, the impact of personality traits such as introversion/extroversion has been emphasized adequately in the field of language learning. this study investigated the effect of metacognitive intervention on upper-intermediate introvert efl learners’ listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness. fifty-nine upper-intermediate introvert efl learners were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 29) and a control group (n = 30). the experimental group received metacognitive intervention through a pedagogical cycle for 8 sessions, while the control group followed their conventional approach without a pedagogical cycle. participants in both groups took the international english language testing system (ielts) listening tests and completed the metacognitive awareness listening questionnaire (malq) before and after the intervention. subsequently, 20 learners from the experimental group were randomly chosen and interviewed to decode their attitudes toward the intervention. results suggested that metacognitive intervention led to a significant improvement in introvert efl learners’ listening comprehension and metacognitive awareness. the results of the qualitative data also revealed that the participants benefited from metacognitive intervention in various areas, such as improvement in listening comprehension, becoming able to identify their strengths and weaknesses, decreasing anxiety, and increasing concentration, self-confidence, and motivation. the findings of this study signal the need for language teachers and material developers to provide efl learners - especially introverts who usually lack the advantage of much oral participation due to their reserved personality - with instructions of metacognitive strategies and assist them in developing a habit of employing appropriate strategies while dealing with listening tasks.