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Abstract
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Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive activity involving lower-level linguistic processing and higher-level meaning construction processes (Grabe, 2008; Kintsch, 1998). Contemporary models of reading emphasize that successful comprehension depends not only on decoding and vocabulary knowledge but also on readers’ ability to regulate their cognitive processes strategically and metacognitively (Grabe & Yamashita, 2022; van Gelderen et al., 2004). In EFL contexts, where learners have limited exposure to English, difficulties in reading comprehension are particularly evident at the inferential level (Cain & Oakhill, 1999; Kim, 2023). One important source of variation in reading performance is cognitive style, particularly field-dependence/independence. Field-independent learners are more analytical and better able to extract relevant details from complex input, whereas field-dependent learners tend to rely on contextual and external frames of reference (Witkin et al., 1977; Witkin & Goodenough, 1981). Research has demonstrated significant relationships between field-(in)dependence and language performance, including reading comprehension (Salmani-Nodoushan, 2007; Khalili Sabet & Mohammadi, 2013; Nozari & Siamian, 2015). Studies in EFL contexts indicate that field-independent learners often outperform field-dependent learners in tasks requiring detailed text processing and inferencing (Cao, 2006; Ge, 2021).
At the same time, a substantial body of research shows that metacognitive reading strategies—such as planning, monitoring, and evaluating comprehension—play a crucial role in successful reading (Carrell, 1989; Baker & Brown, 1984; Mokhtari & Reichard, 2002). Learners who are more metacognitively aware tend to demonstrate higher reading achievement (Ghaith & El-Sanyoura, 2019; Rastegar et al., 2017; Sun et al., 2021). In Arab and regional contexts, metacognitive strategy use has been found to significantly predict reading comprehension (Alsheikh & Mokhtari, 2011
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