Metacognitive Regulation in Primary School Writing: A Comparison of Fourth and Sixth Grade Students in Narrative Writing Tasks
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22460/pej.v10i1.6936Keywords:
Metacognitive Regulation, Writing Instruction, Primary Education, Grade Level Differences, Self Regulated LearningAbstract
Metacognitive regulation plays a key role in students’ writing development through planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes. This study examined differences in metacognitive regulation between fourth-grade and sixth-grade primary school students during narrative writing instruction, focusing on observable writing behaviors. Using a comparative quantitative design, data were collected from 120 students in one public and one private elementary school in Bandung, Indonesia, through an adapted Metacognitive Awareness Inventory measuring regulation of cognition. Descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, and effect size analyses were applied. The findings indicate that fourth-grade students demonstrated moderate levels of metacognitive regulation, with planning as the strongest dimension; however, monitoring coherence and independent revision remained limited. Sixth-grade students showed significantly higher and more balanced regulation across all dimensions, including more consistent monitoring and deliberate revision based on self-evaluation. Grade-level differences were statistically significant with large effect sizes, particularly in monitoring. These results suggest that metacognitive regulation in narrative writing develops progressively across primary grade levels and is reflected in students’ writing behaviors. Persistent weaknesses in evaluative regulation highlight the need for process-oriented instruction that explicitly supports planning, monitoring, and evaluation to promote more independent and effective writers in primary education.
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