When a reader realizes they have not understood a text and decides to reread, which cognitive process are they demonstrating?

The reader's decision to reread the text after realizing they haven't understood it reflects metacognition, which is the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes. This concept involves thinking about one's learning and comprehension processes. When a reader recognizes a lack of understanding, they are engaging in metacognitive monitoring, which helps them evaluate their comprehension and take appropriate actions to improve it, such as rereading.

This ability to reflect on their own understanding demonstrates a higher-order thinking skill that is crucial for effective reading and learning. In contrast, while inference involves drawing conclusions based on the ideas presented in the text, and comprehension monitoring refers specifically to the ongoing assessment of understanding during reading, metacognition encompasses both awareness and strategies like rereading to enhance understanding. Retelling focuses on summarizing the content, which does not directly involve the cognitive process of recognizing a need for clarification or understanding.