Empowering EFL/ESL Digital Readers through Online Metacognitive Strategies and Scaffolding: A Systematic Review of Insights, Practices, and Challenges

Abstract

With the increasing prevalence of digital reading in EFL/ESL instruction, online metacognitive strategies and scaffolding have become essential for supporting reading comprehension and self-regulated reading. However, existing research remains fragmented, particularly because studies of learners’ strategy awareness and use are often discussed together with intervention studies on digital scaffolding and platform-supported training. Following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, this systematic review synthesized 31 empirical studies retrieved from Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC. The findings show that current research is concentrated mainly in higher education contexts and selected Asian contexts, with limited attention to K-12 learners and wider regional settings. Methodologically, the field is dominated by quantitative designs, self-report measures, and short-term interventions. Intervention studies indicated that explicit strategy instruction, platform-supported scaffolds, annotations, learning journals, feedback, and specialized reading tools can support reading comprehension, metacognitive awareness, and self-regulation. However, these effects are not automatic and are shaped by platform usability, cognitive load, digital text features, learner readiness, and instructional support. Future research should examine younger learners, longitudinal strategy development, and the alignment among digital texts, platforms, scaffolds, and instructional contexts to provide more sustainable guidance for EFL/ESL digital reading instruction.