Describe the role of metacognition in reading comprehension.

Metacognition plays a crucial role in reading comprehension as it refers to an individual's awareness and understanding of their own thought processes while reading. This awareness includes recognizing the strategies employed to comprehend texts, such as predicting, questioning, summarizing, and clarifying. When readers engage in metacognitive practices, they actively monitor their understanding, assess their comprehension, and make adjustments as necessary. This self-regulation leads to deeper engagement with the material, enabling readers to identify when they do not understand something and to employ specific strategies to improve their comprehension. Thus, metacognition enhances not only the ability to digest information but also the efficiency with which one processes and internalizes that information.