This paper overviews selected theoretical and research literature on metacognition in order to suggest improvements to the way learners are taught to read. I describe two aspects of metacognition, knowledge of cognition (metacognitive awareness) and regulation of cognition (planning, monitoring, evaluating), and how they are related to their reading comprehension. The results of metacognition research suggest that learners who are more aware of the way they read have a higher level of reading proficiency, and that explicit metacognitive strategy training, promoting awareness about comprehension and reading strategies, is effective in enhancing learners' reading comprehension. Teachers also can help learners identify their own current reading strategies through such verbal-report techniques as discussion, interviewing, questioning.