At-risk students arrive on community college campuses lacking the proper preparedness to cope with the complexity of assigned reading. This study investigated whether using metacognitive prompts could improve both the metacognition and reading comprehension of at-risk community college students in a Western Civilization I class. The use of metacognitive prompts was adapted from Reading Apprenticeship a metacognitive approach to improve reading comprehension (Schoenbach, Greenleaf, Cziko, & Hurwitz, 1999). Metacognition or "thinking about thinking," is a widely studied learning theory that falls under the umbrella of constructivism. Numerous studies suggest a relationship between metacognitive knowledge and skill and academic success. The semester-long intervention focused on using metacognitive prompts during reading and metacognitive conversation following reading. A convenience sample of 75 participants completed two pretest posttest measurements: a researcher-designed test of metacognition that asked participants to annotate their mental processes by making predictions, asking questions, making connections, visualizing, and summarizing their thinking as they read and an ACT Compass Sample Reading Test to measure reading comprehension. The majority of the sample were considered academically at risk due to ACT scores of 18 and below and receipt of a Pell Grant. A paired samples "t"-test indicated a statistically significant increase from the metacognitive pretest (M = 5.67, SD = 1.85) to the posttest (M = 6.89, SD = 1.89), t(74) = -5.1, p < 0.001. Similarly, a paired samples "t"-test indicated a statistically significant increase from the reading comprehension pretest (M = 11.09, SD = 2.43) to the posttest (M = 12.53, SD = 2.72), t(74) = -4.02, p < 0.001. Split file paired samples "t"-tests examined the means of the demographic variables and several groups showed statistically significant increases on both measures. Participants receiving Pell Grants and with ACT scores below the college readiness benchmark showed statistically significant increases in metacognition and reading comprehension. The statistically significant results offered strongly suggestive evidence that the reading intervention, using metacognitive prompts while reading, was effective in improving the metacognitive awareness and the reading comprehension of at-risk community college students. Metacognitive instruction should be brought into the community college classroom to improve student academic performance. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]