A study of language learning strategies used and self-efficacy beliefs held by high- and low-achieving English major students

Abstract

The purposes of this study were: 1) to identify the level of use of the language learning strategies and their sub-categories by high-achieving and lowachieving English majors students 2) to identify the level of self-efficacy beliefs held by high-achieving and low-achieving English major students 3) to determine any significant differences in the use of language learning strategies between highachieving and low-achieving English major students, 4) to determine any significant differences in the level of self-efficacy beliefs held by high-achieving and lowachieving English major students, and 5) to determine a correlation between language learning strategies used and the level of self-efficacy beliefs held by high-achieving and low-achieving English major students. The total population was 309 fourth-year English major students from the Faculties of Education of four Rajabhat universities in Thailand. The sample consisted of 186 English major students. Subjects were selected by stratified, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques. They were divided into high- and low-achieving groups by using their grade point averages (GPA) and the high-low-27-percent group method. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 7.0, and the Questionnaire of English Self-Efficacy (QESE) were used to collect quantitative data. The reliability established by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was .96 and .97, respectively. The statistical devices used for quantitative data analysis were mean, standard deviation, the independent t-test, and the Pearson correlation. The major results show: 1) the high-achieving group used learning strategies at a high level whereas, the low-achieving group used learning strategies at a medium level. Metacognitive strategies were the most frequently used by the two groups of students. 2) High- and low-achieving English major students had high levels of English self-efficacy. 3) There was a statistically significant difference in language learning strategies used by high- and low-achie;