A Study of ESP Students' English Language Learning Beliefs, Strategies, and Academic English Achievement

Abstract

This study set out to examine students' academic English competency, as well as their perspectives on the language-learning process and the methods they employ to succeed. Quantitative techniques were used in this study, including descriptive and correlational designs. The BALLI and SILL tests, as well as the final English exam scores of first-year students, were used as indicators. The research sample consisted of sixty-six first-year management students from Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate correlation, and the Pearson Product Moment correlation. Motivation and expectations ranked highest (M = 3,65), followed by the nature of language learning (M = 3,35), the ability to speak a foreign language (M = 2,97), the method of learning and communication (M = 2,86), and the difficulties associated with language learning (M = 2,74). Students used metacognitive techniques (3.35 times as often as memory strategies (3.28 times), cognitive strategies (3.28 times as often as memory strategies), emotional strategies (3.24 times as often as social strategies (3.28 times as often as compensating methods (3.18 times as often as memory strategies), and so on. Beliefs and techniques were found to have a positive and indirect link with students' English academic achievement (R.035). Academic English performance correlated positively but not significantly with attitudes towards learning the language (r =.145, p 0.245 > 0.05), while it correlated negatively but significantly with strategies for learning English (r = -.144, p 0.248 > 0.05).