Exploring the relationship between language scores and writing performance on the ENEM exam: evidence from a brazilian micropolitan region

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the potential correlation between students' academic performance on the objective Language Test and their writing proficiency as assessed in the National High School Exam (ENEM). The primary goal is to ascertain whether the grade achieved in the native language serves as a reliable predictor of performance on the writing test. The sample for this analysis encompasses 4,704 high school graduates from the Médio Paraíba Region of the State of Rio de Janeiro who participated in the National High School Exam in 2019. This study employs a hypothesis test based on the correlation between the variables, complemented by the utilization of linear regression to determine the effect size. The findings reveal a Pearson correlation coefficient of merely 0.208, accompanied by an R² value of 0.04. Essentially, while a correlation exists between students' performance on the Languages test and the writing test of the ENEM, the effect size is notably small. This suggests that additional factors beyond language proficiency may offer more comprehensive explanations for students' performance variations on the ENEM writing test.