Journal Screenshot

International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences

Open Access Journal

ISSN: 2222-6990

Self-Efficacy and Language Learning Strategies as Determinants of Students’ English Language Proficiency

Mohd Iqbal Ahamat @ Ahamad, Nabilah Abdullah

http://dx.doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v9-i13/6256

Open access

Malaysia was recently ranked among top twelve out of 72 participated countries in the ranking for English language proficiency3. Despite the good achievement, English language instructors in Malaysian higher learning institutions still have problems with students’ proficiency and involvement in English language classrooms. This study intended to investigate the relationships between self-efficacy belief and language learning strategies, with English language proficiency. The study employed a quantitative research design which involved 341 samples from Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN) Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah campus. Questionnaires on Self Efficacy Beliefs and Language Learning Strategies were randomly distributed and the result revealed that self-efficacy belief has significant relationship with learners’ level of proficiency in English language. However, out of the six language learning strategies, affective strategy was reported not having relationship with students’ English language proficiency.

Abraham, R. & Vann, R. (1987). Strategies of two learners: A case study. In A. L. Wenden & J. Rubin
(Eds.), Learner Strategies in Language Learning (pp. 85-102). New York: Prentice Hall.
Bandura, A. (1994). Self-efficacy. In V. S. Ramachaudran (Ed.), Encyclopedia of human behavior
(Vol. 4, pp. 71-81). New York: Academic Press.
Bandura, A. (2006). Guide for constructing self-efficacy scales. In F. Pajares & T. Urdan (Eds.). Self-
efficacy beliefs of adolescents, (Vol. 5., pp. 307-337). Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
EF English Proficiency Index. (2017). Education First. Retrieved from
https://www.ef.com/epi/regions/asia/malaysia/
Subramaniam, G. (2003). Literature Programmes in Malaysian Schools: A Historical
Overview. In Ganakumaran Subramaniam, & M. E. Vethamani (Eds.), Teaching of Literature in ESL/EFL Contexts (pp. 27-48). Petaling Jaya: Sasbadi.
Hazlina, A. (2016, September 28). Raising English language proficiency, News Straits Times.
Retrieved from https://www.nst.com.my/news/2016/09/176566/raising-english-language-proficiency
Kim, J. & Lorsbach, A. W. (2005). Writing self-efficacy in young children: Issues for the early grade
environment. Learning Environments Research, 8, 157-175.
Mahyuddin, R. Elias, H., Cheong, L., Muhammad, M., Noordin, N. & Abdullah, M. (2006). The
Relationship Between Students’ Self-efficacy and Their Achievement. Jurnal Pendidik dan Pendidikan, Jil. 21, 61-71.
Making Jobles Grad Employable. (2016). The Star Online. Retrieved from
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2016/03/13/making-jobless-grads-employable/
Muelas, A. & Navarro, E. (2015). Learning Strategies and Academic Achievement. Procedia – Social
and Behavioral Sciences, 165, 217-221.
Rahman, N. A. A., & Mahir, N. A. (2008). Communication Apprehension in a
Language Classroom. In H. Harun (Ed.), Issues on English As Second Language Pedagogy: A Research based Perspective (pp. 1-18). Bandar Baru Nilai: Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia.
O’Malley, J. M. & Chamot, A. U. (199). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge,
England: Cambridge University Press.
Oxford, R. (1989). Language Learning Strategies: What Teacher Should Know. New York. Newbury
House.
Politzer, R. L. & McGroarty, M. (1985). An exploratory study of learning behaviors and their
relationship to gain in linguistic and communicate competence. TESOL Quarterly, 21 (1), 87-111.
Saeid, R., Tan, B. H. & Chan, S. H. (2012). Self-efficacy in Second/Foreign Language Learning
Contexts. English Language Teaching, 5, 60-73.
Salahshour, F., Sharifi, M. & Salahshour, N. (2013). The Relationship between Language Learning
Strategy Use, Language Proficiency Level and Learner Gender. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 634-643.
Scarcella, R. & Oxford, R. (1992). The Tapestry of Language Learning: The Individual in the
Communicative Classroom. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Shyr, Wen-Jye, F., Hung-Yun & Zeng, Li-Wen, Hsieh, Ying-Ming & Shih, Chia-Yu. (2017). The
Relationship between Language Learning Strategies and Achievement Goal Orientations from Taiwanese Engineering Students in EFL Learning. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(10), 6431–6443.
Uslu, M. E., Sahin, E. & Odemis, I. S. (2016). The Effect of Language Learning Strategies and
Academic Achievement. Journal of Educational and Instructional Studies In The World, 6(3), 73-78.
Wang, C. (2004). Chinese college students’ self-regulated learning strategies and self-efficacy beliefs
in learning English as a foreign language. TESOL Quarterly.
Werden, A. L. & Rubin, J. (Eds.). (1987). Learner strategies in language learning. Cambridge:
Prentice Hall.
Wong, M. S. (2005). Language Learning Strategies and Language Self-Efficacy. RELC Journal,
36(3), 245-296.
Woodrow, L. (2005). The Challenge of Measuring Language Learning Strategies.
Foreign Language Annals, 38(1), 90-99.
Zimmerman, B. J. & Pons, M. M. (1986).

In-Text Citation: (Ahamad & Abdullah, 2019)
To Cite this Article: Ahamad, M. I. A. @, & Abdullah, N. (2019). Self-Efficacy and Language Learning Strategies as Determinants of Students’ English Language Proficiency. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 9(13), 206–217.