Modelling the Interrelationships among Student and Teacher Factors in Predicting English as a Foreign Language Achievement in Secondary Schools in West Java, Indonesia

Abstract

This research investigates student and teacher factors, their interrelationships, and their impact on English as a foreign language achievement among general and vocational high school students in West Java, Indonesia. It also explored student and teacher perceptions on the practices of teaching and learning in EFL classrooms. The study employed an explanatory sequential mixed method design to examine factors impacting on English achievement among secondary school students. The participants were selected using multi-stage random sampling resulting in 758 Year 12 students and 32 English teachers participating in this study. Data were collected using survey questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and a diagnostic test. The results of the study reveal that students attending public high schools tend to have higher achievement in English than those attending public vocational high schools. The study also found that female students tend to perform better in English compared to male counterparts. An interesting finding was also found regarding the influence of time spent for doing homework, indicating that the less time students spent doing homework, the higher their achievement in English. In addition, the study found that teacher gender and teacher qualifications influence the success of student learning English. Findings also reveal assessment environment, motivational variables, and approaches to learning directly impact on students’ success in English. Students who perceive assessment practices too much emphasis on performance and grades are more likely to have lower achievement. Further, students who feel more anxious in English classrooms and use surface approach to learning English also tend to have lower success in English. Meanwhile, students who are motivated to engage in learning and to perform better than their peers tend to have higher achievement in English. The study also found multiple interrelationships among student variables in the student model. Some interrelationships among teacher-level variables and the interactions among teacher and student-level factors are identified in this study. Findings from the interviews reveal that students find teaching and learning English emphasizes more on student-centred in which students are encouraged to participate actively in communicating and practicing using English in classroom setting. In relation to assessment, students find teachers use various ways of assessment activities. However, feedback from teachers is viewed to be limited, if none, so students are unable to identify their strengths and weaknesses on learning English. Interviews with teachers found the significant benefit of teacher forum or communities as a media to share and ask concerns about teaching English.