Reflecting on performance-influencing factors in English course from high and low achieving students

Reflecting on performance-influencing factors in English course from high and low achieving students

Abstract This paper investigates high achieving and low achieving students’ perception of factors of importance in their achievements and failures in English course in Ardebil city. To accomplish the purpose cluster random sampling was utilized and with 324 students (181 males & 134 female students) through a researcher-made questionnaire. Using t-tests and ANOVA, the items of the questionnaire were analyzed. The findings revealed that from the high and low achieving students’ points of view the following factors were believed to be more influential in high school students’ low achievement: factors related to the content, teachers-based factors, factors related to the instructional instruments, factors related to the family, and the students-based factors. It was also shown that between the low achieving and high achieving students there were statistically significant differences in terms of their perceptions of the student-based factors (p= 0.015) and factors related to the family (p=0.014).

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