Examining the role of English language proficiency, language learning anxiety, and self-regulation skills in EMI students’ academic success

• Published in: Studies in second language learning and teaching Vol. 13; no. 2; pp. 399 - 426
• Main Authors: Yuksel, Dogan, Soruç, Adem, Horzum, Barıs, McKinley, Jim
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Adam Mickiewicz University 01.06.2023; Uniwersytet Adama Mickiewicza; Adam Mickiewicz University Department of English Studies; Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; academic success; Analysis; Anxiety; Business Administration Education; College Students; discipline-based differences; Engineering Education; English (Second Language); english medium instruction; Foreign Countries; Foreign languages learning; general english proficiency; individual differences; Language and Literature Studies; Language of Instruction; Language Proficiency; Laws, regulations and rules; Learning strategies; Mechanical engineering; Predictor Variables; Second Language Learning; Self Management; structural equation modelling (sem); Students; United Kingdom; Turkey; disciplinebased differences; academic success; structural equation modelling (SEM) general English; proficiency; English medium instruction; individual differences
• ISSN: 2083-5205; 2084-1965
• DOI: 10.14746/ssllt.38280

This study focuses on the predictive power of linguistic (i.e., general English proficiency; identified simply as “proficiency” in this paper) and non-linguistic (i.e., language learning anxiety and self-regulation) factors on the academic success of English medium instruction (EMI) students studying in engineering and social sciences programs in a Turkish university setting. Data were collected from 705 conveniently sampled EMI students of four academic subjects (international relations; N = 158; business administration; N = 184; mechatronics engineering; N = 181; mechanical engineering: N = 182) representing two disciplines (i.e., social sciences and engineering) from a public university. Pearson correlation and SEM analyses were run to determine the relationships among language learning anxiety, self-regulation, proficiency and EMI success. Findings revealed that anxiety and self-regulation skills do affect EMI students’ proficiency irrespective of academic disciplines. Both self-regulation and proficiency impacted EMI students’ academic success in engineering, while only proficiency predicted academic success in the social sciences. These results are discussed and pedagogical implications are given related to the impact of linguistic and non-linguistic factors in EMI contexts.