Metalinguistic awareness and academic achievement: Finding correlations among high-achieving EFL learners
Abstract
In cognitive psychology, metalinguistic awareness is a process in which a person is trained to be aware of the target language. It aims to help learners improve their academic performance. This study assesses the relationship between academic achievement and metalinguistic awareness of Saudi high-achieving EFL learners. It also examines whether there are significant differences in the correlation of language learning and metalinguistic awareness in the achievement level of male and female students. The study employs a descriptive survey correlational research design to a random sample of 86 students. Results show that students’ academic achievement in English is overall satisfactory. This would mean that the students are capable of learning English as a subject, and that they can manifest proficiency in different areas of language learning such as vocabulary, grammar, writing, speaking, and reading comprehension. Further, results show that their performance in identifying syntactical errors in English, recognizing phonemes in the English language, and following the rules and concord of English grammar is satisfactory. These results would confirm that when a student is aware of the arbitrariness of the English language, they can manifest similar awareness of English lexis and phonology. However, female students display significantly better language learning achievement and awareness as compared to males. Finally, when students possess a high level of metalinguistic awareness, they have a tendency of achieving higher in language proficiency.
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