Examining the Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Self-Regulated Learning Strategies Profiles of English as a Second Language Learners

This study builds on prior works related to English language learners\u27 self-efficacy profiles. The purposes of the study were to: (a) determine if latent profiles of English as a Second language (ESL) learners’ self-efficacy for learning English would replicate those found previously; (b) identify subgroups of ESL students who had similar profiles for their self-regulated learning strategies (SRLS) for learning English; and (c) examine the relationship between SRLS profiles and self-efficacy profiles. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was applied to data from undergraduate students in China. LPA results of the present study are consistent with previous findings involving undergraduate students in Korea that report three distinct groups representing low, medium, and high self-efficacy profiles. Results also revealed three profiles for SRLS, representing low, medium, and high levels of the use of SRLS. There was a moderately high degree of classification consistency between self-efficacy and SRLS profiles. For example, 66% of the students classified into the high level of self-efficacy group were also classified into the high-level of SRLS group. Both the high-level self-efficacy and high-level SRLS groups had the highest English proficiency test scores. The results of this study contribute to the field of ESL teaching and learning with information about how to better understand ESL students and enable teachers to plan their lessons with greater precision