Metacognitive strategies and self-efficacy co-shape L2 achievement: A multilevel structural equation modeling approach

Numerous studies in second or foreign language (L2) learning have shown that students’ L2 self-efficacy and metacognitive strategies play essential roles in predicting L2 achievement. However, how these two constructs co-shape L2 learning is understudied. The current study examined the mediation of L2 self-efficacy between metacognitive strategies and L2 achievement in English. Participants involved 368 s-year undergraduate students studying English as an L2 taught by 19 teachers from a university in China. Multilevel structural equation modeling results showed that: (1) English self-efficacy and metacognitive strategies significantly predicted English achievement either represented by a standardized English test or the terminal exam, and (2) English self-efficacy mediated the relation between metacognitive strategies and English achievement. The results suggested the importance of accounting for the interplay between metacognitive strategies and self-efficacy in determining L2 achievement.