Reading Motivation, Language Learning Self-efficacy and Test-taking Strategy: A Structural Equation Model on Academic Performance of Students

Aims: To determine the best fit model for the academic performance of students using reading motivation, language learning self-efficacy, and test-taking strategy as exogenous variables, and academic performance as the endogenous variable.

Study Design: This research used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at public high schools of SOCCSKSARGEN or Region 12 in the Philippines during the school year 2021-2022.

Methodology: The respondents of the study were 400 public high school students. The respondents were chosen using stratified random sampling. A four-part questionnaire was utilized to collect the data. All items in each indicator of the four variables revealed a good interpretation which means they were valid and reliable.

Results: Reading tough books to achieve excellent marks, perform well in class, and gain attention from teachers and parents is less likely to drive students. Students used to evaluate their language learning requirements, define the abilities they wished to develop, pick effective study techniques, and set aside gadgets when studying. They also used to read the question before looking for hints in the relevant content, extract the essential lines that convey the major ideas, concentrate on titles, names, numbers, quotations, or instances, and comprehend the overall context to infer an option. The survey discovered that most of the time, students utilized it to determine the progress of their learning and create learning objectives. It was also found that there was a link between the exogenous variables and the academic performance of students.

Conclusion: Students observed variables on reading motivation and academic performance. There was a positive and significant relationship between reading motivation, language learning self-efficacy, and test-taking strategy. Thus, this study supported Reynolds and Walberg's theory of academic achievement.