The paper titled "Self-esteem of Saudi Learners and Its Relationship to Their Achievement in English as a Foreign Language" by Fakieh Alrabai focuses on investigating the relationship between self-esteem and English language achievement among Saudi university students. The primary research question centers on how self-esteem impacts English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning outcomes.
The purpose of the study is to measure the level of self-esteem among Saudi EFL learners and to examine its correlation with their academic performance in English. The study also seeks to determine whether gender differences play a role in this relationship.
The study employs a quantitative correlational methodology, utilizing a questionnaire survey to collect data from 263 English-major students from two Saudi universities, King Khalid University and King Abdulaziz University. The questionnaire includes the Foreign Language Self-Esteem Scale (FLSES) and achievement tests in English, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and t-tests.
Key findings indicate a strong positive correlation (r = 0.414) between the students' self-esteem and their English language achievement, suggesting that higher self-esteem is associated with better academic performance in English. However, the study reveals that the participants generally exhibit low levels of both self-esteem and language achievement. Additionally, the analysis shows no significant differences between male and female students in terms of self-esteem and EFL achievement.
In conclusion, the study emphasizes the critical importance of fostering self-esteem among Saudi EFL learners to enhance their academic success in English. It suggests practical strategies for teachers to build and promote self-esteem in the classroom, advocating for an educational environment that supports students' self-confidence and engagement with the language. The paper also highlights the need for future research to explore further the relationship between self-esteem and other affective factors in language learning, as well as to develop effective interventions that can improve both self-esteem and academic outcomes in the Saudi EFL context.