The relationship among motivation, metacognition and academic achievement of university preparatory school students

This thesis investigated the relationship among preparatory school students' motivation levels, metacognition levels and academic achievement in English. In addition, the probable relationship between the participants' motivation, metacognition, and departments was examined. In order to collect data, two questionnaires, specifically the Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) and Motivation/Attitudes Questionnaire (MAQ), were used together with a demographic information form. Also, participants' end-of-year grades were used to determine their English achievement levels. A total of 136 students studying English at the Foreign Language School of Mardin Artuklu University participated in the study. Descriptive statistics, Frequency analyses, One-Way ANOVA, Pearson Product Moment Correlation were employed using SPSS. The findings revealed that students have a high level of general language learning motivation and instrumental motivation but a moderate integrative motivation. Their metacognition and its sub-constructs (knowledge about cognition and regulation of cognition) were also found to be at a moderate level. In the study, it was also found that there is a statistically significant relationship between participants' motivation and departments while there is not a statistically significant difference between their metacognition level and departments. Lastly, the results showed that there is a statistically significant positive relationship among motivation, metacognition and academic achievement in English. The study has some implications for students and English teachers, and several suggestions are made for further research.