Causal Factors of Low Achievement in EFL Development: Findings from a Chinese University

A large number of university students have poor performance in English language learning in mainland China. It is important to learn the cause of this phenomenon in order to give the learners effective intervention. The current study clarifies two terminologies, i.e., underachievement and low achievement. The phenomenon of low achievement is investigated with the tools of interview, questionnaire survey and classroom observation. Among the many possible factors, four factors stand out as the critical causal factors: effort, interest, teachers and prior attainment. Six factors show a moderate association with their performance and exert limited influence. They are peers, attitude, learning strategy, confidence, curriculum and motivation. Some seemingly important factors, such as gender, family background and learning ability, actually have little association at all. The study also finds that a certain percentage of low achievers could be reversed if right scaffolding is given.