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 selfefficacy 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 selfefficacy 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.