Intrinsic Writing Motivation and English Academic Performance of Grade-8 Students
Abstract
Background and Aim: Although numerous studies have been conducted on academic motivation, there is still a lack of research on the relationship between intrinsic writing motivation, specifically in terms of self-actualization and self-determination, and English academic performance among Filipino Junior High School students. This study was based on the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), and it aimed to investigate the extent of intrinsic writing motivation and its correlation with the English academic performance of Grade 8 students. Materials and Methods: The study used a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design to examine the relationship between intrinsic writing motivation and English academic performance. Data were collected from 109 Grade 8 students using an adapted version of the Academic Writing Motivation Questionnaire developed by Ashley R. Payne. The instrument consisted of 16 items designed to measure two dimensions of intrinsic writing motivation, namely self-actualization and self-determination. Academic performance was measured by the final English grades of students. The adapted questionnaire was expert-validated and found to have an acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = .89). The level of motivation and performance was calculated using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), and Pearson correlation was applied to determine the relationship between variables with a level of significance of 0.05. Results: Findings revealed very high levels of Self-actualization (M = 3.30, SD = 0.35) and Self-determination (M = 3.37, SD = 0.34). The students’ performance in English academics was at a very satisfactory to outstanding level. Moreover, it was found that there was a statistically significant yet weak positive correlation between overall intrinsic writing motivation and English academic performance (r = .217, p = .024). Conclusion: The results are aligned with the S.D.T. theory, as it has been found that intrinsic writing motivation is positively related to English academic achievement, albeit this relationship is small, which implies that other academic and contextual factors also contribute to English achievement.