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The present study examined the link between teacher-student relationship at the class level and academic achievement via the serial multiple mediation effect of self-efficacy and learning strategy in Chinese EFL context with 11,036 eighth graders. Student-reported measures of teacher-student relationship, English self-efficacy, learning strategy and curriculum-based measures of English achievement were collected in fall 2015. Multilevel mediation model revealed that the positive relationship between teacher-student relationship at the class level and English achievement was partially mediated by self-efficacy, cognitive and metacognitive strategy, and serially mediated by self-efficacy and then learning strategy in Chinese EFL context, controlling for SES and gender. The findings suggest that positive teacher-student relationship can help students to develop English proficiency by fostering their English self-efficacy and use of learning strategy. The results of the present study extend our understanding of influential factors in foreign language learning processes and hold substantive theoretical and practical implications for educational researchers as well as teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated multidimensional motivation and engagement among Chinese middle school students in Australia (N = 273), Hong Kong (N = 528), and Mainland China (N = 2106; randomly selectedN = 528). Findings showed that a multidimensional model of motivation and engagement fit very well for all three groups. Multi-group invariance tests showed that the number of factors, factor loadings, factor correlations and item uniquenesses were invariant across the three groups – as were inter-correlations with a set of cognate correlates (class participation, school enjoyment, positive intentions, academic buoyancy) – hence no differences of ‘kind’. However, differences of ‘degree’ were indicated through significant mean-level effects between groups, with self-reports favouring Australian Chinese students over Hong Kong and (to a lesser extent) Mainland Chinese students. We propose these findings shed important light on Chinese students’ academic motivation and engagement and also on socio-cultural perspectives on motivation and engagement because they assist understanding about effects attributable to context and effects attributable to ethnicity. Given this, the study is a timely contribution to current understanding of the Chinese learner in this, the ‘Asian Century’. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]