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The correlation between motivational beliefs and foreign language learning has been widely explored. However, there has been little investigation of this link among learners with different foreign language levels. Based on expectancy-value theory (EVT), this research examined the association between motivational beliefs and English achievement of 11,854 Chinese secondary students. Data were collected using students' self-reported English self-efficacy, intrinsic value, utility value, and English achievement test. The results of ANOVA showed that self-efficacy, intrinsic value, and utility value of high-achieving English learners were significantly higher than that of medium-achieving ones, followed by low-achieving ones. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that after controlling for socioeconomic status and gender, intrinsic value was most correlated with high- and medium-achieving learners' English achievement, followed by self-efficacy, while utility value was not significantly associated with English achievement of the two groups. In addition, utility value was most strongly related with low-achieving learners' English achievement, followed by intrinsic value, but self-efficacy was not positively linked with their English achievement. These findings not only extend EVT and validate the situative perspective of motivation research, but also have practical implications for foreign language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research explored the mediation of self-efficacy and moderation of gender between socioeconomic status (SES) and foreign language (FL) achievement. A total of 8,906 Chinese secondary students (50.7 % males) completed socioeconomic status (SES) questionnaire, English self-efficacy scale, English achievement test, and demographic questionnaire. Multilevel regression model showed that SES was positively associated with English achievement both at student and school levels. The multilevel mediation model demonstrated that English self-efficacy partially mediated the link between SES and English achievement only at student level, and the mediation effect accounted for 30 % of the total effect. Moreover, the link between SES and English achievement was moderately influenced by gender. Specifically, boys’ English achievement was more significantly impacted by SES compared to that of girls. These findings underscore a gender disparity in the impact of SES on FL achievement, advocating for targeted interventions specifically aimed at students from low-SES backgrounds, particularly males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]