Reflecting on performance-influencing factors in English course from high and low achieving students

The current study aimed to explore the factors of importance in students’ achievements and failures in English course in Ardebil city based on high achieving and low achieving students. Cluster random sampling was utilized and the participants of the study were 324 students (181 males & 134 female students). The required data were gathered during the fall term of 2012 through a researcher-made questionnaire. The instrument was first piloted before it was administered and it showed the reliability of % 78. SPSS software (version 20) was used to run t-tests and ANOVA to analyze the items of the questionnaire. The findings revealed that from the high and low achieving students’ points of view the following factors were believed to be more influential in high school students’ low achievement: factors related to the content, teachers-based factors, factors related to the instructional instruments, factors related to the family, and the students-based factors.