A structural equation modeling investigation of relationships among school-aged ELs' individual difference characteristics and academic and second language outcomes

• Six SEM models had an exceptionally good fit to the EL student data.
• The models accounted for about 54% of the variance in academic achievement.
• Metacognitive strategies, motivation, and L1 literacy predicted better L2 outcomes.
• Metacognitive strategy use appeared to be stable.
• Other strategy use declined as a function of age (cognitive) or LOR (memory, social, affective).

This statistical modeling study explored the relationships between language learning strategies and reading and mathematics achievement of English learners (ELs) in the presence of mediating and intervening factors. The sample comprised 805 Grade 3–8 students in one urban school district in the United States. Final SEM models had an exceptionally good fit to the data suggesting that the hypothesized models captured well the relationships among the constructs of interest and accounted for about 54% of the variance in academic achievement, 28% to 32% in English proficiency, and 28% to 53% in strategy use. The results identified three positive, instructionally manipulable contributors to EL outcomes (metacognitive strategies, motivation, native language literacy) and two intervening effects (age, length of residence [LOR]). Whereas metacognitive strategy use appeared to be stable, cognitive strategy use declined as a function of age; memory, social, affective, and compensation strategy use declined as a function of LOR.