Interplay Between English Language Proficiency And Socio-Economic Mobility: Analysing The Impact On Proficiency

Abstract

This research explores the influence of socio-economic background on language learning proficiency, self-regulation, and autonomous learning behaviours among secondary school students in Delhi NCR. For the research, criterion-sampling was applied, leveraging socio-economic classification data of students from selected secondary schools using a sample of 125 students. The participant was equally distributed among 5 different socio-economic groups. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was conducted to analyse the effects of socio-economic status (SES) on the motivational and self-regulatory factors of language learners. 
The results indicate a moderate effect, with 11% of the variation in proficiency, self-regulation, and autonomous learning behaviours explained by socio-economic background. A significant divide was found between students from higher social classes (upper-middle and high) and those from lower social classes (lower-middle and low). This gap in motivational characteristics is attributed to the inequality created by the educational system, where disparities in school quality, resources, and access to technology contribute to differences in language learning motivation. The findings suggest that social class plays a key role in shaping students’ language proficiency, and the study advocates for more targeted research and policy interventions to address the educational inequalities affecting socially disadvantaged students.