Learner Autonomy and Attitudes toward Philippine English: Predictors of Grammar Performance among College ESL Students

Abstract

Persistent concerns about Filipino students’ grammatical accuracy remain evident despite the Philippines’ long-standing exposure to English and its consistently high ranking in global proficiency indexes, which underscores the need to identify factors that shape grammar performance among tertiary learners. This study examined how learner autonomy and attitudes toward Philippine English relate to and predict the grammar performance of ESL students enrolled in a local college in Misamis Oriental. Using a descriptive–correlational predictive design and employing validated autonomy and attitude scales alongside a grammar test patterned after the Oxford Quick Placement Test, the study found that students demonstrated high autonomy and positive attitudes across all dimensions, yet their grammar performance remained at the B1 Intermediate level. Correlation results revealed that only Decision Making in Learning was significantly associated with grammar performance, and regression analysis confirmed it as the sole significant predictor, indicating that strategic learning behaviors exert greater influence on grammatical accuracy than general autonomy or attitudinal orientations. The findings emphasize the need to strengthen explicit grammar instruction and promote strategic decision-making skills within the local college context, where learners balance academic demands with varied linguistic backgrounds. These results provide important insights for curriculum design, teacher training, and future research on cognitive and sociolinguistic influences on ESL grammar development.