Mugane Calmen Mary2026-03-092026-03-092025-12https://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/32676A Research Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Educational Psychology) In the School Of Education and Lifelong Learning of Kenyatta University. December, 2025 Supervisors Tabitha Wang’eri Samuel Mutweleli,English language is an essential subject in the Kenya school syllabus as it is the standard language of instruction in most subjects in the school curriculum. Despite its importance, students’ performance in English has remained consistently below expectations in many Kenyan schools, prompting concern among educators and policymakers. This study therefore sought to investigate students' achievement motivation and teachers' English self-efficacy as correlates of English language performance among Form Three students in Embu County, Kenya. The following objectives grounded the study: To find out the relationship between students’ achievement motivation and English language performance, to establish the relationship between teachers of English self-efficacy in teaching English and English performance, to establish the inter-relationship among students’ achievement motivation, teachers of English self-efficacy, and English performance, and finally to ascertain if students’ achievement motivation varied significantly by gender. This research was anchored in the achievement motivation theory by McClelland and Atkinson (1958) and the Self-Efficacy theory by Bandura (1997). A correlational research design aimed at contributing to the limited research on the variables was used. The study targeted Form Three students who were to sit for their KCSE examination in 2024, from a total of 50,675 students in 189 public schools in the county. In the first stage, the study employed simple random and stratified sampling to select 17 schools out of the 189 public secondary schools in Embu County. Adapted instruments: Sadven’s SP Profile (1975) and Teachers Self-efficacy scale developed by Ralf Schwarzer (1999) were used in data collection. A preliminary pilot study was conducted on 26 students, a sample similar to the study's sample to determine the validity and reliability of the study instruments. Data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between achievement motivation and English language performance, r (312) = .33, p < 0.05. There was a positive significant relationship between teachers' self-efficacy and English language performance, r(312) = .47 , p < .05. The study found significant mean differences in students’ achievement motivation in favor of females, t (312) = -4.68, p < .05. Regarding prediction, the two independent variables significantly predict English language performance and explained 24% of the total variance in performance. Based on the results, the study makes the following recommendations: The Ministry of Education may enhance policies and monitoring frameworks which can influence motivational levels and self-efficacy among teachers in English language. The Teachers Service Commission may implement these policies by incorporating motivational and self-efficacy elements in in-service programs for English teachers, especially in underperforming schools to enhance performance in the subject.enThesis