Academic Achievement Essay

Three factors influencing the Educational Achievement and Socio-Emotional Functioning of Adolescents

Intellectual attributes and non-intellectual attributes both contribute and facilitate students ‘success (Burger, 2004). Non-cognitive skills are increasingly considered to be as important as cognitive skills and intelligence quotient (IQ) in determining successful performance in various domains including academic achievement and socio-emotional functioning as these skills play affect greatly the transition from adolescence to adulthood (Burger, 2004). The aim of this paper is to explore the relationships and influences of family socio-economic status (SES) and self-control on academic achievement; and introversion on socio-emotional functioning. Adolescence in this paper is considered in its broadest sense, comprising late-primary-school –age to undergraduate college-age populations i.e. approximately 10 to 25 years old.

1. Self-control influences academic achievement

The Theoretical Rational

Myers (2010) defined self-control as ‘the ability to control one’s behaviour and desired and delay gratification for later rewards’. Research findings in the social sciences, pedagogy and education argue that there is a strong relationship between self-control and academic achievement, with a lack of self-control considered as a factor in declining achievement (Tangney, Baumeister & Boone, 2004). Adolescents who believe that they can achieve well in schools tend to have a high internal locus of control and persist with school tasks. The reasoning is that an internal self-control has the ability to suppress an instant gratification towards a lasting outcome of desires (Myers, 2010).

Educational researchers refer self-control within acad...

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...ealth, discipline and better academic results. Another important aspect is that The Ministry of Education, directorates and other concerned departments should be highly conscious and vigilant in the recruitment of teachers, job assignment and staff training and development in interest of better academic achievement of the students (Rothman, 2003).

Lastly, it is suggested that mass media plays a practical and effective role in bringing about social awareness among people regarding the poor academic conditions on account of socio-economic problems. The media should suggest appropriate remedies and solution to government and other responsible institutions of private sector as how to restore a balance between people of developed developing and underdeveloped areas in terms of type of schools, fees, standard education and academic performance of students (Kellet, 2006).