Perceived Listening, Reading, and Writing Skills as Predictors of Academic Grades among Undergraduates in Sri Lanka

English language proficiency plays a decisive role in academic achievement in higher education systems where English functions as a second language. In Sri Lanka, English is widely used as the medium of instruction across disciplines, yet undergraduates enter university with varied levels of competence in core language skills. This study examines the relative influence of perceived listening, reading, and writing skills on undergraduates’ academic grades in Sri Lankan public universities. Using a mixed-methods research design, data were collected from 400 undergraduates representing four major universities in Sri Lanka. Quantitative findings from correlation and multiple regression analyses reveal that perceived reading proficiency is the strongest predictor of academic performance, followed by perceived writing and listening. Qualitative insights further explain how assessment structures, teaching practices, and language anxiety mediate this relationship. The findings provide evidence-based guidance for curriculum design, language support programs, and policy decisions in Sri Lankan higher education.

English language skills, academic achievement, reading proficiency, writing skills, listening comprehension, Sri Lanka, undergraduates

1. Grabe, W., & Stoller, F. L. (2011). Teaching and researching reading. Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Hyland, K. (2013). Second language writing. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Nation, I. S. P. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL reading and writing. Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Seneviratne, K. (2020). English language proficiency and academic success. Journal of Language Education, 14(2), 73–87. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Vandergrift, L. (2007). Listening strategies in second language learning. ELT Journal, 61(2), 161–166. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. British Council. (2018). English impact: An evaluation of English language capability — Sri Lanka (Aptis report). British Council Sri Lanka. https://www.britishcouncil.lk/sites/default/files/english_impact_-_an_evaluation_of_english_language_capability_sri_lanka_-_february_2018_-_shortened.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. University Grants Commission (UGC). (2023). Student handbook: English and IT emphasis / policy statements (UGC handbook). University Grants Commission. https://www.ugc.ac.lk/downloads/admissions/Handbook_2023_24/student_handbook_english.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar