Exploring the Relationship Between Learning Motivation and L2 WTC in an EFL Classroom Among Thai EFL Learners

Abstract

The present study investigates the relationship between university learners’ English learning motivation and their willingness to communicate in English (L2 WTC) in EFL classroom under the big environment of Thailand joining the AEC (ASEAN Economic Community). By applying mixed methods, data is collected and the findings can be summarized as follows. Firstly, the university learners including males and females all have high motivation towards English learning, especially with higher instrumental motivation. Besides, the university learners in total have intermediate level on their willingness to communicate in English in EFL classrooms without significant gender difference. More than 50% of students are more willing to communicate in English with friends than with teachers for they believe that friends are easier to communicate and understand. Thirdly, university learners’ English learning motivation has strong positively correlation with their L2 WTC. In English learning motivation, instrumental motivation has stronger positively correlation with their L2 WTC than integrative counterpart and is better predictor of students’ L2 WTC in EFL classroom. These findings have implications for teachers teaching English in EFL context who should take the big environment in society and their distance with students into account, and shed some lights on the research of L2 WTC in the future.