Predictors of L2 Willingness to Communicate in Saudi Context

Abstract

L2 Willingness to Communicate (L2WTC) is an important precursor of L2 behavior and actual use of L2. Associations between L2WTC and other L2 concepts, such as foreign language anxiety and self-perceived L2 competence, have been studied for some time. L2 learning is likely associated with other, broader psychological concepts, such as personality, and it is the aim of this study to explore the associations between L2WTC, foreign language anxiety, self-perceived L2 competence, openness to experience and extraversion, in the Saudi context. Being the first study to explore these associations in this context, this study has the potential to contribute to understanding of relatively low English competence among Saudi students by seeking to understand predictors of L2WTC. After conducting factor analyses (principal axis factoring with direct oblimin) of raw scores, two separate multiple regression analyses were conducted, with L2WTC outside classroom (L2WTC-OC) and L2WTC inside classroom (L2WTC-IC) factors as dependent variables, and factors relating to foreign language anxiety, self-perceived L2 competence, extraversion, and openness to experience entered as predictors. The addition of openness to experience improved prediction of L2WTC-IC above and beyond other factors (R square change = .025; p=.001), while addiction of extraversion improved prediction of L2WTC-OC (R square change = .032; p=.025).