Predictors of second language willingness to communicate among US undergraduate students: Classroom social climate, emotions, and language mindset

Abstract

Teachers and scholars argue that willingness to communicate is crucial to language learning, but many language learners are reluctant to engage in such communication, in or out of class. In addition, much of the existing research on willingness to communicate is based on English language learners, but there are meaningful motivational and structural differences in English learning versus learning languages other than English. The purpose of the present study was to examine the impact of classroom social climate, language mindset, and academic emotions (i.e. anxiety, boredom, enjoyment, and pride) on second language willingness to communicate (L2WTC) in and out of class among 547 undergraduate students learning languages other than English in the United States. Analysis using structural equation modeling indicated that the emotions of anxiety, boredom, and enjoyment were associated with students’ L2WTC in class. In addition, although classroom social climate and language mindset did not have direct effects on L2WTC in class, both showed indirect effects on L2WTC in class through emotions, especially enjoyment. The findings also showed that students’ L2WTC inside the classroom relates to self-reported readiness to use the second language (L2) outside of class.