The Application of the Problem-Based Learning Approach to English Class: Chinese-speaking Learners’ Willingness to Communicate

Abstract

This study examined the effect of the integration of the problem-based learning (PBL) approach in English courses on Chinese-speaking university students’ willingness to communicate (WTC). This study also examined whether there were possible differences in learners’ WTC in terms of the gender variable. Two English classes in a Taiwanese university were randomly assigned to the PBL and teacher-lectured (TL) conditions. The PBL group with 43 participants received the PBL instruction in small group settings, whereas the TL group with 45 participants was fully provided with interpretations of teaching materials by the instructor and completed the tasks individually. The WTC scale, including seven subscales, was administered after the treatment. The results of two-way multivariate analysis of variance revealed that the PBL group significantly outperformed the TL group on the friend subscale, while the TL group demonstrated significant main effects on WTC subscales in terms of the gender variable.