Willingness to communicate in L2: The role of motivation and self-perceived communicative competence

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the impact of L2 motivation and self-perceived communicative competence (L2 SPCC) on L2 willingness to communicate (L2 WTC) both inside and outside of the classroom. Two questionnaires were used to gather data on L2 motivation and L2 SPCC from 171 EFL undergraduate students (including English and non-English majors) at two universities in Korea. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s correlation and hierarchical regression analyses. The findings indicate that the Ideal L2 self was positively correlated with L2 WTC, indicating that internal motivation has a greater influence than external motivation. Moreover, L2 SPCC was positively correlated with L2 WTC both inside and outside the classroom. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that both Ideal L2 self and L2 SPCC are strong predictors for L2 WTC, highlighting the critical role of motivation and self-confidence in promoting L2 WTC.