Levels Of Willingness To Communicate Research Articles

Ethiopian EFL Students’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and the Factors Associated With It in Oral Communicative English Classes

Communication, particularly verbal communication, is central to the development of a desired competence in a second or foreign language. Approaches such as communicative language teaching (CLT) in second language acquisition emphasize practical use of the target language for effective learning/acquisition. However, despite the necessity of using a target language to learn it, it has been a common phenomenon to observe most learners exhibiting passiveness, reticence, and unwillingness to participate in oral communicative opportunities in English as a foreign language (EFL) classes. This study therefore explored EFL students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in oral communicative English classes together with the factors underlying with it in the Ethiopian higher education context. To this end, primary quantitative data were collected from a randomly selected sample of 450 EFL students taking oral communicative English courses followed by qualitative data from a sample of fifteen students selected again randomly to triangulate the results from the quantitative data. The results revealed that the target students had in general a low level of WTC in oral communicative English classes, and their WTC was affected by both psychological and contextual factors such as self-confidence, motivation, personality, language learning orientation and classroom environments. The findings indicate that EFL students’ WTC is a crucial component to increase students’ participation in oral communicative English classes by raising their self-confidence, motivation and awareness of language learning orientations, coupled with facilitating the language learning environment. It is therefore suggested that WTC needs to be given special consideration while designing and preparing ELT materials, and during instructions as well.

Undergraduate Students’ Willingness to Communicate in English during Remote Learning Classes

Objectives: This study examines Jordanian undergraduate students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English during remote learning. Methods: The data were collected using a 61-item Likert scale questionnaire from 285 undergraduate students (118 males and 167 females) studying English at a public university. All the responses collected were analysed using descriptive analysis (e.g., mean, standard deviation) and Pearson’s Correlation coefficient. Results: The results of the descriptive analysis showed that students had an overall moderate level of online experiences (M 2.98, SD 0.98), and high levels of WTC (M= 3.61, SD= 0.969), self-perceived communicative competence (M=3.62, SD=1.038), L2 communication anxiety (M=2.91, SD=1.156) and virtual intercultural experience motivation (M=3.5, SD=1.111). On the other hand, the results of the 2-tailed correlation revealed that there was a statistically medium-positive correlation between students’ online experiences and their WTC in online classes (r=.359, p<.001), a strong positive correlation between students’ self-perceived communicative competence and their WTC in online classes (r=.664, p<.001), an insignificant low positive correlation between L2 communication anxiety and their WTC in online classes (r =.031, p < .605), a strong positive correlation between students’ virtual intercultural experience motivation and their WTC in online classes (r = .535, p<.001). Conclusions: The study shows that despite the lack of experience in e-learning, the students tend to have good self-perceived communicative competence. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for future studies are given based on the results of the study.

Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English: Insights from Pre-service EFL Teachers

Oral language skill among EFL students can be indicated from willingness to communicate in English. This current study aimed to investigate pre-service EFL teachers’ (PST) willingness to communicate (WTC) in English across rural setting. A survey study with 217 EFL students as the participants selected through a convenience sampling was employed. A questionnaire of the willingness was distributed through in-class meeting and online mode. The first result revealed that there is a variety of perceptions on oral skill willingness, self-confidence, and English use frequency. The second result showed that from junior and senior PST, it is noted that seniors mostly overdid juniors in terms of willingness to speak English. Meanwhile, female PST had greater levels of WTC if compared to that of the males. In conclusion, WTC not only emerge to be a valuable aspect in learning oral language skills, but also impact on other English skills indirectly.

Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in Arabic for Students of State Islamic University

Willingness to Communicate (WTC) stands as a crucial factor influencing language usage intensity, particularly in the pursuit of language learning objectives. This study investigates the WTC levels of students enrolled in Arabic Language Education (PBA) and Arabic Language and Literature (BSA) programs across three distinct contexts: inside the classroom (IC), outside the classroom (OC), and in the digital context (DC). Furthermore, the research seeks to identify the contributing factors affecting WTC in Arabic. Employing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, the study assesses the WTC of PBA and BSA students. A sample size of n = 213 (PBA = 110, BSA = 103) is utilized for the quantitative analysis, employing questionnaires to collect data, subsequently analyzed through descriptive statistics. The qualitative approach delves deeper into understanding the factors influencing WTC in Arabic among PBA and BSA students. The findings reveal that BSA students exhibit a higher WTC rate compared to PBA students across all three contexts: IC, OC, and DC. Notably, the most elevated WTC levels are observed inside the classroom (IC). Multiple factors, including environmental conditions, Arabic language proficiency, and psychological states, contribute to this variance. Consequently, the study recommends that educators implement engaging learning methodologies within the classroom to foster increased Arabic language acquisition and a heightened willingness to utilize Arabic among students.

EFL learners’ willingness to communicate in speaking activities in online and face-to-face English lessons in Turkish context

The purpose of this study is to explore the participants’ general willingness to communicate (WTC) levels in communicative pair or small group activities in English lessons which were taught via different mediums like face-to-face or online (during the COVID-19 pandemic). In order to address this aim, a quantitative research method was adopted in the study. A total of 88 students enrolled at the School of Foreign Languages of Izmir Institute of Technology participated in the study. The quantitative data were gathered from the participants through a questionnaire (WTC in English scale, by Peng & Woodrow, 2010). The results showed that all the participants had a moderate level of WTC in English. The study provides several recommendations for researchers, institutions and language teachers.

Willingness to Communicate in English as a Second Language: A Research Protocol for Meta-Analysis

This study explores three independent variables affecting Willingness to Communicate (WTC). Specifically, the purpose is to examine the degree of relationship between familiarity, self-perceived communication competence (SPCC) and motivation as explanatory (independent variables) to WTC (dependent variable) using three identified studies on WTC in English among L2 speakers from Japan, Turkey and Pakistan – all non-English speaking countries. Given the various limitations and some inconsistencies presented herein, a combined analysis on effect size seems difficult to be realized. However, even with all the difficulties, correlational meta-analysis can still manage to depict a sizeable description of effect size when raw data of answered questionnaire responses on each variable is made available to determine coefficient correlation, thus, effect size. Next, the use of WTC Model consistent in all data extraction and analysis coupled with the relatively consistent mentioning of three identified variables indicate some strong sense of homogeneity. Therefore, this paper can answer the most general questions when full-scale meta-analysis will be conducted in the future: what is the degree of correlation of familiarity, SPCC and motivation to WTC as L2 language individuals? What has the highest degree of correlation among all variables to the level of WTC?

ENGLISH LEARNING GOALS AND WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS IN A JAPANESE EFL CONTEXT

This study examined the differences in English learning goals and specific actions for goal achievement according to the degree of willingness to communicate (WTC) among Japanese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners through qualitative analysis. This study aimed to ascertain: 1) the characteristics of English learning goals among learners with higher or lower levels of WTC, and 2) the differences in learner actions for goal achievement among learners with higher or lower levels of WTC. The participants were 84 undergraduate students in Japan, and they were divided into high-WTC and low-WTC groups using the WTC scale (Peng & Woodrow, 2010). Open-ended responses of the goals for learning English and actions for goal achievement were compared between these two groups using KH Coder 3. Coded data were analyzed in a co-occurrence network diagram. Results showed that high-WTC learners tended to have high-level goals, whereas low-WTC learners tended to have the lowest possible goals. High-WTC learners also had more interest in foreign countries and studying abroad. Furthermore, high-WTC learners tended to take a variety of specific actions for goal achievement, while low-WTC learners took rather general and common actions. The results showed clear differences between these two groups.

COLLEGE STUDENTS’ WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE AND ITS INFLUENTIAL FACTORS IN SPEAKING CLASSES

<p>The problem that learners remain silent and passive in speaking classes is usually attributed to their lack of willingness to communicate (WTC), which is considered a crucial condition determining learners’ L2 opportunities for language development and mastery. A number of researchers have conducted research in various contexts; however, it is still a nascent term in the Vietnamese context. This study was conducted aiming to explore college students’ perceptions of their levels of WTC and factors affecting WTC in speaking classes. Data was garnered through a 45-item questionnaire, which was administered to 308 EFL students. Results revealed that, from the learners’ perspective, WTC remained at an average level. It was also found that among different categories of factors that impacted learners’ WTC, interactions with teachers and peers, and learners’ self-perception of their anxiety were perceived as the most critical factors.</p><p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/edu_01/0552/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

The Relationship between Speaking Anxiety and Willingness to Communicate among Pre-Service EFL Teachers

Limited research on the relationship between pre-service English language teachers' foreign language speaking anxiety and their willingness to communicate, particularly in Turkish context, paved the way for the present inquiry. Considering the utmost importance of the two interrelated concepts, this quantitative study investigates the relationship between speaking anxiety and willingness to communicate within a correlational research design. Eighty-four first-year ELT students from a Turkish university participated in this study. The Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Scale (FLSAS) and the Willingness to Communicate (WTC) Scale were administered to participants to assess their speaking anxiety and WTC levels. Data collected through two scales were examined by use of quantitative data analyses. The results showed that (1) students had a moderate level of speaking anxiety, while they indicated a high level of WTC, and (2) female learners had a higher level of speaking anxiety than their male peers, in terms of WTC levels, no difference was observed between genders, and (3) speaking anxiety had a significant impact on willingness to communicate and vice versa. The findings of the study are discussed along with the related literature and several implications and suggestions are presented both for practitioners and future studies.

Pakistani Teachers’ Views About Their Undergraduates’ Willingness to Communicate in English Inside the Classroom

The main goal of modern second language (L2) pedagogy is to engender effective communication among its learners. Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has emerged as the most vibrant topic in L2 pedagogy, especially in the last two decades. A plethora of research on students’ views about their WTC has been conducted in a variety of contexts. However, research on teachers’ views about their students’ WTC in English is still in its infancy. Thus, this study investigated ESL teachers’ views about their undergraduates’ WTC in English inside the classroom. The cluster sampling technique was used to collect data from 80 ESL teachers from eight universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. The results revealed that the teachers viewed the undergraduates’ level of WTC as high in most classroom situations, such as during groups, during activities with the same and opposite gender, when given preparation time, seated in the middle of the class, and in front of the whole class. However, students showed a moderate level of WTC in situations such as sitting in front of the class and at the back of the class. A one-way ANOVA was performed to examine the differences between different classroom situations. The results showed significant differences in the teachers’ views about their students’ WTC in most classroom situations. Thus, the current study affirms that WTC is a dynamic variable that changes from situation to situation.

Willingness to Communicate and Second Language Fluency: Korean-Speaking Short-Term Sojourners in Australia

The current mixed-method study investigated two groups of Korean-speaking short-term sojourners in Australia. One group (students) was composed of learners enrolled in English training programs, whereas the other group (workers) was of learners in the workplace. We administered questionnaires and a semi-structured interview to examine their willingness to communicate (WTC) in English as their second language (L2) and explored the relationship between this variable and the sojourners’ amount of L2 contact and their oral fluency in English. Our quantitative analyses show that the student group showed a higher level of WTC and amount of L2 exposure than the worker group. For both groups, WTC significantly predicted sojourners’ amount of L2 exposure. However, oral fluency was found neither to be associated with WTC nor with the amount of L2 exposure. Qualitative theme-based analysis suggests that the two sojourn groups demonstrated similarities and differences in their attitudes and motivations related to WTC and unwillingness to communicate (unWTC). The students demonstrated a stronger tendency to engage in L2 interaction than the workers, aligning with their significantly higher frequency of reported L2 exposure. The workers’ attitudes were characterized by feelings of ambivalence, with co-existence of both WTC and unWTC.

Language learning strategy preferences and levels of willingness to communicate by Iranian EFL learners

The present study aims at investigating the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ levels of willingness to communicate (WTC) and their preferences of language learning strategies.To achieve this goal, a quantitative study was carried out with 46 Iranian EFL learners majoring in English translation. The participants’WTC levels were determined through willingness to communicate (WTC) questionnaire developed by McCroskey and Richmond (2013). Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learners (SILL) was also used as another instrument to investigate the participants’ preferences of language learning strategy use.The participants were moderate strategy users. Metacognitive and cognitive strategieswere found to be used strongly by the participants of the study. It was also found that the participants were moderate regarding their willingness to communicate. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found to exist between the two variables of the study.The findings of this study have implications for teachers, students, material developers as well as course designers.

Willingness to communicate in relation to language use among Pakistani undergraduates: A sociocultural perspective

This study aimed to investigate English as a second language (ESL) undergraduates’ sociocultural perspective of willingness to communicate (WTC) in English inside the classroom in relation to language use outside the classroom. The participants were 440 ESL undergraduates selected through the cluster sampling method from eight universities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in Pakistan. The data were collected through questionnaires on WTC in English inside the classroom and language use outside the classroom. The findings revealed that the participants’ level of WTC in English was high for most social interactions within the classroom, such as in groups, during activities, with the same gender, and when given preparation time in groups. The findings for language use showed that a mixture of languages, such as Pashto and Urdu, was predominantly used in the family, neighbourhood and friendship, religion, education, and transaction domains. In contrast, English was primarily used in the mass media and social media domains. Moreover, the findings revealed that WTC in English inside the classroom was positively correlated with social media, mass media, transaction and education domains but negatively correlated with the family domain.

Impacto del disfrute y la ansiedad en la voluntad de comunicarse de los estudiantes del idioma inglés

La voluntad de comunicarse (WTC por sus siglas en inglés) juega un rol fundamental en el aprendizaje de una segunda lengua (Clément et al., 2003; Kang, 2005; Yashima et al., 2004) porque un alto nivel de WTC puede ayudar a los estudiantes a lograr el dominio del idioma (MacIntyre et al., 2003; Yashima et al., 2004). Por tanto, MacIntyre et al. (1998, p. 547) afirmó que el objetivo principal del aprendizaje de idiomas debería ser el WTC. La voluntad de comunicarse en un idioma extranjero está vinculada a una variedad de emociones negativas (es decir, ansiedad y aburrimiento) y emociones positivas (es decir, disfrute y orgullo). Inspirado por el cambio de la psicología negativa a la psicología positiva en el campo del aprendizaje de una segunda lengua, el presente estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar si el disfrute del lenguaje y la ansiedad son predictores potenciales del WTC. Se encuestó a un grupo de 349 estudiantes de pregrado de Inglés como Lengua Extranjera (EFL por sus siglas en inglés) (mujeres = 226, hombres = 123) matriculados en universidades públicas de Arabia Saudita. Se recogieron datos cuantitativos durante un mes. Los análisis descriptivos revelaron niveles superiores a la media de WTC de los participantes. Los análisis de regresión múltiple revelaron que el disfrute del idioma extranjero (FLE por sus siglas en inglés) era un predictor del WTC, pero la ansiedad hacia el idioma extranjero en el aula (FLA por sus siglas en inglés) no se correlacionó significativamente con el WTC de los estudiantes. Estos resultados sugieren que los niveles más altos de disfrute pueden haber neutralizado los efectos de la ansiedad en el WTC, lo que indica el rol de las emociones positivas. Se discuten las implicaciones para los profesores de lenguas extranjeras.

THE FACTORS AFFECTING STUDENTS’ LEVEL OF WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE (WTC) IN AN ENGLISH CLASS AT A PRIVATE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN SURABAYA

This article purposes to find out the level of students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in an English class at a private junior high school in Surabaya, to explain the factors affecting students’ level of WTC, and to explore students’ attempts or strategies to improve their level of WTC. This article is classified into qualitative research. The subjects of this article are students of junior high. The study focused on students' experiences of the factors and strategies demonstrated by students in class speaking and in front of the class. The data was in the form of the transcription of the interview and observation instrument. The detail information is obtained from interviewing the students. The result shows that the level of students’ WTC in an English class was low. The writer also found several factors that affect students’ level of willingness to communicate (WTC) using English proved by the observation result and interview result, they are self-confidence, communicative competence, learning anxiety, students’ motivation, personality, teacher role, classroom atmosphere, interlocutor, the effect of topics, the effect of task types. It is appropriate that students who have poor self-confidence, lack communicative competence, lack the motivation to speak, and have n elevated level of anxiety are included in the category of having a low level of students’ willingness to communicate. The most of students said that self-confidence affected their level of WTC. The writer found that the students have a variety of strategies such as using technology in language learning and following conversation club. Both of them showed their enthusiasm to speak in the classroom and did all the assignments in the Hybrid learning system. Combining technology and outside activity can improve the student’ WTC.

Analyzing the Correlation Between Ideal L2 Self and Willingness to Communicate in L2 among EFL Learners

This study aimed to investigate the learners’ levels of ideal L2 self and Willingness to Communicate (WTC) not only inside but also outside the EFL classrooms and the correlation between these two constructs. Thus, the research was designed as a qualitative study, and the correlational research design was implemented to seek answers to research questions. The participants were 61 EFL learners who studied at the preparatory school of a state university. The data collected by conducting the ideal L2 self scale and WTC survey for inside and outside the classroom were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and Pearson correlation test after the normality of the data was ensured. The findings showed that the vast majority of learners had moderate levels of ideal L2 self and WTC, and a small minority reported low levels of WTC and ideal L2 self. Besides, the findings pointed out that WTC and ideal L2 self are correlated with a statistically significant relationship in a positive manner. The study first discusses the contradictory and concurrent findings with respect to previous studies conducted in different contexts like Japan, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Iran and Turkey, then concludes with recommendations for teachers and further research.

Language Learners’ Willingness to Communicate and Speaking Anxiety in Online versus Face-to-Face Learning Contexts

Foreign language instruction has moved from face-to-face to online learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the extent to which Foreign Language Classroom Enjoyment (FLCE), Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety (FLSA) and demographic variables (i.e., age, gender, and course grades) are linked to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English under two conditions: online learning and conventional (face-to-face) learning. The study sample consisted of 106 Saudi undergraduate EFL learners. The research instrument was an online questionnaire. The data were analysed quantitatively through t-tests, Pearson correlational tests, and a hierarchical regression analysis. The research findings indicated that: (1) higher levels of WTC were found in the online learning context than in the face-to-face context; (2) FLCE was a positive predictor, while FLSA was a negative predictor, of WTC in the online and face-to-face learning contexts; (3) a high course grade seemed to be a positive predictor of EFL learners’ WTC only in the online learning context. These findings imply that utilizing online-based learning, particularly in the context of developing speaking skills, may foster EFL learners’ communication in the foreign language. Therefore, it is recommended that language teachers should support their students in practicing L2 communication during online classes in a more supportive atmosphere.

Exploring EFL Learners' Willingness to Communicate in Multimodal Videoconferences

The current study explored how the participation in multimodal videoconferencing sessions affected one of the affective factors: willingness to communicate (WTC) in second language learning. Participants from the experimental group took part in three 30-minute communication tasks via videoconferencing that included interactions in textual, audio, and visual modes while their counterparts completed the same tasks face-to-face. Instruments included an adapted WTC scale, semi-structured interviews, and learner reflections. The results showed that learners in the experimental group exhibited significantly higher levels of WTC than those in the control group, suggesting that multimodal videoconferencing increased learners' WTC. Next, qualitative findings indicated that learners' WTC in multimodal videoconferences was influenced by the support from multimodal texts and the affordances of multimodal interaction. EFL professionals are recommended to create multimodal environments to not merely foster learners' negotiation of meaning but also promote WTC through diverse patterns of interaction.

L’impact de tâches communicatives de réalité virtuelle sur la volonté de communiquer à l’extérieur de la classe : perceptions d’apprenants de FLS à Montréal

Willingness to communicate (WTC) in a second language (L2) depends on both stable and situational factors and research indicates that language anxiety (LA) and self-perceived communicative competence (SPCC) are its two main antecedents. Although researchers have suggested that the development of WTC should be a priority of L2 teaching, more research is needed in this regard. This exploratory study aims at determining the impact of communicative tasks, performed in virtual reality (VR), on WTC outside the classroom. The 19 participants were university students learning French as a second language in Montreal (Canada). Mixed methodology was used to measure and probe their levels of WTC, LA and SPCC, as well as to shed light on the challenges they faced when trying to interact in French in Montreal. The results indicate that VR tasks have the potential to increase WTC, mainly through the increase of SPCC. The pedagogical implications are discussed.

Protecting and enhancing willingness to communicate with idiodynamic peer-peer strategy sharing

While a wide range of trait-like and situational willingness to communicate (WTC) factors have been investigated, subsequent pedagogical advice often focuses on teacher-led interventions and does not enable learners themselves to overcome immediate WTC related difficulties. This may be because little is known about how students protect and enhance their own WTC levels. This study, therefore, positions students as peer—peer strategy investigators; learners used idiodynamic methodology to interview a selected peer about strategies they used to protect and enhance their WTC during a classroom discussion. Interviewers shared their WTC-related insights in a follow-up class, providing participants with maximum exposure to the elicited WTC-focused strategies. A key finding was that talk-positive students used a combination of expected behaviours and task-outcome-visualization in combination with ‘resetting’ meta-cognitive strategies to overcome learning difficulties. Furthermore, students reported three approaches to peer—peer strategy sharing: desire for self-improvement, rapprochement with peers, and personal reassurance. In addition to understanding task completion- and communication-difficulties and learning potential WTC-focused strategy resolutions, some individuals reported a change in mind-set and continued to observe their peers' learning-focused behaviours after the study. Thus, this idiodynamic peer—peer approach may be used for ongoing WTC-focused learner development and improved intra-group dynamics.