Willingness to

communicate
 Table of contents

Article 2
01 General concept 03 Willingness to communicate of
EFL learners in Turkish context

Article 1 Article 3
02 EFL students’ views of 04 Willingness to Communicate and
willingness to communicate in
the extramural digital (ED) Second Language Proficiency:
A Correlational Study
context
 General concept
01
Definition
Role in Language teaching
L2 WTC was defined as “a readiness to enter into
discourse at a particular time with a specific person
or persons, using a L2” (p. 547)

MacIntyre et al. (1998)

Variables affecting WTC in L2
 Role in SLA
Preparing students who are willing and able to speak in another language is one of the
most prominent goals of FLT around the world (MacIntyre et al., 1998)

Learners who have a higher WTC are more likely to use the target language in
social situations (MacIntyre et al., 2003).

Learners with low WTC may need additional support to feel comfortable using
the language (McCroskey & Richmond, 1991).

Kang (2005): consider learners' situational WTC when designing activities to

create a supportive and motivating environment for language use.

WTC can impact their language proficiency, motivation, and comfort level with
using the language.
EFL students’ views of willingness to
communicate in the extramural digital
(ED) context

Lee J.S. (2019)

 Article
Aims
examining factors that might have affected EFL learners’ WTC in
ED environment.

Data collection & sample group

semi-structured interview with 98 EFL students from three Korean
universities

Research questions
What factors may have positive or negative influences on EFL
learners’ L2 WTC when engaging with ED activities?
 Findings
Socio-political variable
Korea’s K-12 instruction lowered
students’ amount of L2
communication not only in the
classroom but also in ED context
Test-oriented teaching caused her to
become a passive English learner and
decrease her WTC.
Contextual variables
Familiarity with interlocutors:
Close interaction with a communication
partner can decrease L2 anxiety and facilitate
more effective communication in English in
the ED context.
Familiarity with communities
A familiarity with online communities also
had a positive influence on students’
tendencies toward using L2 communication in
a range of ED contexts (Facebook, Line,
games, etc.)
 Findings

Individual variables

L2 self-confidence L2 anxiety

Students with more L2 confidence Korean students felt anxious about

were more likely to initiate L2 and were unwilling to communicate in
communication in the ED context the ED interaction environments due
(e.g., overseas students). to to peer pressure and fear of losing
face in public.
 Implications
Pedagogically, teachers can help students gradually engage
in L2 communicative activities in an ED context:

Firstly, technology such as virtual environments, WebQuest, and

video conferencing can be used for L2 communicative activities in
the classroom.

Secondly, extracurricular L2 activities by means of chatting, online

courses, digital games, and 3D virtual can be incorporated.

Thirdly, teachers can provide cognitive resources such as computer

mediated communication, online communities, social media. Teachers
can also assist students by sharing metacognitive strategies.
Willingness to communicate of
EFL learners in Turkish context
Hüseyin Öz (2015)
 Article
DEFINITIONS

1. Self-perceived communication (communicative) competence (SPCC)

McCroskey's (1988) assert that “it is what a person thinks he/she can do
not what he/she actually could do which impacts the individual's
behavioral choices” (p. 188)
2. Perceived communication apprehension
Barraclough et al. (1988) define it as “an individual's level of fear or
anxiety associated with real or anticipated communication with another
person or persons” (p. 188).
 Article
DEFINITIONS
3. Integrativeness
MacIntyre and Charos (1996) define integrativeness as an individual's “desire to learn a
second language to meet and communicate with members of the target language
community” (p. 4).
4. Instrumental orientation
These reasons play a pivotal role in setting goals that will thrust and sustain motivation for
language achievement.
5.Attitudes towards learning situations
Attitudes towards the learning situation refer to the language learners' evaluation of the
language teacher, the course and curriculum
 Article
Aims
The main purpose was to explore the probable relationships
among communication factors, i.e. communication apprehension
(CA) and self-perceived communication competence (SPCC),
affective factors, i.e. integrativeness, attitudes towards the learning
situation, motivation, instrumental orientation, ideal L2 self as
predictor variables and L2 WTC.
 Article
Participants and Procedures

Participants
The present study was conducted in an EFL teacher education program at a major
state university in Turkey. A total of 134 EFL learners (male: N = 34 and female: N
= 100)

Procedures
The data for the present study were collected using questionnaires about the
participants' WTC, communication apprehension, communication competence, and
affective factors constraining communication.
RESULTS

● No significant direct path from

motivation to WTC.
● It indirectly influence on L2 WTC
through the mediation of
communication apprehension and
self-perceived communication
competence.
● the instrumental orientation and
attitudes towards learning situation
had no direct relationship with L2
WTC.
RESULTS

● The instrumental orientation and attitudes

towards learning situation were directly
connected to SPCC
● Motivation indirectly exerted influence on
L2 WTC
● Higher degrees of motivation may help them
to lower their communication apprehension
=> Overall : SPCC is the strongest factor that
directly and positively influences EFL learners'
WTC in English.
Willingness to Communicate and
Second Language Proficiency:
A Correlational Study
Darasawang and Reinders (2021)
 Article
Aims
The relationship between students’ proficiency level and their WTC in
compulsory English classes.
Data collection & sample group
A three-part survey instrument for 1836 Thai university first-year
undergraduate students including: English Proficiency Test scores; the
Test scores of English for Thai Engineers and Technologists and WTC
survey (including self-perceived WTC, communicative self-confidence,
and self-perceived L2 use).
Research questions
What is the relationship between Thai first-year students’ language
proficiency and self-perceived WTC / self-perceived confidence / self-
perceived language use?
 Findings
A weak to moderate correlation between WTC and language proficiency, with the construct of self-
confidence being the most strongly correlated.

- A weak relationship between self-perceived of language use and self-perceived WTC and
students’ proficiency.

Reasons:

WTC is related to speaking - productive skill, but proficiency was measured based on receptive skills in
the English proficiency test.

Compulsory course for all undergraduate students, size of classes: up to 40 students

The teachers are limited to asking questions or display activities

Little or no opportunity for learner interaction

Students prefer to use Thai in class

 Findings

- A moderate to weak correlation between communicative confidence

and proficiency

Reasons:

The limited opportunity to develop and exercise their autonomy in language

learning.

Not all proficient students can use English to communicate with confidence in
the EFL context, but once they are proficient enough, they can overcome
affective barriers more easily to communicate.
 Implications
As proficiency is most strongly related to students’ confidence, teachers can:

- At the classroom level:

+ help low-proficiency students feel more confident by providing successful

communication experiences in low-risk situations.

+ create the language tasks that require interactive and meaningful communication for all
members should be given, rather than relying on the proficient ones. This can help highly
proficient students but lacking confidence in using the target language to communicate.

+ provide opportunities for all students to communicate more can boost their confidence
and willingness to use the language.
 Implications

As proficiency is most strongly related to students’ confidence, teachers can:

- In a low-autonomy EFL context,

+ give students task choices encouraging their WTC.

+ get students to have a sense of belonging in group work tasks by clarifying each
group member's role.

+ provide scaffolding to support students in overcoming their lack of competence.

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