A Case Study on Willingness to Communicate in English in the Iranian Tertiary Educational Context (original) (raw)
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Willingness to Communicate in English: A Microsystem Model in the Iranian EFL Classroom Context
This study examined willingness to communicate (WTC) in English among Iranian EFL learners in the classroom context. For this purpose, a second language willingness to communicate (L2WTC) model based on WTC theory and empirical studies was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). This model examined the interrelationships among WTC in English, communication confidence, motivation, classroom environment, attitudes toward learning English, and English language achievement. A total of 243 English-major university students in Iran completed a questionnaire. The proposed SEM model adequately fitted the data. Results of the SEM indicated that classroom environment was the strongest direct predictor of L2WTC; communication confidence directly affected WTC; motivation indirectly affected WTC through communication confidence; English language proficiency indirectly affected WTC through communication confidence; and the classroom environment directly affected attitudes, motivation, and communication confidence. F oreign/second language (L2) teaching has undergone many changes and revisions over the past century. In the past, English language teaching emphasized the mastery of structures, but more recently the communicative competence of the language learners and the use of language for the purpose of communication have been emphasized . Communicative language teaching 154 language classroom context of Iran, this study examines psychological, contextual, and linguistic variables of L2WTC in the Iranian EFL context. For this purpose, the present study proposes a model to investigate these variables. The accurate examination of this comprehensive model provides a useful viewpoint of L2 communication in the EFL classroom context in general, and the Iranian context in particular. Moreover, the proposed model can help L2 learners understand what factors affect their willingness to communicate in English. Based on this, they can become aware of their own communication preferences and, therefore, foster communication and speaking in the classroom. Hence, language learners' willingness to communicate in English in the Iranian EFL context is examined within the WTC framework proposed by and Peng and Woodrow (2010) using SEM.
Journal of Language and Social Psychology (SAGE), 2012
The purpose of the present study is to examine willingness to communicate in the second language (L2WTC) construct and its underlying variables among non–English major students in Iran. The study used WTC and socioeducational models for examining L2 communication and L2 learning. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and t test were used with a sample of 158 non–English major university students. An L2 communication model was also proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. The results showed that L2 self-confidence and attitudes toward international community were two predictors of L2WTC in Iranian context. The paths from motivation to L2WTC and openness to experience to L2 self confidence were not significant and thus were deleted. The model shows a good fit to the data, which indicates the potential for using the L2WTC construct for English as a foreign language context.
Willingness to Communicate in L2 English: Impact of Learner Variables
Journal of Applied Linguistics
Due to the growing emphasis of modern language pedagogy on meaningful communication, L2 willingness to communicate (WTC) has recently become an important concept in second language learning and communication. The present study investigated the effects of individual differences on Iranian EFL learners' willingness to communicate. As many as 431 students who were learning English as a foreign language in language centers served as the participants of the study. McCroskey's (1992) questionnaire was utilized to measure students' willingness to communicate. A series of independent-samples t-tests and one-way ANOVAs were run to provide answers to the research questions. The results indicated no significant difference among the participants in terms of gender, major, age, and personality types; however, significant difference was found with respect to other variables such as proficiency level, length of studying, being abroad, and communicating with foreigners. Therefore, the e...
Perceptions of Willingness to Communicate Orally in English among Iranian PhD Students
International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 2019
Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in second Language (L2) has received substantial consideration in modern language research and instruction. This study intends to investigate how oral L2 WTC of a group of EFL Iranian PhD students in a public university in Malaysia has changed during their stay in this country and what factors have resulted in their willingness to communicate. A qualitative case study method was implemented to obtain information from 8 participants through semi-structured interview as the main method, followed by focus group discussion and solicited journal diaries of the participants. The analyses of data derived from the first research question yielded five major themes: lack of exposure to L2 oral communication, cultural values, low L2 self-confidence, L2 extrinsic motivation, and enabling behaviors. Analysis of the second research question revealed six major themes as: raised awareness, cultural background, personality, exposure to L2 oral communication, extrinsic L2 motivation, and increased L2 selfconfidence. The findings of the study concluded that rare exposure to English oral communication in Iran resulted in having little practice of English language in authentic settings that led to low L2 WTC among the respondents of the study before coming to Malaysia. Besides, the respondents suffered from lack of L2 WTC upon arrival to Malaysia. However, by understanding their deficiencies and importance of L2 oral communication, they gradually changed their attitude toward L2 oral communication and tried to improve it. This study also provides theoretical and practical implications for designing teaching methods to maximize language learners' L2 WTC in the classroom that leads to their L2 oral communication improvement.
A Model of Willingness to Communicate in English in Iranian EFL Classroom Context
2023
The present study aimed to propose a model of willingness to communicate in English (WTC) in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom context in Iran considering four trait-like variables: confidence, motivation, anxiety, and grit. An online questionnaire measuring the five variables was sent to eight classes of non-English majored university students in two public and two private universities in Iran. 488 questionnaires were returned and analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) using Amos. The key findings were as follows. First, the finalized model showed motivation, confidence, and anxiety to be the predicting variables of WTC in Iranian EFL classroom context whereas grit served as a mediator. Second, among the four variables, motivation was the best predicting variable, having both direct and indirect effects on WTC. Based on the key findings, to promote Iranian university students' English communication behaviors, English teachers are recommended to design their lessons to enhance students' motivation in learning English, to build their confidence in using English while keeping their anxiety optimal, and to promote grit. The new path that shows grit as a mediating variable in this model should be further explored. Qualitative data should be considered for future research to gain insights into the path from motivation to WTC.
Willingness to Communicate in English: A Case Study of EFL Students at King Khalid University
The main purpose of learning a foreign language is to use it for meaningful and effective communication both inside and outside the classroom. This paper is devoted to identifying the main communication difficulties faced by EFL students at King Khalid University (KKU) and exploring the reasons that lie behind these difficulties. The paper investigates the participants' willingness to communicate (WTC) in English when they have an opportunity and highlights the personality traits that affect students' oral communication in English. To this end, two types of instruments were used: a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Both the questionnaire and the interview attempted to measure four types of communicative contexts (public speaking, meetings, group discussions and interpersonal conversations) and three types of interlocutors (strangers, acquaintances and friends). The findings reveal the EFL students' WTC in English at KKU and how their personality traits affect their WTC. Moreover, the paper suggests some recommendations for overcoming EFL students' unwillingness to communicate in English.
Investigating Tertiary Level EFL Learners’ Willingness to Communicate in English
English Language Teaching, 2018
The present study aimed to investigate Turkish EFL learners’ perceived levels of willingness to communicate (WTC) in English inside and outside the classroom. The study also aimed to explore whether there is a statistically significant difference between their in-class WTC in English and out-of-class WTC in English. The study, which employed a quantitative research design, was conducted with the participation of 701 EFL learners enrolled in the departments of Tourism Guidance and Tourism Management at Balikesir University Faculty of Tourism located in Balikesir, Turkey. The data collection instrument included a scale which measures the participants’ perceived levels of WTC in English. The data were analyzed descriptively through IBM SPSS 21. The findings of the study indicated that EFL learners have a moderate level of WTC in English. The findings also showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the participants’ perceived levels of their in-class WTC in Eng...
TESOL Quarterly (John Wiley Publications)
This study examined willingness to communicate (WTC) in English among Iranian EFL learners in the classroom context. For this purpose, an L2WTC model based on WTC theory (MacIntyre, Clément, Dörnyei, & Noels, 1998) and empirical studies was proposed and tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This model examined the inter-relationships among WTC in English, communication confidence, motivation, classroom environment, attitudes toward learning English, and English language achievement. A total number of 243 English-major university students in Iran completed a questionnaire. The proposed SEM model adequately fit the data. Results of the SEM indicated that classroom environment was the strongest direct predictor of L2WTC, communication confidence directly affected WTC, motivation indirectly affected WTC through communication confidence, English language proficiency indirectly affected WTC through communication confidence, and the classroom environment directly affected attitudes, motivation, and communication confidence.
Factors Affecting Efl Students' Unwillingness to Communicate in English in Campus
2017
Language learners’ willingness to communicate in the target language is the key role in achieving their language learning goals. The notion of ‘Willingness to Communicate’ (WTC) is a model or concept that integrates psychological, linguistic, and communicative variables in order to describe, explain, and predict foreign or second language communication. This study was conducted to explore the possible factors affecting EFL students’ unwillingness to communicate in English in campus. The data w ere gathered from th re e research participants using unstructured interview and were analyzed qualitatively using narrative inquiry method and thematic analysis strategy . The findings of th is study revealed that the main factors affecting the students’ unwillingness to communicate in English during the learning time in campus were linguistic, psycholinguistic, socio-cultural, and institutional factors. And among those major factors, socio-cultural and institutional factors were identified t...
International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 2020
While there are ample studies on willingness to communicate (WTC) that do not specify the subject characteristics of the studies, a study on low willingness to communicate focusing on the factors of students with a high English ability is needed. This study investigates WTC factors in 110 EFL students majoring in ELT in Indonesia with low WTC and high English ability using a mixed-method approach. After assessing the inferential statistics, the partial and multiple regression analyses were applied to know the variables. To get more comprehensive data about the positive and significant variables, deep-interviews were carried out on the selected students. The findings show that the WTC factors are influenced by some conditions such as confidence and classroom environment. It is suggested that WTC factors for the subject characteristics are required to be carried out by other antecedents, propensities and contexts.