Abstract
Learning and speaking a second language (L2) may not necessarily be the same enterprises, particularly in contexts where English is learned as a foreign language (EFL) (Peng, 2015). EFL learners scoring high on examinations may nonetheless withhold from communication using English. This can result in insufficient communicative practice, which may eventually hinder them achieving all-round success in English learning. Therefore, learners need to possess a willingness to communicate (WTC) before they surpass whatever barriers to enter into communication in the L2. Previous research has shown that learners suffer un-WTC due to various internal reasons (e.g., L2 anxiety or a lack of self-confidence) and external reasons (e.g., classroom environment) (MacIntyre, Dörnyei, Clément & Noels, 1998; Peng & Woodrow, 2010; Yashima, 2002). L2 WTC has also been found to be situational and fluctuate contextually and momentarily (Cao, 2011; MacIntyre & Legatto, 2011), aligning itself with other motivational constructs such as self-concept and future self-guides, whose dynamic features have recently been placed in the limelight.
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Peng, JE. (2016). The Context-Sensitivity of Self-Concept and Willingness to Communicate in the Chinese EFL Classroom: A Case Study. In: King, J. (eds) The Dynamic Interplay between Context and the Language Learner. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137457134_6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137457134_6
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