This study aligns with the recent calls in L2 Willingness to Communicate (WTC) research that mark a shift from viewing WTC as a static, trait-like variable to a construct that is dynamic, fluid, and situational. To accomplish this aim, this study collected both interactional and interview data to examine the situational changes of an ESL learner’s WTC. The data was from two courses – one ESL course, and one academic graduate seminar – collected during the participant’s first semester at an American university. The findings show that the participant’s WTC fluctuates according to the course topic, interlocutors, group size, and the anxiety level of the L2 speaker. These findings imply that teachers in L2 classrooms need to take into consideration the various situational factors that promote or inhibit WTC. Other than these pedagogical implications, the study also offers a methodological framework for documenting situational WTC by means of combining interviews with conversation analysis of interactional data.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of a two-week English-language orientation program at a Korean university on first-year students’ perceptions of English. This quantitative study contributes to the local literature by documenting the changes on a preand post-course survey that measured participants’ willingness to communicate, foreign language anxiety, attitudes towards English, and perceptions of English as a global language. Key results of independent-samples t-tests indicated that student perceptions showed statistically significant changes on five of the six scales, and that the biggest influences of the program were on willingness to communicate and lessening student anxiety. The study also investigated the link between program satisfaction and experience of studying English abroad, finding that there was no relation between them. However, a one-way ANOVA and correlation analysis indicated that there was a relationship between program satisfaction and students’ self-rated proficiency, finding that the lower-proficiency students were slightly less satisfied than those rating themselves as “average” or “good” English speakers. The study concludes with recommendations for future studies and for planning English-language orientation programs in Korean universities.

Willingness To Communicate (WTC) is one's volition to enter into communication at a particular time with a specific person or persons using an L2. Despite the growing interests about WTC in ESL and EFL context, there is little research done in the Korean EFL classroom context with young learners. This study investigated variables affecting WTC of young Korean EFL learners in regular English classes. A total of 149 fifth graders participated in the study. Data were analyzed using factor and correlation analysis, cross-tabulation, and the ANOVA. The results confirmed the consensus about the positive correlation of competence and the negative correlation of apprehension to WTC. The most powerful predictor of WTC was communication with the native teacher and the second was prohibition of L1. There were partial statistical differences of WTC, Frequency of Communicative Behavior, and Self-Perceived Communicative Competence according to the age of onset, the amount of studying, and the length of stay in English speaking countries.

The present study investigated the structural relationships among factors influencing Korean EFL learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English and their actual English use. To this end, a total 595 university students enrolled in a wide range of academic disciplines participated in a survey. Data from the survey were analyzed using both multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. Results of the present study demonstrated that English confidence assessed by students’ perception of their English skill and English anxiety directly influenced students’ English WTC as well as the frequency and amount of their English communication. However, attitudes in international issues and intrinsic motivation made a direct influence only on students’ English WTC. Instead, these two factors made an indirect effect on students’ actual English use through the mediating role played by WTC. On the other hand, classroom factor as measured by perceived ELT methods and topic familiarity made a direct influence only on students’ actual English use, and the effect of the classroom factor on students’ English WTC was not significant. The same pattern was observed for socio-educational factor. These findings were discussed in terms of the implications for EFL education in the Korean context.

The present study investigated the structural relationships among factors influencing Korean EFL learners’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English and their actual English use. To this end, a total 595 university students enrolled in a wide range of academic disciplines participated in a survey. Data from the survey were analyzed using both multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. Results of the present study demonstrated that English confidence assessed by students’ perception of their English skill and English anxiety directly influenced students’ English WTC as well as the frequency and amount of their English communication. However, attitudes in international issues and intrinsic motivation made a direct influence only on students’ English WTC. Instead, these two factors made an indirect effect on students’ actual English use through the mediating role played by WTC. On the other hand, classroom factor as measured by perceived ELT methods and topic familiarity made a direct influence only on students’ actual English use, and the effect of the classroom factor on students’ English WTC was not significant. The same pattern was observed for socio-educational factor. These findings were discussed in terms of the implications for EFL education in the Korean context.