A multiphase study on willingness to communicate in an English as a foreign language learning context

This dissertation explores the willingness to communicate in a foreign language (L2 WTC) of English language (EFL) learners in Turkey. It firstly attempts to elicit the EFL learners' perceptions of L2 WTC in order to identify the variables affecting L2 WTC through a qualitative data collection set. The thematic analysis of the data leads to the construction of a valid and reliable data collection tool based on the direct reflections of EFL learners. This tool is employed to collect data from 933 Turkish EFL learners in different universities. The psychometric analyses suggest that L2 WTC has different components inside and outside the classroom. Following this phase, a mixed methods research study adopting both macro and micro perspective is conducted in order to recruit a fuller understanding of L2 WTC. To represent the macro perspective, 636 Turkish EFL learners taking intensive EFL lessons participated in a quantitative study. The results indicate that Turkish EFL learners have a moderate level of L2 WTC in both settings; yet, their level of L2 WTC inside the classroom is significantly higher than outside the classroom. Additionally, L2 WTC in both settings is observed to be predicted by different underlying variables. Moreover, the micro perspective focuses only on L2 WTC inside the classroom and it suggests that L2 WTC emerges in the classroom both as observable behaviors and as unobservable intentions. The EFL learners posit that their L2 WTC is a combination of individual, contextual and affective variables, which leads to the fluctuations in their level. Keywords: willingness to communicate, trait-like willingness to communicate, state willingness to communicate, underlying variables of willingness to communicate, scale development