A Qualitative Inquiry into the Factors Influencing EFL Learners’ in-class Willingness to Communicate in English

Abstract

This study aims to examine English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’perceptions of the factors influencing their in-class willingness to communicate (WTC)in English. Having been selected through criterion sampling method, the participantsconsisted of 32 undergraduate EFL learners who took the English course at BalıkesirUniversity in Balıkesir, Turkey. In this study, which employed qualitative researchdesign, the data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data generatedfrom the interviews were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. The results ofthe study showed that learners’ in-class WTC in English is affected by a variety offactors including classmates, instructional methods, teacher, classroom atmosphere,materials, class size, L2 motivation, fear of being ridiculed, L2 anxiety, fear of makingmistakes, topic interest, topic familiarity, shyness, introversion, vocabulary knowledge,pronunciation, practice, self-perceived communication competence and pastcommunication experience. In light of the results, some pedagogical implications wereprovided and suggestions for further research were given.