Bridging the Gap Between Willingness to Communicate and Learner Talk

Willingness to communicate (WTC) is an important individual learner difference that can help account for varying rates of language‐learning success across individuals. As learner talk is considered to be a key pedagogical activity, instructors and researchers often strive to identify and manipulate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Modern language journal (Boulder, Colo.) Colo.), 2022-03, Vol.106 (1), p.216-244
Main Author: DUCKER, NATHAN THOMAS
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Classroom Communication
classroom talk
Classrooms
Communication (Thought Transfer)
Comparative Analysis
complex dynamic systems theory
Correlation
idiodynamic methodology
Individual differences
individual learner differences
Learning Motivation
listening aptitude and attitude
Listening Comprehension
Pedagogy
Second Language Instruction
Second Language Learning
Speech Communication
Student Attitudes
Student Participation
Teaching Methods
Willingness to communicate
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Summary:Willingness to communicate (WTC) is an important individual learner difference that can help account for varying rates of language‐learning success across individuals. As learner talk is considered to be a key pedagogical activity, instructors and researchers often strive to identify and manipulate key variables that will increase and arouse a learner's WTC and consequently lead to increased levels of learner talk. Conflicting studies have shown varying levels of correlation between ratings of WTC and learner talk. To investigate this phenomenon, this study used idiodynamic methodology to elicit moment‐to‐moment ratings of individuals’ classroom WTC, which were then compared to recorded instances of classroom learner talk. This data was used to answer 2 questions: (a) What is the relationship between situated moment‐to‐moment ratings of WTC and observable classroom communication? and (b) What factors impinge or enable the realization of learner talk from aroused situated WTC? The results showed little correlation between learner talk and WTC ratings with 4 groups of interrelated factors—(a) motivational forces, (b) listening‐related issues, (c) topic‐related issues, and (d) language production issues—impacting the WTC–talk relationship. These factors were organized into a hierarchical heuristic model of WTC–talk realization that has both research and pedagogical implications.
ISSN:0026-7902
1540-4781
DOI:10.1111/modl.12764