The impact of classroom environment on students' willingness to communicate in foreign language learning

Abstract

The primary goal of teaching a foreign language has undergone a substantial change in the context of modern language education, placing a greater emphasis on the pivotal role of efficient communication. In this evolving landscape of language education, where effective communication is the cornerstone, it has been of the utmost significance to investigate the factors that affect learners’ motivation to communicate. Hence, the concept of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has emerged as a focal point for both scholars and researchers in the field. While scholars have devoted considerable attention to WTC, the existing body of literature remains predominantly focused on studies conducted in Western nations. Addressing this research gap, the current study explores WTC in the Turkish EFL setting through a rigorous mixed-methods research design with a varied cohort of 207 participants. This study aims to provide further understanding of this vital facet of language learning by a careful examination of the intricate relation between WTC and the learning environment in the classroom. The findings indicate a noteworthy impact of classroom components on the WTC among Turkish EFL students, revealing a robust connection between these factors and affective aspects as well. This correlation underscores the study's valuable insights for guiding language policies and strategies aimed at enhancing English proficiency within Turkey.