Linking motivation and willingness to communicate in online L3 learning context: The influence of emotions and perceived positive language interaction

The importance of “willingness to communicate” (WTC) in foreign language learning has been widely discussed. However, the current research on WTC mainly focuses on traditional classrooms, and there is insufficient attention to WTC in L3 online learning. This study explored the psychological process among motivation, WTC, foreign language enjoyment (FLE), foreign language classroom anxiety (FLCA), and perceived positive language interaction (PPLI). Based on data collected from 492 college students who were taking the online L3 course, results showed that: (1) L3 learners were somewhat willing to use L3 for communicating in online classes; (2) motivation was positively related to WTC; (3) FLE and FLCA mediated the relationship between motivation and WTC differently; (4) PPLI had moderating effects on both the relationship between FLE and WTC and between FLCA and WTC. Implications of online foreign language learning were discussed.