Factors affecting willingness to speak English in language classrooms among Iranian EFL learners

The present study is an attempt to investigate Iranian EFL learners‟ willingness to speak English in language classrooms, and the factors that influence their willingness to speak. Moreover, the relationship between willingness to speak and language learning anxiety, language learning motivation, and self-perceived speaking ability is sought. Furthermore, the study seeks the extent to which willingness to speak contributes to an improvement in the learners‟ speaking ability. The study adopts a primarily quantitative approach, followed by qualitative data aimed at expanding and elaborating on the quantitative data. One hundred and fifty six EFL learners selected based on purposive sampling took part in the study. A packet of questionnaires were employed to measure willingness to speak, language learning anxiety and language learning motivation. To shed more light on learners‟ willingness to speak, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven participants in order to arrive at richer findings. Further, all participants took part in an IELTS speaking test in order to find out if their willingness to speak is related to their speaking performance. Results showed that learners were fairly willing (but not highly willing) to speak English in class. Moreover, it was found that willingness to speak is negatively correlated with language learning anxiety, while positively correlated with language learning motivation and self-perceived speaking ability. Several factors were identified as having an influence on learners‟ willingness to speak, including topic of discussion, effect of interlocutor, shyness, self-confidence, teacher, and classroom atmosphere. Finally, learners took part in a speaking test, through which, it was found that those who were more willing to speak got a higher speaking score. Based on the findings of the study, a foreign language classroom Willingness to Speak (WTS) model of factors underlying willingness to speak English in language classrooms is proposed. Pedagogical implications for language teachers and learners are provided as well.

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