A Mixed-Methods Investigation of Gender, Context, and Interlocutor Effects on English WTC
This study investigates the complex interplay between gender, communicative context, and interlocutor type in shaping high school students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in L2 English. Utilizing a robust mixed-methods research design, the study first collected quantitative data using a standardized WTC scale, followed by semi-structured interviews with a purposive subsample of students with contrasting communicative profiles. The quantitative analysis revealed a moderate overall WTC level among participants. However, communicative readiness was highly situational: students demonstrated significantly higher WTC during small-group interactions and when engaging with familiar peers, whereas willingness decreased sharply in formal meeting contexts or when interacting with strangers. Notably, female students reported significantly higher levels of WTC than their male counterparts, suggesting a gendered dimension to L2 engagement. Qualitative insights further clarified these trends, identifying anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and the overall classroom climate as pivotal psychological barriers. Furthermore, limited exposure to English outside the formal school setting was found to diminish students' spontaneous communicative readiness. These results emphasize that WTC is a dynamic, socially mediated construct rather than a static trait. The findings highlight the necessity for EFL educators to implement intentional interactional designs that prioritize low-anxiety, peer-supported environments to bolster student participation and linguistic confidence.
Keywords: Willingness to Communicate (WTC), EFL adolescents, gender differences, interlocutors, context effects
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