The Best and the Worst: TEFL Experts’ Opinions of the Most and the Least Important Predictors of Situational Willingness to Communicate

Abstract

The current study aimed to identify the most and the least important situational properties of second language willingness to communicate (L2WTC) in an EFL context. After reviewing the related literature, 24 influencing factors were identified and then they were prioritized. 180 TEFL students participated in the study to answer the research questionnaire. A quantitative research approach applying paired comparison questionnaire was employed. Data analysis was done using Excel spreadsheet for sorting data and calculating the mean and WinQSB software for solving linear programming model. The results showed that, among the selected variables, “the size of the group,”“familiarity with topics under discussion,” and “interlocutors and familiarity with them” were determined to be the first most important situational variables which highly influence L2WTC. The findings also showed that “attitudes toward the learning situation,”“course evaluation criteria,” and “alignment with the classroom norms” were the least important factors influencing L2WTC. The significance of the study lies in its theoretical contributions and pedagogical implications it has for the field of second language teaching and learning.