Willingness or Unwillingness? The Investigation of Iranian EFL Learners’ Tendency toward Willingness to Communicate

Abstract

This study aims at investigating willingness to communicate of Iranian EFL learners. A total of 65 students participated in the study. First and foremost, James C. Mccroskey’s willingness to communicate questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was given to the participants, they were asked to answer the 20 questions about 20 situations in which a person might choose to communicate or not to communicate. Besides, an open–ended questionnaire was given in which in the first question participants were asked to write about situations they have high willingness to communicate while in the second question they were asked to mention in what situations they have low willingness to communicate. Results of questionnaires indicated low willingness to communicate of Iranian EFL students at all (overall: 36.29. Total WTC >82 High Overall WTC, <52 Low Overall WTC). Although participants have showed high willingness to communicate in two context–Types (Group discussion: 58.38, Friend: 75.09), though they have showed low willingness to communicate in all other sub–groups (public speaking 31.52 and stranger 16.25, Meeting: 35.50, Interpersonal: 33.76, Acquaintance: 42.53).