The power of openness to experience, extraversion, L2 self-confidence, classroom environment in predicting L2 willingness to communicate

Abstract

In learning English as a foreign language (EFL), classroom is a primary source where learners find opportunities to make communication in the English language and enhance their L2 WTC and L2 communicative abilities. Keeping in view the pivotal importance of classroom environment in shaping EFL learners' WTC, the present research unravels the impact of personality factors (e.g., openness to experience, and extraversion), affective factors (e.g., perceived communicative confidence (PCC), and L2 speaking anxiety), and English classroom environment on L2 WTC. The adopted questionnaire was administered to 234 randomly selected public university students. A three-level hierarchical regression modeling was performed in SPSS (version, 24). The findings showed that affective factors in the study accounted for 33% of the variance in leaners' L2 WTC. Both personality factors and English classroom environment caused significant changes in L2 WTC model e.g., (▵R2=.16) and (▵R2=.09) respectively. The findings also revealed the interrelationship of the six variables and presented the account of L2 WTC in a different EFL social context. The findings have some implications for teaching and learning in an EFL context.