The effect of extended wait-time on promoting Iranian EFL learners' willingness to communicate

Abstract

Increasing EFL learners' willingness to communicate has always been a concern to teachers. This study aimed at investigating the effect of extended wait time in EFL classrooms on the learners' willingness to communicate. In order to carry out this quasi-experimental study, 60 adult EFL learners at a basic level of proficiency in English (CEFR A1 and A2) were chosen to take part. They were first homogenised by Key English Test (KET) and then assigned to two groups of experimental and control. The Willingness to Communicate (WTC) Questionnaire by McIntyre, Baker, Clément, and Conrod (2001) was given ⋙ to learners before the treatment. During the treatment phase, in the experimental group, the teacher allocated more wait time (3-5 seconds) to the learners when a question was asked, however, in the control group, wait time was limited (less than 3 seconds). After the treatment phase, the WTC questionnaire was administered again to find out if it altered as a result of the treatment. The results show that those learners who were in the experimental group showed higher willingness to communicate compared to lower WTC scores in the limited wait time group participants. The findings can make ELT teachers aware that giving their students more time to think can increase their willingness to communicate in the second language.