The relationship between willingness to communicate and multiple intelligences among learners of English as a foreign language

Abstract

The present study was conducted to examine the existence of any possible relationship between willingness to communicate (WTC) and multiple intelligences (MI) among over 500 EFL learners. The study also investigated the effect of gender on the relationship between these two constructs. The data for the research were gathered using a three-part questionnaire which was presented in the students' native language. A revised version of Gardner's MI measure was used to assess the participants' intelligences. Students' WTC was measured through a twenty-item WTC scale. In addition, a biodata questionnaire was used to get some demographic information about the learners. The findings revealed that the MI profile of learners of English has a significant correlation with their willingness to participate in L2 communication and that the link between MI and WTC is affected by gender.