ATESL Feature Article
The Influence of Willingness to Communicate on the Development of Oral Fluency
Kyesuk Song
Many second language learners believe that spending time in an English-speaking country is all that is needed to develop oral fluency. Once immersed in a second language (L2) environment, however, there are many other factors that affect the successful development of fluency. One of these is learners' willingness to communicate (WTC), “a readiness to enter into discourse at a particular time with a specific person or persons using an L2” (MacIntyre, Dörnyei, Clement, & Noels, 1998, p. 547).
Researchers believe that WTC in the first language is personality-based, but that in a second language it is more context-dependent. In other words, willingness to communicate will vary, depending on the situation in which the L2 is used. ESL learners, for example, may be more willing to communicate with a specific person because of his/her attractiveness, similarity to and familiarity with them. For example, a Korean speaker of English may be interested in interacting with a Japanese student in the same program because her speaking is very fluent and both are interested in each other’s culture (Song, 2008). On the other hand, learners' uncertainty about their ability to communicate in a novel or unfamiliar situation (e.g., being interviewed for a job; giving directions) increases feelings of tension (state or situational anxiety) and decreases their belief in their capacity to communicate effectively at a particular time (state perceived competence), thus reducing their WTC.
A greater degree of willingness to communicate creates more opportunities to interact in English. Learners will therefore have more opportunity to practise their speaking skills, which in turn will enhance their oral fluency. Practice helps to reduce dysfluencies (e.g., filled pauses [um, er], excessive silent pauses, and false starts) and to improve speaking rate, thus increasing learner confidence to engage in further interaction. The more opportunity for meaningful practice, the more opportunity learners have to transfer important language rules into their conversations (Schmidt, 1992).
The results of my study of five Korean international university students (Song, 2008) support research findings that WTC is improved by the following: L2 self-confidence; state (situational) communicative self-confidence; learners' communicative competence; the desire to communicate with a specific person due to his/her attractiveness, similarity and familiarity; familiarity with the speaking partner; the speaker's familiarity with the topic; and positive attitudes towards the target language group (in this case, native speakers of English). This research has several implications for ESL classrooms.
- Since L2 self-confidence is associated with learners’ perceived communicative competence and L2 anxiety, comfortable and supportive classrooms with positive feedback will establish a place where learners can take risks in their L2.
- Teaching basic communication strategies/skills (e.g., paraphrasing, negotiating meaning, body language, requesting clarification, asking questions) will increase learners' WTC.
- Many learners may not be aware of cultural norms of conversation and are therefore too shy to speak out (state anxiety). Teaching them cultural norms (e.g., the difference between direct/indirect communication styles; levels of self-disclosure; using appropriate register in a variety of situations) will be helpful.
- Strategies for small talk and background information on topics that learners might encounter outside the classroom (e.g., Canadian politics, hockey, current events, how to start/ end a conversation) can go a long way towards increasing WTC (Derwing, Munro, & Thomson, 2008).
- Familiarity with native speakers can be enhanced by language exchanges, club activities, part-time jobs, as well as volunteer activities in the community (Kodama, 2007). However, as Derwing et al. (2008) indicated, because many learners do not take it upon themselves to seek out volunteer activities, teachers or program coordinators may need to provide learners with (a) strategies for finding suitable opportunities and (b) follow-up activities in the classroom to ensure engaged participation.
- Sharing their positive and negative experiences with each other in class and reflecting on their interactions will help learners better understand Canadian culture and how to deal with similar situations in future.
Improving learners’ willingness to communicate will increase their communication with other English speakers so they can share opinions and develop intercultural understanding. The development of willingness to communicate and oral fluency will not only help ESL learners interact successfully in academic, social, and workplace contexts, but also bring them one step closer to successful integration into Canadian society.
References
Derwing, T. M., Munro, M. J., & Thomson, R. L. (2008). A longitudinal study of ESL learners’ fluency and comprehensibility development. Applied Linguistics, 29, 359-380.
Kodama, Y. (2007). Japanese students’ contact with native English speakers during a study abroad experience. Unpublished master’s research project. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
Song, K. (2008). Exploring the relationship between willingness to communicate and students’ perceived oral fluency during studying abroad. Unpublished master’s research project. Department of Educational Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
MacIntyre, P. D., Dörnyei, Z., Clément, R., & Noels, K. A. (1998). Conceptualizing willingness to communicate in a L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation. The Modern Language Journal, 82, 545-562.
Schmidt, R. (1992). Psychological mechanisms underlying second language fluency. Studies in second Language Acquisition, 14, 357-385.