The Effect Of Vision/İmagery Capacity Of The Foreign Language Learners On Their Willingness To Communicate

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the predictors of willingness to communicate (WTC) inside and outside the classroom and to examine the effect of vision/imagery capacity on willingness to communicate. The study was designed via a quantitative approach in which a composite instrument was used to examine the relationships of different variables based on willingness to communicate, L2 motivational self-system, and vision. The study was conducted at Hacettepe University. The participants were 229 English Preparatory School students. The data was analyzed quantitatively by conducting parametric tests which were descriptive statistics, one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), Pearson product correlation coefficients, and standard multiple regression analysis. The results demonstrated that university level English learners in Turkish EFL context had high levels of willingness to communicate both inside and outside the classroom. However, the participants’ level of willingness to communicate outside the classroom was significantly higher than their level of willingness to communicate inside the classroom. This difference was also corroborated by the standard multiple regression analysis concluding that the predictors of WTC inside the classroom and outside classroom were different. The WTC inside the classroom was predicted by Ideal L2 self, WTC outside the classroom, International travelling and Language learning experience; however, the WTC outside the classroom was predicted by WTC inside the classroom, International travelling and Vision. Vision was examined in a WTC model and was found to have a significant effect on WTC outside the classroom, but not inside the classroom. The results were discussed with the related literature and it was concluded that in Turkish EFL context, WTC inside and outside the classroom was different from each other and their predictors were different from each other.