EFL Learners’ Language Aptitude, Foreign Language Anxiety, and Willingness to Communicate

International Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Research

مقاله 2، دوره 8، Issue 30 (Spring 2020-No.2)، شهریور 2020، صفحه 25-48   

نوع مقاله: Research Papers

نویسندگان

Hamid Marashi^* ؛ Soudabeh Sahafnia

Department of English, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

چکیده

This study was an attempt to investigate the relationship among EFL learners’ language aptitude, anxiety, and willingness to communicate (WTC). Accordingly, two questionnaires and a battery were used: Language Aptitude Battery for Iranian Learners (LABI), Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), and WTC Scale. A total of 164 undergraduate students majoring in English literature and English translation of Islamic Azad University Central Tehran took part in this study, among whom 119 (52 males and 67 females) whose age ranged from 19 to 35 years responded to the three instruments completely and were thus considered as the actual participants. The researchers carried out a series of both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses and the results supported the notion that learners’ anxiety was negatively correlated with their WTC while learners’ language aptitude was positively correlated with their WTC. Hence, the major implication of this study is that by helping learners reduce their anxiety and enhance their aptitude, they can increase their WTC.

کلیدواژه‌ها

Language aptitude؛ anxiety؛ willingness to communicate