EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UNCERTAINTY AND WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE IN THE EFL CONTEXT

Abstract

As the notion of teaching English as foreign language shifted from grammar-based to communication-based instruction, WTC started being viewed as essential component of language learning and process of communication serving critical role in the accomplishment of the communicative abilities of the students. On the other hand, since language is vivid, learning language is a journey in which students inevitably confront a variety sources of uncertainties. The way students experience uncertainty and cope with it may influence a learner's WTC in English. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the relationship between students‘ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English and uncertainty experiences in English language classrooms, as well as the impact of other factors such as gender, age, and the type of school they attend. A total of 205 high school students from a private Turkish college participated in the study, which utilized a quantitative research approach. Two questionnaires were used to collect data, with an additional section collecting the participants' demographic information. The SPSS program was used to examine the quantitative data. Within the context of participants' demographic backgrounds, WTC level and uncertainty experiences were assessed. WTC was shown to have a negative correlation with the uncertainty students encountered in the classroom, according to the data.