The Role of EFL Teachers’ Socio-affective Strategies in Learners’ Willingness to Communicate: Learners’ Perceptions

Subject Areas : All areas of language and translation

Nahid  Zarei ¹ (Department of English, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz, Iran)
مهناز  سعیدی ² (دپارتمان انگلیسی- واحد تبریز- دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی- تبریز- ایران)
سعبده  آهنگری ³ (دپارتمان انگلیسی- واحد تبریز- دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی- تبریز- ایران)

Received: 2022-03-01 Accepted : 2022-06-14 Published : 2023-11-01

Keywords: Exploratory Factor Analysis, Validation, Willingness to communicate, Reliability analysis, Socio-Affective Strategies,

Abstract :

The present study set out to develop a willingness to communicate (WTC) questionnaire addressingteachers’ socio-affective strategies. It also aimed at exploring learners’ perceptions toward thesestrategies affecting their WTC. Participants of the study, who were selected by a non-probabilityconvenience sampling method, were 153 English as a foreign language learner in three popular EnglishInstitutes in Iran. A questionnaire including 45 items was designed by referring to a previouslyconducted focus group interview of Iranian EFL teachers and the review of the literature. Afterthe questionnaire was administered to and completed by the learners, an exploratory factor analysis(EFA) was performed. The analysis yielded 37 items and six factors: (a) creating a positive interaction(8 items), (b) teachers’ enthusiasm (6 items), (c) teachers’ fairness (5 items), (d) teachers’ presence (6items), (e) teachers’ immediacy (6 items), and (f) teaching skills and participation in group activities(6 items). The reliability measures were also examined and the results were satisfactory. The sixfactors were compared against each other and teachers’ enthusiasm and fairness were found to be themost important factor in promoting learners’ WTC. Implications for teacher trainers and teachers arediscussed and suggestions for further research are offered.

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