The Relationship Between Willingness to Communicate and Chinese Academic Culture and in English among Chinese College Student

Abstract

This study investigates Chinese college students' willingness to communicate (WTC) in English within classroom settings and its correlation with Chinese academic culture. A mixed-methods approach was used to address three research objectives: examining students' levels of WTC in English, exploring the relationship between Chinese academic culture and WTC, and analyzing the perspectives of students with varying WTC levels on Chinese academic culture. As for data collection, a group of undergraduate non-English majors (n = 120) completed a questionnaire tapping into their levels of WTC and Chinese academic culture: communication anxiety, learner beliefs, motivation, and classroom environment. Descriptive analysis was conducted to determine the level of WTC, and correlations were examined between WTC and the four cultural aspects. For qualitative data, eight students, representing both high and low WTC levels, volunteered for semi-structured interviews to provide in-depth insights. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic content analysis based on Boyatzis (1998), revealing four main themes: academic expectations and pressures, instructional strategies and learning environments, classroom culture and interactions, and extracurricular engagement's impact on WTC. Results indicated a moderate WTC level in English (Mean=3.71, SD=1.21). Positive correlations were found between WTC and classroom environment, learner beliefs, and motivation, while communication anxiety was negatively correlated with WTC. These findings have educational implications for teaching practitioners and policymakers, suggesting a need for supportive classroom environments that enhance students' English communication abilities.