Willingness to Communicate in English as a Second Language: A Case Study of First-Year Students at a South African Rural University

Authors

  • Hlaviso Motlhaka, Khashane Stephen, Makwalete Johanna Malatji

Abstract

This study investigated the willingness to initiate communication on the part of first-year students at one South African rural university. Quantitative data was collected through closed-ended questionnaires from 250 randomly selected students enrolled in the English Communication Skills module which was offered by the Department of English within the School of Human and Social Sciences during the 2018 academic year. The study relied upon Bandura’s social cognitive theory as a theoretical framework. Bandura’s theory acknowledges that a great deal of human thought is based on language proficiency.  The results revealed that students’ willingness to communicate (WTC) in English was high with friends, but that they did not feel confident enough to initiate or continue communication in unfamiliar situations, like public speaking. Finally, the results demonstrate the reluctance of first-year students to communicate in English with strangers and in public, which restricts their opportunities to use English outside and inside the classroom. The researchers offer a set of recommendations to help lecturers promote students’ willingness to communicate and develop their proficiency in English.

Published

2020-02-29

Issue

Section

Articles