Exploring International School Teachers’ Views of Foreign Chinese Students’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English

Willingness to communicate (WTC) refers to an individual’s intention to speak or remain silent when given a choice (MacIntyre, 2007, 2020). This qualitative study investigates international school teachers’ perceptions of the factors influencing foreign Chinese students’ willingness to communicate in English, explores teachers’ views of these students’ WTC, and examines pedagogical practices used to encourage English communication. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with six teachers from Malaysian international schools. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings reveal three main themes influencing students’ WTC in English: (1) affective factors, particularly anxiety and low self- confidence; (2) cultural influences related to communication norms and classroom behaviour; and (3) instructional practices, including teachers’ methods and interactional strategies. Although foreign Chinese students were perceived as generally reluctant to communicate in English voluntarily, teachers reported employing practical classroom strategies to enhance students’ WTC. Due to the small sample size, the findings are not intended to be generalisable, and further research involving a larger and more diverse group of teachers is recommended.

Willingness to Communicate (WTC), Foreign Chinese Students, International School Teachers, Affective Factors and Teaching Strategies

1. Abdul Aziz, A., & Kashinathan, S. (2021). ESL learners’ Challenges in Speaking English in Malaysian Classroom. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education & Development, 10, 983- 991.https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARPED/v10-i2/10355. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Amoah, S., & Yeboah, J. (2021). The speaking difficulties of Chinese EFL learners and their motivation towards speaking the English language. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 17(1), 56–69. https://doi.org/10.52462/jlls.4. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Aeni, Y. K. (2020). THE USE OF THINK PAIR SHARE TECHNIQUE IN TEACHING SPEAKING PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 3(5), 570. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. https://doi.org/10.22460/project.v3i5.p570- 576. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Abbasi, N. I. A., & Anthony, N. E. (2024). Group work as a contributing factor for language use and oral fluency in EFL classroom. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(4), 1–8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i4.6669. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Alisoy, H. (2024). The impact of cultural differences on ESL learners’ language acquisition. Euro Global Journal of Linguistics and Language Education., 1(1), 11–17. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. https://doi.org/10.69760/0qzswg04. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Amiri, F., & Puteh, M. (2018). Oral Communication Apprehension among International Doctoral Students English Language Teaching, 11(2), 164. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v11n2p164. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Bakar, A. L. A., Esa, S. M., Ationg, R., & Jawing, E. (2021). The English language in the Malaysian education system. International Journal of Education, Psychology and Counselling, 6(43), 122–130. https://doi.org/10.35631/ijepc.643011. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Badrasawi, K. J. I., Kassim, N. L. A., Zubairi, A. M., Johar, E. M., & Sidik, S. S. (2021). English Language Speaking Anxiety, Self-Confidence and Perceived Ability among Science and Technology Undergraduate Students: A Rasch Analysis. Pertanika Journal of Social Science & Humanities, 29(S3). https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.29.s3.16. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Bao, Y., & Liu, S. (2021). The influence of affective factors in second language acquisition on foreign language teaching. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 09(03), 463–470. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. https://doi.org/10.4236/jss.2021.93030. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Biju, K. (2024, July). View of the influence of learner’s first language (L1) in English language acquisition. https://bpasjournals.com/library-science/index.php/journal/article/view/651/2422. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Cai, M. (2021). The predictability of Chinese English as a foreign language students’ willingness to communicate through teachers’ immediacy and Teacher–Student rapport. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 769424. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.769424. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Chan, S. T. K., & Smith, G. D. (2024). Strategies for enhancing Chinese students’ engagement in a large class learning environment: An interpretative phenomenological approach. Nurse Education in Practice, 78, 104023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2024.104023. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Derakhshan, A., & Karimi, E. (2015). The interference of first language and second language acquisition.Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 5(10), 2112. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0510.19. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Elo, S., & Kyngäs, H. (2008). The qualitative content analysis process. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 62(1), 107–115. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2007.04569.x. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Gao, Y., Kew, S. N., Feng, H., Zhang, T., & Ren, Z. (2024). Facilitating second language willingness to communicate in English: A systematic review on types of classroom-based instructional practices and their effects. Arab World English Journal, 15(4), 328–351. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol15no4.21. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Guo, C. (2023). Exploring common grammatical errors in Chinese students writing. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media, 29(1), 96–101. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/29/20231406. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Jun Zhao, J., & Dersingh, R. (2022). Factors Affecting Willingness to Communicate in English among Chinese Students in an International Academic Setting in Thailand. THAITESOL Journal, 35(2), 1–21. retrieved from https://so05.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/thaitesoljournal/article/view/261901. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Language Connections. (2021, November 5). Which Type of Bilingual Are You? There Are Three Types. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Li, G. (2025). The relationship between grit and L2 willingness to communicate among Chinese undergraduate students: the contributions of foreign language enjoyment and anxiety. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04862-4. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Lee, J. S., & Lee, K. (2020). The role of informal digital learning of English and L2 motivational self system in foreign language enjoyment. British Journal of Educational Technology, 52(1), 358–373. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12955. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Liang, Y., & Alavi, S. (2025). A study of Chinese EFL students’ and teachers’ perceptions on willingness to communicate. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 8(5), 14–23. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v8i5.2625. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. MACINTYRE, P. D. (2007). Willingness to Communicate in the Second Language: Understanding the Decision to Speak as a Volitional Process. The Modern Language Journal, 91(4), 564–576. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.2007.00623.x. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. MacIntyre P.D., Dörnyei Z., Clément R., Noels K.A. (1998). Conceptualizing willingness to communicate in a L2: A situational model of L2 confidence and affiliation. The Modern Language Journal, 82, 545–562. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Mostafa, S. M. S. E. M. (2020). Social Networking and Willingness to Communicate in English As a Second Language. Ekb Journals, 44(4), 333–375. https://doi.org/10.21608/jfees.2020.152411. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Massri, R. A. (2020). Teachers’ Attitudes towards English as a Foreign Language and Their Influence on Students’ Attitudes and English Learning: A Qualitative Study. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 10(4). https://doi.org/10.30845/ijhss.v10n4a8. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Nguyen, T. V. (2024). Teachers’ and Students’ perspectives on Using English-Only instruction in EFL Classrooms: a case study at a university in the Mekong Delta. In Proceedings of ICRES 2024-- International Conference on Research in Education and Science (pp. 966–983) [Conference-proceeding]. https://www.icres.net. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Rensch, S. (2024, September 16). Malaysia: Major spike in Chinese students in HE and K-12. The PIE News. https://thepienews.com/malaysia-major-spike-in-chinese-students-in-he-and-k-12/. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Serajuddin, M. (2023). Impact Of Cultural Factors On The Acquisition Of English As A Second Language In Bangladesh. IJCRT. https://doi.org/10.13140/rg.2.2.24656.07682. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Salem, A. a. M. S., & Dyiar, M. a. A. (2014). The Relationship between Speaking Anxiety and Oral Fluency of Special Education Arab Learners of English. Asian Social Science, 10(12). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v10n12p170. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Sadoughi, M., & Hejazi, S. Y. (2024). Growth language mindset and willingness to communicate: Contributions of linguistic risk taking and learning experience. Acta Psychologica, 248, 104367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104367. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Tridinanti, G. (2018). The Correlation between Speaking Anxiety, Self-Confidence, and Speaking Achievement of Undergraduate EFL Students of Private University in Palembang. International Journal of Education and Literacy Studies, 6(4), 35. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijels.v.6n.4p.35. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Tianyu, Q., & Wahid, N. S. A. (2025). Culture and Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English among Chinese International Learners in a Public University in Malaysia. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, IX(I), 4259–4289. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. https://doi.org/10.47772/ijriss.2025.9010332. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Valtakoski, A., & Glaa, B. (2024). Beyond templates: methodological reporting practices and their impact in qualitative service research. Journal of Service Management, 35(6), 66–108. https://doi.org/10.1108/josm-06- 2023-0253. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Wen, W. P., & Clément, R. (2003). A Chinese conceptualisation of willingness to communicate in ESL Language Culture and Curriculum, 16(1), 18–38. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908310308666654. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Wright-Gallo, G. L., Higbee, T. S., Reagon, K. A., & Davey, B. J. (2006). Classroom-Based Functional Analysis and Intervention for Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders. Utah State Research and Scholarship (Utah State University), 29(3), 421–434. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/sped_facpub/53 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study