Willingness to communicate in a multilingual context: part one, a time-serial study of developmental dynamics

ABSTRACT

In many contexts of multilingualism, language learners can initiate communication in the target language (TL), or a contact language (such as English). Patterns of use emerging from these choices affect TL development. They also vary between individuals. Willingness to communicate (WTC) needs to be investigated in ways that capture these variations. So far, WTC has not been studied in multilingual contexts, or using individual-level longitudinal designs. Employing a single-case, time-serial design and focused on a critical period of TL growth, this study explores WTC trajectories of adult learners of Swedish for whom the TL and English provide viable communication options in community interaction. Change point and moving window correlational analyses reveal the operation of mutually interacting influences that shape WTC and have system-level effects. With light shed on processes at the developmental timescale, findings are discussed in the context of language choice, co-evolution, and the trait–state dichotomy.

KEYWORDS:

• Willingness to communicate
• process dynamics
• language choice
• migration
• multilingualism
• multilinguals

Acknowledgements

Our deepest thanks go to the study participants.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Students enrolled on the programme could also study basic and intermediate-level Swedish for Immigrants (SFI) courses at municipally operated centres.

Additional information

Funding

The research was supported by funding received from the Swedish Research Council (Vetenskapsrådet) (grant 2018-03559).

Notes on contributors

Alastair Henry

Alastair Henry is professor of language education at University West (Sweden). His research focuses on L2 motivation, L2 perseverance, multilingualism, language teachers’ motivational practices and teacher identity dynamics. He is the co-author and co-editor of a number of books on these topics.

Cecilia Thorsen

Cecilia Thorsen is senior lecturer in education at University West (Sweden). In addition to the psychology of language learning and teaching, her research involves educational assessment, issues of equity in education, and academic resilience. Currently she is involved in a project investigating the development of motivation in primary mathematics.

Peter D. MacIntyre

Peter D. MacIntyre is professor of psychology at Cape Breton University (Canada). His research focuses on the psychology of language and communication, including anxiety, motivation and willingness to communicate. He has written books or edited anthologies on Positive Psychology, Motivational Dynamics, Nonverbal Communication, Teaching Innovations, and Language Learner Individual Differences.