Classroom Interactions in the Target Language: Learners’ Perceptions, Willingness to Communicate, and Communication Behavior

Research has provided evidence in support of the importance of the predictive effect of the willingness to communicate (WTC) on interactions in the classroom and shed light on the predictive sources of WTC. However, few studies have investigated learners’ perceptions of classroom interaction in the target language (L2 PCI), and few have considered how these perceptions relate to L2 WTC and actual classroom interaction. Hence, the present study aims at examining the causal relationships between L2 PCI, L2 WTC, and interaction behavior. Based on a critical review of literature, a structural equation model theorizing the causal links among the three factors was proposed for empirical testing. Three hundred and twenty-nine university students participated in the study. The results suggested that learners’ perceptions of group interaction and interaction with the teacher significantly predicted L2 WTC and classroom communication in the target language. It was further argued that the research findings had pronounced implications for both language pedagogy and research.