MacIntyre et al.'s (1998) heuristic pyramid model of willingness to communicate in L2¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 3 claims (2 for, 1 mixed) · 2 studies (1 associational, 1 design), q2 · 0 of 2 report an effect size · 3 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article describes the comprehensive 1998 model of L2 willingness to communicate by MacIntyre, Clement, Dörnyei and Noels, which treats WTC as a situational rather than trait-like variable. It is illustrated by "a pyramid figure which has twelve constructs" depicting probable determinants of WTC in L2, and is called "the first attempt at a comprehensive treatment of WTC in the L2".

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• The model situates WTC among multiple constructs (motivation, personality, context, perceived competence, anxiety), so studying it requires measuring several affective and situational variables.

Constraints¶

• The article treats the model as heuristic; different aspects of it have been investigated since 1998 with varying findings about direct versus indirect paths from motivation to WTC.

Target Learners¶

• Second-language learners in classroom contexts

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Explaining and predicting learners' willingness to communicate in a second language

Claims¶

• Motivation Correlates With L2 Wtc Turkish Efl [+M]
• Turkish EFL preparatory students were somewhat willing to communicate in English [+W]
• Participation in interpersonal audio discussions produced no statistically significant changes in overall willingness to communicate, though most students reported unchanged or increased WTC [~W]

Related Theories¶

• MacIntyre et al.'s situational model of willingness to communicate in L2
• MacIntyre et al.'s willingness-to-communicate (WTC) model as a framework linking pronunciation and affective variables
• Willingness to Communicate in a Second Language — the canonical page for this theory

Examples¶

• Enhance learners' motivation, especially intrinsic motivation, to raise L2 willingness to communicate

Key Sources¶

• Altiner, C. (2018). Turkish EFL Learners' Willingness to Communicate in L2 and Motivation. Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(11a). https://doi.org/10.11114/jets.v6i11a.3815