Willingness to Communicate among Algerian Students of English as a Foreign Language: A Dynamic Interplay of Individual and Contextual Influences

Abstract

This mixed-methods study investigates the role of emotional support in shaping Algerian university students’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in English. Framed by Positive Psychology (PP) and Second Language Acquisition (SLA), the research explores how supportive relationships with teachers, peers, and family impact students' confidence, motivation, and readiness to use English within and beyond the classroom. Quantitative data were collected from 67 third-year EFL students via an online survey assessing WTC levels, perceived emotional support, and attitudes toward communication. In-depth interviews with five participants provided qualitative insight into the affective and relational dimensions of language learning. The study also examines how learners' language networks intersect with PP constructs such as self-confidence, self-efficacy, motivation, emotional well-being, and perceived meaning in communication. Findings reveal that students who experience consistent emotional support, particularly
from teachers, peers, and family, demonstrate higher WTC and reduced language anxiety. A constructive classroom climate, where mistakes are viewed as learning opportunities, was seen as critical. Informal spaces like peer interactions and online platforms also played a positive role, while public use of English was hindered by fear of negative social judgement. By highlighting the emotional and contextual foundations of WTC in a multilingual, postcolonial setting, this study contributes to SLA research and challenges monolingual assumptions about language learning. It also introduces the ‘Dynamic Balance Scale’, as
a conceptual tool that captures the real-time interaction of internal and external factors influencing WTC. The study offers practical implications for educators and institutions seeking to foster supportive, inclusive, and psychologically safe environments for English language development.

Date of Award	Jan 2026
Original language	English (Ireland)
Supervisor	Deirdre Ní Loingsigh (Supervisor) & Helen Kelly Holmes (Supervisor)