ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WILLINGNESS TO COMMUNICATE AND IDENTITY PROCESSING STYLES OF THE IRANIAN ADVANCED EFL LEARNERS

Communication is the most prominent function of language. In order to learn and acquire a new language, the learner must demonstrate willingness to communicate (WTC) in that language. Such willingness can be altered based on the image that each individual has in his/her mind of who he/she really is. This study tries to investigate the relationship between WTC and identity processing styles among advanced English as a foreign language (EFL) Iranian learners. It assessed the WTC and identity processing styles of 345 advanced EFL Iranian learners by using the questionnaires. The results underline that the best identity type that can act as a predictor of WTC among Advanced Iranian EFL learners was the informational identity processing style. Additionally, the result of multiple regressions indicates that identity style subscales could explain 77% of variance in WTC. This study can encourage the integration of identity and WTC surveys into EFL educational settings to identify processing styles and WTC of EFL learners while determining their weaknesses and strengths regarding ‎speaking, reading, writing, and comprehending a second language.