Informal Digital Learning of English and willingness to communicate in a second language: Self-efficacy beliefs as a mediator

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlespeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) is associated with willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC). Although affective mediators (e.g. enjoyment and anxiety) have been found to influence the relationship between IDLE and L2 WTC, it is unclear whether cognitive factors influence IDLE’s effects on L2 WTC. This study aims to fill this gap by determining whether self-efficacy beliefs mediate the relationship between IDLE and L2 WTC among 246 Kazakhstani university EFL students. In contrast to previous research in other Asian contexts, our structural equation modelling results revealed that IDLE was not directly related to L2 WTC. Instead, self-efficacy beliefs acted as a full mediator between IDLE constructs and L2 WTC. These findings suggest that EFL students who participate in IDLE activities more frequently have a stronger belief in their own ability to perform various tasks in English, which leads to a greater willingness to communicate. This is the first research of its kind in Kazakhstani EFL context. This is also the first study to show that IDLE and L2 WTC are linked via a cognitive factor. Our research offers a context-specific pedagogical IDLE model to teachers and teacher educators in Kazakhstan and other similar EFL contexts. Copyright © 2023 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Original languageEnglish
JournalComputer Assisted Language Learning
Early online dateMay 2023
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - May 2023

Citation

Zadorozhnyy, A., & Lee, J. S. (2023). Informal Digital Learning of English and willingness to communicate in a second language: Self-efficacy beliefs as a mediator. Computer Assisted Language Learning. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2023.2215279

Keywords

  • Informal digital learning of English
  • Willingness to communicate in a second language
  • Self-efficacy beliefs
  • Kazakhstan

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Informal Digital Learning of English and willingness to communicate in a second language: Self-efficacy beliefs as a mediator'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.