Willingness to Communicate in Instructed Second Language Acquisition

This is an engaging, data-rich and well-crafted study of Polish students’ willingness to communicate in English. The integration of macro and micro perspectives enables its in-depth portrayal of the trait-like and situational features of WTC. With the revelation of nuanced changes in WTC in naturally-occurring classes, this book exemplifies a valuable dynamic perspective in L2 WTC research.

* Jian-E Peng, Shantou University, China *

Because willingness to communicate is such an integral component of language acquisition, I am mystified that a book dedicated exclusively to this topic has not graced the shelves of applied linguists before this! Kudos to Mystkowska-Wiertelak and Pawlak for presenting WTC in its complexity by theoretically situating and experimentally contextualizing it in this outstanding volume. It is only through communication and interaction that we can enter into the relationships that make us thrive!

* Tammy Gregersen, University of Northern Iowa, USA *

Mystkowska-Wiertelak and Pawlak put an important spin on a classic theme, willingness to communicate. Part One, a theoretical-methodological-empirical overview, is a powerhouse, well worth reading even by itself. Part Two reports a very large WTC macro-factors study, while Part Three traces more detailed WTC fluctuations and influences in three classes. Exceptional and exciting!

* Rebecca L. Oxford, University of Maryland, USA *

I can fully recommend the volume by Mystkowska-Wiertelak and Pawlak as a scholarly text, which is well-written, coherent, and well-informed both on the theoretical and empirical levels.

-- Danuta Gabryś-Barker, University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland * Theory and Practice of Second Language Acquisition vol. 3 (2) 2017 *

It was a real pleasure to read this book. It is written in a clear and reader-friendly manner. The text, the tables and the figures make it easy to follow the author’s reasoning around WTC and the two studies conducted.

-- Anita Thomas, Université de Fribourg, Switzerland * LINGUIST List 29.25