Building Confident Communicators: Global Trends and Challenges in Willingness to Communicate among Foreign Students Learning English
Keywords:
Willingness to Communicate; English as a Foreign Language; Foreign Students; Communication Anxiety; Classroom InteractionAbstract
Willingness to Communicate (WTC) has become a critical construct in second and foreign language learning, particularly among international students studying in multilingual academic environments where communication determines academic participation and social integration. Despite growing scholarship, existing studies remain fragmented across psychological, pedagogical and technological perspectives. This study aims to synthesise contemporary WTC research trends and strategic directions through a dual-analytical design integrating bibliometric performance analysis and SWOT synthesis. Using Scopus-indexed publications from 2021-2025, 193 articles were identified through PRISMA procedures, from which the top ten most-cited studies were analysed in depth. Bibliometric mapping identified dominant thematic developments, while SWOT analysis examined strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats within the field. Findings indicate that recent WTC research is strongly shaped by affective variables such as enjoyment, self-efficacy, grit and teacher immediacy, alongside increasing emphasis on blended and informal digital learning environments. However, reliance on self-report designs and a cultural focus remains a key limitation. The study contributes a strategic, integrative framework linking bibliometric evidence to pedagogical implications, offering guidance for researchers, educators, and policymakers. The findings support Sustainable Development Goal 4 by emphasising inclusive and communication-centred language education.
https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.25.3.39
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Copyright (c) 2026 Siti Khadijah Mohd Yusof, Fatin Syamilah Che Yob, Lim Seong Pek, Dianna Suzieanna Mohamad Shah, M. Zaini Miftah, Elfi Elfi
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