The Impact of Content and Context on International Teaching Assistants ' Willingness to Communicate in the Language Classroom

Past studies have identified the impact of situational and enduring variables on second language (L2) learners ' willingness to communicate (WTC) in the L2. This qualitative study triangulates data from two classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with four students and class instructor, and personal experiences including communication with peers to examine the impact of content and context on four international teaching assistants ' (ITAs') WTC in their language class. Results suggest that ITAs are more willing to communicate when there is shared knowledge of field-specific content or if they feel confident with their L2 ability. Cultural factors and international posture were also important factors that contributed to the level of ITAs ' WTC