Teacher-student rapport and willingness to communicate in English as a foreign language: A study of teachers‘ and students‘ perceptions in the chilean context

Abstract

In order to successfully learn the target language, EFL students must devote an important amount of time producing the language. However, students do not often feel confident to speak in English in front of their classmates and teacher. To analyse this issue, this article examines the association between the teacher-student rapport and the student‘s willingness to communicate in English. The methodology was mixed, not experimental and correlational, including a sample of 140 students and 5 teachers from southern Chile.

Firstly, the results show that the teacher-student relationship is superior among male students and, furthermore semi-private schools possess higher levels of rapport compared to public schools. Additionally, speaking student‘s anxiety and the number of students per classroom were also considered as significant factors influencing student‘s L2 WTC.