L2 Grit and Classroom Willingness to Communicate: The Moderating Role of Anxiety

Abstract

Developing oral proficiency has long been a goal of college English education in China, yet many non-English major undergraduates remain reluctant to speak English in class. This reluctance may reflect not only linguistic limitations but also affective and situational barriers. The present study examined whether L2 grit is positively associated with classroom speaking willingness to communicate (WTC) among non-English major undergraduates and whether this association varies across levels of English classroom anxiety. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 504 non-English major undergraduates through questionnaires measuring L2 grit, English classroom anxiety, and classroom speaking WTC. Follow-up semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 purposively sampled participants representing four grit-anxiety profiles. Quantitative results supported both hypotheses: higher L2 grit was associated with stronger WTC, and this association weakened as anxiety increased, though it remained significant across the anxiety levels examined. Qualitative findings revealed that sustained effort provided communicative resources but did not guarantee voluntary speaking; perceived evaluative risk and classroom conditions shaped whether readiness translated into participation. The findings suggest that L2 grit matters for communicative readiness, but its expression in classroom speaking depends on anxiety and the immediate speaking situation.