Applying multiple intelligences in english speaking classes to enhance students’ willingness to communicate = Áp dụng thuyết Đa trí tuệ trong giờ học nói Để gia tăng sự sẵn lòng trong giao tiếp của học sinh

Applying multiple intelligences in English-speaking classes to enhance students’ willingness to communicate = Áp dụng thuyết đa trí tuệ trong giờ học nói để gia tăng sự sẵn lòng trong giao tiếp của học sinh

INTRODUCTION

Rationale for the study

As English has become a global language and is expanding into every aspect of everyday life, the need to study English has grown exponentially In Vietnam, English is a mandatory school subject and is extensively taught beyond the traditional classroom setting Typically, Vietnamese consider English as an indispensable tool to pass examinations, improve career prospects, and integrate into the globalized context Therefore, students have invested significant effort in learning English, while educators and teachers have been continuously developing English teaching methodologies Of the four skills, speaking as a communication skill is widely viewed among English learners to be on the difficult end, which requires a considerable commitment in terms of time and effort to acquire (Jung, 1995; Rahimi & Quraishi, 2019) The skill is deemed challenging due to its involvement in a set of physical and mental activities, which requires more than simply knowing the grammar and semantics of the language (Jung, 1995; Shumin, 2002)

To render English speaking more approachable for learners, much research has been carried out to explore effective teaching methods that could potentially maximize their speaking potential (Talley, 2014; Goh & Burns, 2012; Richards, 2008; Thornbury, 2006, etc) However, there are still gaps and questions that will need a long quest from both teachers and learners to embark on

Among the attributes of speaking skills, willingness to communicate (WTC) is hailed as the most important factor that contributes to the frequency of L2 speaking (MacIntyre, Dornyei, Clement & Noels, 1998) Indeed, the concept of WTC, which refers to the

2 decision to initiate conversations with a particular person or group using a second language (MacIntyre, 2007), is of pivotal role in learning and using a second language Riasati (2018) also states that promoting students’ WTC inside the classroom should be “a fundamental goal of L2 education” (p.1287) because students who possess higher WTC foster more chances for L2 practice and authentic language use (MacIntyre et al., 2001)

Despite the significance of WTC in English speaking, I have noticed that students’ WTC in my classes is generally limited Observations made in the classrooms indicate that they are less willing to voice their opinions in speaking lessons compared to lessons focused on other skills Additionally, students themselves also reported in informal conversations with the teacher that they tend to exhibit more willingness or less willingness to communicate in certain situations These issues have inspired me to carry out a study to gain a deep understanding of students’ WTC and factors affecting their WTC in English-speaking classes Furthermore, as an English learner myself, I have cultivated a deep interest in people’s multiple intelligences, often overlooked by most educators who predominantly measure students’ aptitude based on their intellectual and emotional intelligence The theory of Multiple intelligences (MI) was proposed by Harvard psychologist Howard Gardner in his book entitled Frames of Mind (1983), suggesting the existence of eight relatively interdependent intelligences rather than just a single construct of intelligence Regrettably, prevailing teaching methods tend to apply a one-size-fits-all approach that neglects students’ variety of intelligences in the development of teaching material Additionally, despite the varied research on MI theory and WTC individually, limited attention has been given to examining students’ display of WTC with the incorporation of MI-based lessons, particularly in the context of Vietnam Furthermore, there has been scant research undertaken to investigate students’ perceptions of the potential of MI syllabus, as well as factors contributing to learners’ WTC during MI lessons

Students’ limited WTC, along with the gaps in research, and my interest in the field, have inspired me to investigate how students demonstrated their WTC during MI-based lessons The research was also carried out to gain an insight into learners’ perception of the

3 importance of MI-based speaking activities in shaping their WTC and also investigate influencing factors during MI lessons By exploring these aspects, valuable insights can be contributed to the discourse on language education and inform more inclusive and effective teaching practices.

Aims and objectives

This studywas conducted to examine how students demonstrate their WTC in English- speaking classes using MI-based activities Furthermore, it also investigates students’ perceptions of the potential of MI approach in enhancing their WTC and factors that influence their WTC in MI-based English-speaking classes There were three objectives of the research:

- To examine how students demonstrate their WTC in English-speaking classes using MI-based activities

- To investigative students’ perceptions of the potential of MI approach in enhancing their WTC

- To examine factors that influence students’ WTC in MI-based English-speaking classes

Research questions

Based on the aims of the research, the research is expected to seek answers to the questions:

1 How do students demonstrate their WTC in English-speaking classes using MI- based activities?

2 What are the students’ perceptions of the potential of MI approach in enhancing their WTC?

3 What are the factors that affect students’ WTC in MI-based English-speaking classes?

Scope of the study

This study only focused on students studying IELTS and using IELTS-related material, so the teaching of students for other purposes is beyond the scope The teaching using MIs also focused on students studying at an English center so the results cannot be generalized to apply in other contexts.

Significance of the study

The study's findings make theoretical contributions and also offer implications for future practice In terms of theory, the study adds to the existing literature on investigating learners’ WTC during the incorporation of MI-based syllabi and their perceptions of the potential of the approach, as well as the factors influencing their WTC It is also hoped that the study might bring insight into language teaching and serve as a motivation for further research into the impact of multiple intelligences on not only students’ willingness to communicate but also in other areas such as reading comprehension, writing competence, or vocabulary retention Practically, the findings of this thesis may also serve as useful information for language teachers and educational institutions to alter and diversify learning material and teaching methods to suit individuals’ intelligence, which can potentially motivate them to initiate more communication in English classes.

Research methods of the study

The study was conducted as a case study which used both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze the data collected through

1 MI and preliminary WTC survey questionnaires: The researcher gave the students an

MI survey questionnaire to identify their dominant intelligence and a WTC survey

5 questionnaire to gain an understanding of the status quo of students’ WTC in the context of MI-based speaking lessons

2 A teacher’s observation checklist: In the speaking lessons, teachers used an observation checklist to record students’ willingness to communicate in different communicative scenarios

3 One follow-up WTC survey questionnaire: After the incorporation of MI-based activities, the students were handed a follow-up WTC questionnaireto obtain better insight into their WTC and perceptions of the potential of MI-based activities to enhance their WTC

4 One follow-up interview: After the questionnaires, interviews with several students were conducted to clarify or gain a deeper understanding of the questionnaire responses.

Structure of the study

The study is presented in 6 chapters:

Chapter 1: The Introduction consists of the rationale for the study, aims and objectives, research questions, the scope of the study, the significance of the study, the method of the study, and the structure of the study.

Chapter 2: The Literature Review presents and dissects literature concerning MIs Theory, speaking skills, teaching speaking skills, and WTC

Chapter 3 : The Methodology provides information on the research design, the context, the participants, the research method, the research procedure, and techniques for collecting and analyzing data.

Chapter 4 : The Results provides the data analysis results from different instruments

Chapter 5 : The Discussion provides the discussion on students’ WTC in the context of MI incorporation, their perceptions of the potential of the MI approach in boosting their WTC, and the teacher's observations

Chapter 6: The Conclusion provides the conclusion of the thesis and recommendations for teachers and researchers who are interested in MI and WTC areas

LITERATURE REVIEW

Speaking

As Jondeya (2011) stated, in speaking, people deliver and receive information through verbal and non-verbal symbols in various contexts Were it not for this means of communication, people undoubtedly found it harder to express their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions in a proper and timely manner

Speaking has been given several definitions As Bailey & Nunan (2005) claimed, speaking is a productive aural/oral skill and it conveys meaning by producing systematic verbal utterances Teachers can foster the speaking capability of students by providing as many communicative activities and opportunities for students as possible to practice their speaking skills This definition is close to that of Kathleen (2005), defining speaking as a process of interaction, in which people exchange meanings and intentions through producing, receiving, and processing information

In general, it can be concluded that speaking is a productive and interactive process delivered by both verbal and non-verbal expressions to exchange meanings, intentions, thoughts, and perspectives Speaking is an essential skill that students must possess to reach their goals of communicating effectively in a foreign language.

Approaches to teaching English speaking

Traditional language teaching methodologies often focused on grammar translation and rote memorization, which tended to neglect speaking skills However, in the mid-20th

8 century, the emergence of communicative language teaching (CLT) emphasized the importance of communication and interaction in language learning This shift highlighted the need to develop speaking skills alongside other language competencies

CLT, on the rise in the 1970s, gave prominence to functional and communicative aspects of language rather than grammar and vocabulary building (Richard & Rodgers, 2001) The focus of this methodology is the learner’s acquisition of communicative competency, instead of placing its importance on grammatical competence compared to the previous approaches (Finocchiaro & Brumfit, 1983) Teachers are positioned as facilitators, providing support and overseeing students’ progress in the class rather than instructors Furthermore, textbooks are not utilized to teach the target language; instead, the facilitator works on developing sound oral and verbal skills before reading and writing by using authentic texts, which are written in the target language for purposes other than language learning

Another approach to teaching oral skills is Task-based language teaching (TBLT), also known as task-based instruction (TBI), which emerged as an evolution from CLT in the 1980s The method also stresses the importance of using authentic language to complete meaningful tasks in the target language Furthermore, assessment is predominantly based on task outcome, which is the appropriate completion of real-world tasks rather than the accuracy of prescribed language forms Indeed, task-based language learning is adopted by educators to promote true communicative purpose in the class where learners develop a capacity to express meaning in direct connection to real-life situations rather than pseudo- communication resulting from textbook materials

Content-based instruction (CBI), which evolved in parallel with CLT in the 1970s and 1980s, stemmed from the recognition of the need to integrate language learning with content learning As Brinton, Snow & Wesche claimed (1989), CBI is a significant approach to language education to provide learners instruction in content and language In essence, a CBI syllabus does not focus on learning a language in isolation but rather on

9 learning a language through the study of a subject matter In other words, communicative competence is acquired in the context of learning about certain topics in that subject area

Each approach emphasizes different aspects of speaking skills development while incorporating communication and interaction as central components They all advocate for providing learners with authentic opportunities to practice and develop their speaking abilities within meaningful contexts, albeit with varying emphases on task completion, communication goals, and content integration.

Learners’ difficulties in learning English speaking skills

The mastery of English speaking is of utmost importance to English learners and speaking proficiency could be measured based on the ability to be involved in conversation in English (Nunan, 1991) As Burnkart (1998) stated, while speaking, speakers must have an awareness or sufficient knowledge of various factors including mechanics of language (pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary), functions of language (requesting, greeting, getting permission, etc), and the socio-cultural norms (turn-taking, rate of speech, length, and pause, etc) Therefore, speaking is considered by many to be the most demanding skill, thus posing perennial problems and challenges Similarly, Kathleen (2005) suggested two reasons explaining why speaking is considered the most challenging skill The first reason is that speaking, unlike writing or reading, happens in real-time In other words, communication must be delivered with little or no delay, thus creating pressure on the speakers to speak properly This is also linked to another reason that speakers cannot edit or revise what they have communicated, unlike other skills such as writing Such problems related to speaking skills encountered by L2 students are among the most commonly discussed among EFL researchers and educators

As Chan (2021) revealed in the study exploring challenges faced by undergraduate students, the majority of students experience personal problems such as lack of confidence, hesitation, and anxiety while speaking Social problems such as the culture of class, fear of criticism, and committing mistakes also explain the low participation and inhibition of

10 students in speaking lessons Along with these, linguistic problems namely poor vocabulary repertoire, shortage of linking devices among the sentences, and pronunciation might also hinder learners from speaking fluently

Apart from the aforementioned difficulties, Al Hosni (2014) after investigating the problems regarding speaking skills among young learners, revealed that mother-tongue interference also plays a major part in students’ reluctance to express their ideas in English This problem emerges because lots of students are reported to switch to their mother tongue due to their inadequate vocabulary and weak sentence-building skills

On the same line, Maji, Samanhudi & Mokoagouw (2022) also pointed out the same problems but distinctively categorized them as linguistic and nonlinguistic factors While language problems are mainly involved with the elements of vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar, nonlinguistic ones stem from the lack of confidence, fear of making mistakes, anxiety, and lack of motivation The latter deals with psychological factors, which are described as contributing equally to students’ problems in speaking classes

In short, it can be concluded that three major problems inhibit students from speaking in class, including lack of confidence, limited vocabulary and grammar, and cultural and sociolinguistic differences This study also considered these factors in promoting students’ WTC in class despite the difficulties that they might encounter.

Compensation strategies

An attempt to overcome difficulties in learning English speaking is by using compensation strategies Compensation strategies are techniques that learners adopt to “overcome knowledge limitations in all four skills in learning and producing a new language” (Oxford,

1990, p.90) Specifically, compensation strategies enable students to continue to use the second language for either production or comprehension purposes despite limitations in knowledge (Oxford, 1990) Therefore, these strategies are considered a behavior of WTC as they can bridge the gaps in students’ knowledge, increasing their willingness to speak

According to Figure 1 below, compensation strategies include two main strategies: (1) guessing intelligently and (2): Overcoming limitations in speaking and writing Oxford identified two subcategories under “guessing intelligently” as “using linguistic clues” and

Figure 1: Oxford's (1990) Compensation Learning Strategies

Additionally, to overcome limitations in speaking and writing, there are eight ways, including (1) switching to the mother tongue, (2) getting help, (3) using mime or gestures

(4) avoiding communication partially or totally, (5) selecting the topic, (6) adjusting or approximating the message, (7) coining words, and (8) using a circumlocution or synonym.

Multiple Intelligences

It is perennially believed that human minds can be measured objectively by a test deduced to a single score, which is usually associated with their intellectual ability or so-called IQ This number can profoundly influence people’s future, determining others’ perceptions of them and foretelling their future success This long-standing belief was supported by Piaget

(1962), who emphasized the generality of children’s cognitive performance across different domains of knowledge, such as mathematics, logic, or language However, his view was challenged by cognitive developmentalists during the 1980s and 1990s, who placed an emphasis on modularity of mind, implying that human cognitive faculties might be largely

12 independent of one another (Gardner & Perkins, 1974; Gardner & Wolf, 1983) In the book Frames of Mind (1993a),Howard Gardner asserted that individuals should be perceived through a more comprehensive lens, encouraging an appreciation for a diverse range of intelligences rather than confining one's abilities to a singular form of intelligence In his view, recognizing and valuing the various facets of human intelligence leads to a more accurate and nuanced understanding of an individual's cognitive strengths He claimed that if different types of assessment instruments are incorporated, a different view of human intellect might be revealed

To sufficiently identify the list of intelligence, Gardner and his colleagues tried to analyze the literature in several areas, mainly the development and breakdown of cognitive capacities and forms of intellect in different species and cultures Capacities that made it to the final list of intelligence found repeatedly appear in these disparate literature The results of this survey are reported in Frames of Mind (Gardner, 1983) and other publications (Gardner, 1987a, 1987b; Walters & Gardner, 1985) In the book, Gardner

(1983) propounded that human beings carry at least eight forms of thinking, equivalent to eight intelligences In short, multiple intelligences (Mis) is the theory that suggests the existence of eight autonomous, independent intelligences that people can possess, which will be discussed individually in this paper

Students prone to linguistic intelligence usually possess sensitivity to words and languages either orally or in writing More specifically, they might quickly pick up and manipulate sounds, rhythms, meanings of words, and the function of language As a result, students developing this intelligence enjoy reading, word games, and puns and are skilled at verbal or written expression Activities designed for students who have linguistic intelligence at their disposal can vary in written or oral forms For example, teachers can have learners

13 discuss their favorite classical novels or poems, encourage storytelling exercises (chain stories, true of fictional stories, etc,), develop platforms for debate and speaking, or have students play word games and activities to enhance their vocabulary

Musical intelligence is the cognitive capacity to understand and employ components of music such as rhythm, pitch, timbre, and the like in a music piece Intelligent students musically can express their gifts for musical instruments, singing, or composing skills at a very young age, while others simply develop an interest in music Activities that are suitable for this kind of intelligence can include incorporating music into listening diction exercises, having students transcribe a piece of music for listening purposes, or having students perform a musical play for historical or literacy events

Logical-mathematical intelligence relates to the capacity to think critically and logically and use numbers well This intelligence is linked to the sensitivity to logical patterns and relationships, statements, functions, and other related subtractions Students who have this gift express interest in the kinds of processes such as categorization, classification, inference, generalization, calculation, and hypothesis testing Teachers can utilize the following activities for the sake of students with logical-mathematical intelligence, such as designing thought-proving exercises including dealing with “what if” scenarios and having students prepare arguments and counter-arguments for impromptu scenarios used in speaking

Spatial intelligence is the ability to have a good perception of the visual-spatial surrounding world and can make alterations due to those perceptions To be attached to spatial abilities, individuals should have a good grasp of color, line, shape, form, space, and the connections between those elements It involves the capacity to visualize, represent, and employ spatial

14 ideas Students who are categorized in this group can show interest in the following suggested activities, such as watching a videotape and then describing the people and the situation involved, visiting an art exhibition and describing their favorite pieces of art, or using visual aids for their presentation

This intelligence is linked to the ability to utilize one’s whole body to express ideas and the facility for producing and transforming things by hand These physical skills include proprioceptive, tactile, and haptic abilities, as well as coordination, balance, dexterity, strength, flexibility, and speed Teachers might design activities that involve movement for this group of students, such as having students deliver speeches about the benefits of exercise or sports or use different body parts to express words/phrases, and encouraging students to walk and move around the class to be involved in games or teamwork exercises

Interpersonal intelligence was defined by Howard (1983) as the ability to discern and respond well to other people’s moods, motivations, temperaments, and desires People who possess this gift are easily empathetic to people in interaction by paying close attention to interpersonal cues such as facial features, body language, voice, and gestures Interpersonal gifted individuals are endowed with good social and communication skills, not least because they can utilize this intelligence, even, to influence people pragmatically To target this group of students, teachers can incorporate activities that involve working with others For example, teachers can show pictures or videotapes of people and have students describe their emotions and thinking, have students observe people at school and describe their interaction, or arrange peer-to-peer work and group tasks

People with this form of intelligence are usually associated with having a good relationship with their inner selves This capacity means looking at oneself from within, analyzing and understanding their motives, needs, weaknesses, strengths, etc To practice this kind of intelligence, methods such as self-reflection, self-discipline, self-inquiry, and so on should be adopted daily Activities that center around introspective skills and not working in groups should be applied in the classroom Some potential activities are having students do reflection/thought-provoking papers, do a daily writing prompt where they can write their thoughts about a given topic, or present to the class why they are different from everyone else and their dreams

Students with naturalist intelligence have a strong interest in nature and the surrounding world They can recognize and distinguish numerous species of fauna, flora, animals, mountains, etc They are also keenly aware of natural phenomena such as changes in weather, cloud configurations, etc People living in urban areas are identified with this form of intelligence if they are able to differentiate between inanimate objects such as cars, sneakers, and CD covers Students can develop this intelligence by being exposed to nature For example, they can attend classes outside, keep a nature journal to record changes in nature, or write articles about nature

2.5.2 Implications of applying MI in English classrooms

Previous studies and research gaps

The following section will cover studies on the influencing factors of WTC and strategies to improve WTC, the implementation of MI in speaking lessons, the relations between MI and WTC, and finally, the research gaps, respectively

2.7.1 Studies on the influencing factors of WTC

Many researchers have recently tried to investigate situational factors that affect learners’ WTC in a second language Previous studies have shown that L2 learners’ WTC is influenced by some characteristics of their interlocutors, such as familiarity with the interlocutor (e.g., Kang, 2005; Riasati, 2012), the interlocutors' participation and cooperation (e.g., Pawlak & Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2015; Riasati, 2012), as well as other demographic features of the interlocutors (e.g., Cao, 2011; Eddy-U, 2015; Kang, 2005; Pawlak et al., 2016; Riasati, 2012)

Nevertheless, other studies perceived the teacher as a more influential factor than their classmates in contributing to their willingness to talk in L2 classrooms (Lee, 2009) Research (e.g., Cao, 2011; Fallah, 2014; Peng, Zhang, & Chen, 2017) highlights that teacher support could reduce the distance and enhance close relationships with students by incorporating both verbal and non-verbal cues such as encouragement, confirmation, and smile Other research emphasizes the importance of the teacher’s teaching style and classroom management (e.g., Cameron, 2013; Peng, 2012; Riasati, 2012; Zarrinabadi,

2014) For instance, Zarrinabadi (2014) suggested that students’ willingness to participate is influenced by the teacher’s time allocated to task preparation, topic selection, and error correction

Discussion topics have also been found to influence L2 learners’ WTC Students tend to gravitate towards topics they know and find interesting, which not only makes conversations easier but also boosts their confidence and willingness to communicate (Cao, 2011; Kang, 2005; MacIntyre & Legatto, 2011; Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2016; Riasati,

2012; Wolf, 2013) The interest and familiarity of a topic are closely tied to a student's background knowledge of that subject and the breadth of their vocabulary in the second language (MacIntyre & Legatto, 2011; Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2016; Pawlak & Mystkowska-Wiertelak, 2015)

Furthermore, group size was also identified as one of the factors contributing to or reducing WTC (Cao & Philip, 2006) Past studies supported that fewer rather than larger numbers of interlocutors were preferred by the learners

Kang (2005) reported that situational WTC in L2 was the product of three interacting psychological conditions namely excitement, responsibility, and security Security refers to feeling safe and free from the anxiety and apprehension associated with communicating in a second language, whereas excitement is related to the feeling of happiness and enjoyment when speaking Moreover, responsibility points to the feeling of duty or obligation to communicate a message He also stated that these conditions were co- constructed by interacting situational variables such as topic, interlocutors, and conversational context

Regarding trait-like and enduring factors, numerous research pointed out factors that stemmed from the individuals Firstly, students’ willingness to talk was associated with the feeling of anxiety or perceived competence For example, students’ fear of being criticized for their pronunciation, grammar, etc can be easily prone to distraction and reduction in self-confidence, resulting in low WTC (Dửrnyei, 2005; Hashimoto, 2002) Yashima (2002) also pointed out the impact of nervousness and anxiety on their confidence in speaking This anxiety can impede their chances of socializing with others due to the lack of comfort (Dửrnyei & Ryan, 2015; Yashima et al., 2018)

Other several studies (e.g., Fallah, 2014; Khajavy et al., 2016) have emphasized the impact of confidence in contributing to learners’ WTC inside the L2 classroom They described highly engaged students as being very self-assured "Confidence is as crucial as the

24 capacity to speak and listen" (Debbie & Christine, 2007, p 118; MacIntyre & Doucette,

Previous research (Cetinkaya, 2005; Chu, 2008; Sun, 2008; Pavicic & Pozega, 2011; Oz, 2014; Jaradat, 2022) investigating factors contributing to WTC also pointed out that personality traits of extraversion, agreeableness, and openness had an important role in predicting and setting the psychological context for willingness to communicate in English These studies concluded that personality traits may greatly contribute to the production and promotion of willingness to communicate in a second language However, personality is deemed as having an indirect relationship to WTC (MacIntyre et al, 1998; Ghonssoly et al, 2012; Cetinkaya, 2005; Komaraju and Karau, 2005; Kamarraju et al, 2009; Hart et al,

Motivation has also been found to be positively linked with L2 WTC since learners with higher levels of L2 motivation exhibit higher L2 WTC inside the classroom (Dửrnyei and Kormos, 2000; Fallah, 2014; Hashimoto, 2002; Khajavy et al., 2016; Lee, 2019; Lee and Drajati, 2019; Lee and Chen Hsieh, 2019; Lee and Lee, 2020; ) Furthermore, motivation has been found to both indirectly and directly affect L2 WTC While it was regarded as a significant direct predictor of students’ L2 WTC in the studies of Cha and Kim (2013) and Lee and Drajati (2019), L2 motivation indirectly influenced L2 WTC through anxiety and self-confidence in the investigations of Khajavy et al (2016) and Yu (2009)

It is seen that research investigating influences affecting WTC is generally categorized into situational and individual factors Research focused on situational factors mostly investigates interlocutor, teacher’s support and wait time, discussion topics, and group size, while those involved individual factors generally consist of anxiety, perceived competence, self-confidence, personality traits, and motivation Although there is a range of studies examining factors affecting WTC, no research has been conducted to investigate WTC in the context of MI-based lessons

2.7.2 Studies on techniques applied to improve L2 WTC in classrooms

Past studies related to WTC also centered on teaching techniques or approaches to increase learners’ in-class WTC Some studies suggest that anxiety has a negative effect on learners’ WTC (Peng & Woodrow, 2010; Zarrinabadi, 2014) and it is one of the strongest predictors of WTC (Zarrinabadi, 2014) Therefore, using techniques to reduce their anxiety could be fruitful in helping them to be more willing to speak in the target language Mesgarshahr and Abdollahzadeh (2014) investigated the impacts of teaching communication strategies (CS) on a group of 120 EFL learners aged between 15 to 40 years old in a language institute in Iran The findings show that CS training has a positive impact on learners’ WTC, in which students improve their communicative self-confidence as they are more prepared to face future communicative difficulties Along with CS training, enhancing language proficiency can help students feel less anxious and increase their WTC (Zhong, 2013; Zarrinabadi & Tanbakooei, 2016) According to Zhong's (2013) empirical study on WTC among Chinese university students in New Zealand, linguistic competence is a major element influencing speaking in class The results show that the learners' WTC was positively impacted by explicit feedback The researchers concluded that learners' perceived verbal competence rose and their anxiety decreased as their linguistic competence grew Other strategies that have been shown through empirical research to reduce anxiety and hence promote WTC among L2 learners include the use of humor (Farahani & Abdollahi, 2018) and prolonged wait times (Kamdideh & Barjesteh, 2019)

L2 WTC has also been increased by using some contemporary active learning strategies, such as group dynamics-oriented instruction (GDOI) (Marzban & Mahmoudvand, 2013), debate instruction (DI) (Shamsudin et al., 2017), and problem-based learning (PBL) (Alikhani & Bagheridoust, 2017; Lin, 2017) Some other studies have shown that L2 WTC can also increase when learners are given the opportunity to become more autonomous (Matsuoka et al., 2014; Uztosun et al., 2018) Uztosun, Skinner, and Cadorath (2018) did a study on developing L2 WTC using the action research approach They gave a group of

26 pre-service ESL teachers the opportunity to negotiate the activities for their speaking skills course The results show that following the treatments, the students were more willing to participate in spoken English discourse

2.7.3 Studies on the implementation of MI in speaking

Concerning MI intervention, previous studies conducted by Fauziah (2015), Rizqiningsih, and Hadi (2019), Adityas(2016), Don (2014), Abdallah (2005), Salem (2013), Ibrahim

METHODOLOGY

Research design

The study was conducted as a case study A case study is defined as a specific instance that is designed to demonstrate a more general idea or principle (Nisbet & Watt, 1984) A single instance is of a bounded system, for example, a child, a class, a school, a community, or even an entire society On a similar note, Yin (1994:13) defines a case study as "an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident."

It provides researchers with an insight into a subject in real-life situations and illustrates how abstract ideas and principles unfold themselves when tested out in real contexts According to Robson (2002), case studies are generalized analytically rather than statistically, as they develop theories that help researchers understand similar cases, phenomena, or situations Although techniques used in a case study could include both qualitative and quantitative methods, a distinguished characteristic of the case study stems from the belief that human systems have a wholeness and integrity to them rather than a loose collection of traits (Sturman, 1997) Therefore, to make generalization of the subject, one needs to have an in-depth investigation of interdependent parts and examine patterns emerging from them

As Hitchcock and Hughes (1995) remark, a case study approach is particularly helpful when researchers have little control over events They suggest the following distinguishable features of a case study: (1) It is concerned with a rich and vivid description of events relevant to the case, (2) It provides a chronological narrative of events relevant

29 to the case, (3) It focuses on individual actors or groups of actors, and seek to understand their perception of events (4) The researcher is integrally involved in the case

The researcher decided to apply a case study with the purpose of investigating the phenomenon of WTC in the real-life context that was created by the researcher, that is, the context of MI-based speaking lessons Furthermore, by conducting a case study, the researcher could potentially identify factors contributing to students’ WTC and students’ perceptions of the potential of MI-based speaking lessons The study focused on 16 students currently joining a class preparing for the IELTS exam Additionally, the case was situated in an English center in Nghe An province and took place in speaking lessons The duration of the study was four weeks, with 120 minutes of a lesson each week, and data was collected through survey questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations.

Research site and IELTS Introduction course

The study was conducted at an English center in Vinh province, where the researcher was teaching Additionally, it was undertaken in the second half of the course named IELTS Introduction The course lasted for approximately 5 months in 38 lessons with a lesson of

120 minutes each week Prerequisites of the course included passing either the previous ESL Basic course or the placement test at A2 level on CEFR scale or 2.5 band of IELTS The researcher was in charge of teaching writing and speaking skills in the course.

Participants of the research

The participants of the study were 16 students from an intact class that the researcher was currently teaching 11 of them had passed the Basic course for complete beginners with the outcome of A2 level according to the CEFR scale, while the rest had completed an IELTS placement test with an overall score of 2.5 minimum

All of the students are from different parts of Nghe An province, some of whom are located in Vinh, where the study was conducted However, most of them are from rural areas, hence commuting a long distance to the English center to attend two lessons a week Before taking the courses in the center, the majority of them had not received any training apart

30 from their formal training at school, where grammar is predominantly centered in the curriculum Therefore, few of them had sufficient exposure to speaking skills, which resulted in their conservative attitude in the early phase of their learning When asked to answer speaking questions in class, they might show their passive resistance, not least because very few of them volunteer to answer teachers’ questions

The outcome of this class is an overall band of 3.0, which has not required them to form complex sentences or speak at length yet However, they should be familiar with a wide range of daily topics and possess a sufficient range of basic vocabulary to understand the questions and talk about different topics in part 1 with ease In the previous course, they had learned how to form sentences and provide reasons for their answers However, they mostly struggled with extending their answers, even in part 1 of the test, and were hesitant to express their ideas in class, even when asked to do so The researcher decided to conduct the study because of the aforementioned reasons and she was in charge of teaching this class.

Implementation of MI-based speaking activities

As Gardner (2013) claimed, two major educational implications of MI theory are individuation and pluralization Individuation suggests that human beings have their own configuration of intelligences, hence we should take into their individuality into teaching, mentoring, or nurturing Teachers should teach and assess individuals in a way that they can apply their knowledge and skills in unfamiliar contexts Another implication, pluralization, indicates that teaching materials should be delivered in different ways Teaching in this way can reach more students as each student learns best by different means, such as reading, or listening to something The ability to teach in multiple ways can also show that a teacher is an expert in the knowledge that they deliver

MI-based speaking activities were conducted in the current study by taking into account these educational implications and guided by Trianto’s (2011) plan The researcher started by assessing and identifying the multiple intelligences present in the students This involves

31 recognizing the strengths and preferences of each individual in the classroom Following this, the teacher designed lesson plans with multiple intelligences in mind, in which each type of intelligence might offer a variety of activities Specifically, varied activities are implemented in class and the lesson should integrate activities that engage different intelligences simultaneously, allowing students to learn through their strengths while also developing other intelligences For example, to target logical-mathematical intelligence, the researcher had students categorize vocabulary, solve crossword puzzles, match collocations, etc (see Appendix 6) Additionally, activities focused on interpersonal intelligence were organized, including mainly peer and group work, such as group presentations, discussions, interviews, and role-play activities Activities catered to musical intelligence included creating a themed playlist of songs representing different emotions and analyzing a soundtrack video Lastly, intrapersonal intelligence was also practiced through activities such as brainstorming ideas and vocabulary individually One activity could target two types of intelligence

The activities were only conducted in speaking lessons, in which students were mostly taught how to deal with part 1 and part 2 of the IELTS speaking test Part 1 of the test involves various day-to-day topics, which requires students to have a wide range of basic to intermediate vocabulary in different topics, while part 2 of the test asks students to deliver a long 1-2 minute talk about a particular topic with 1-minute preparation.

Data collection instruments

The study employed four different instruments to gather data, including an MI survey questionnaire, preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires, teacher’s observation checklist, and interviews By adopting a combination of research instruments, the researcher could capture the depth and breadth of the research questions, offering a holistic view of contributing to a better understanding of the learner’s WTC in MI-based speaking lessons

The MI survey questionnaire used in this study was adapted from McKenzie's (1999) MI inventory, which was employed to identify students’ multiple intelligence profiles According to Mc Kenzie (2005), the inventory could be used to determine students’ predominant multiple intelligences in the classroom context

The survey comprises 80 statements, in which each of 10 statements follows one type of intelligence (see Appendix 1) 10 original statements regarding existential intelligence were omitted because this type of intelligence is not taken into account in this study Moreover, all statements have their Vietnamese translation in case students do not thoroughly understand the questions Students are asked to put a tick beside the statements that accurately describe them, while those that are not applicable could be left unchecked

To avoid students’ intelligence association while doing the survey, the name of the group of intelligence was not mentioned

Preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires

A preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires were administered to students before and after the study (see Appendix 2 & 3) Both questionnaires include a section probing students’ willingness to communicate in different contexts, speaking genres, with different interlocutors, and despite difficulties they might encounter in speaking lessons

In this section, 10 items were adapted from Khatib & Nourzadeh (2015) and Mystkowska- Wiertelak & Pawlak's (2016) WTC questionnaires The rest 20 items were developed by the researcher based on literature related to compensation strategies’ theory, speaking genres, and different speaking tasks in the IELTS test The follow-up WTC questionnaire also encompasses inquiry exploring learners’ perceptions regarding the implementation of

MI activities and factors contributing to their willingness to communicate, which was also designed by the researcher herself based on the relevant literature (i.e.MacIntyre et al’s

(1998) model of WTC) Both the questionnaires include close-ended and open-ended questions While the qualitative data was gathered through open-ended questions, the quantitative data was collected through close-ended questions To ensure students’s

33 thorough comprehension of the survey, a Vietnamese translation was also provided The survey is aimed at providing a better insight into the dynamic nature of learners’ WTC, examining their experiences and perceptions while participating in the activities, as well as investigating the factors influencing their WTC in speaking lessons from students’ viewpoints

To carefully examine WTC in the classroom, the most reasonable way is to look for evidence in actual communication, which is voluntary and not obligatory (Cao, 2014) In this study, the researcher was the teacher and the classroom observer The observation checklist includes items similar to the preliminary WTC survey questionnaire, tracking each student’s WTC during MI-based activities in all lessons (see Appendix 4) Specifically, each individual’s demonstration of WTC in situations such as giving presentations, initiating conversations with peers and the teacher, contributing ideas during group work, using compensation strategies, etc was closely observed by the teacher Additionally, videos during MI-based speaking lessons were also recorded for the researcher to review after class By conducting this observation, the researcher aimed to gain real insight into students’ display of WTC in the context of MI-based speaking lessons

Interviews were held with several students in the class to explicit in-depth information from the answers they gave in the WTC surveys The interviews included mainly open-ended questions asking students to explain their responses in the surveys with the aim of drawing on students’ perceptions of their WTC while exposed to MI activities in speaking lessons and giving them opportunities to voice their opinions towards the implementation of MI that they might not have the chance to express in the survey (see Appendix 5)

Techniques for analyzing qualitative data:

Qualitative data was collected through the open-ended questions in the preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires, the notes in the teacher’s observation checklist, as well as the follow-up interviews There are five stages for analyzing qualitative data: preparing the data, sorting the data, coding the data, recognizing categories, and making sense of the categories.(Miles & Huberman, 1994; Creswell, 2008)

The analysis of these qualitative data was carried out with the employment of mixed approaches to coding, which include both deductive and inductive content analysis coding This approach complemented the research questions by allowing the literature on influences affecting students’ WTC to be integral to the process of deductive analysis while allowing for codes related to students’ perception of the potentials of WTC to emerge from the data using inductive coding (Table 1)

Table 1: Categories and codes used to analyze qualitative data

Influences of WTC Interlocutor’ familiarity

Teachers' and peers’ validation Topics’ familiarity

Topics of interest Teacher support

Benefits of WTC vocabulary improvement

Pronunciation improvement Exposure to diverse learning experiences improved absorption of lessons

Knowledge broadening Logical thinking development Creativity development Interpersonal skills development

Insecurity Reasons for choosing particular MI activities Alignment of intelligence types

Techniques for analyzing quantitative data:

The quantitative data was gathered through the MI survey questionnaire, the close-ended questions in the preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires, and the teacher’s observation checklist Firstly, to analyze the quantitative data gathered from the Multiple Intelligences survey questionnaire, the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 20 ) was utilized To evaluate the data and determine the rates of replies for the statements in the questionnaire, descriptive statistics were employed More precisely, 1 point was awarded for each statement that was checked After that, each statement's frequencies (or mean scores) were determined In the end, the mean scores for ten statements for each intelligence type were calculated to get the mean scores (frequencies) for eight distinct intelligences

Secondly, the SPSS software was used to analyze the quantitative data obtained from the close-ended questions in the preliminary and follow-up WTC questionnaires using a descriptive method In order to determine how students’ WTC shifted before and during the implementation of MI-based speaking activities, the researcher compared means collected from the preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires Additionally, students’ demonstration of WTC during MI-based lessons was also analyzed by the means of the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire

RESULTS OF THE STUDY

The learners’ dominant intelligences

Based on the results obtained from the Multiple Intelligence survey questionnaire (Table

2), several dominant intelligence types emerged within the class Intrapersonal intelligence displayed the highest mean score of 4.75, suggesting its prominence among students (Figure 2) This was closely followed by musical intelligence, which exhibited a mean score of 4.5625 Logical-mathematical and interpersonal intelligence secured moderate positions with mean scores of 3.875 and 3.625, respectively These findings indicate a tendency among students towards intrapersonal, musical intelligences, logical- mathematical, and interpersonal as their primary strengths Conversely, linguistic intelligence showed the lowest mean score, indicating that it was the least dominant type of intelligence among the students

Based on the results of the questionnaire, the researcher could identify the four most dominant intelligences among students, including intrapersonal, musical, logical- mathematical, and interpersonal To be specific, musical intelligence was identified as dominant based on much self-report of such behaviors as exhibiting a sensitivity to sounds, haing a gift for remembering song lyrics, creating rhymes, and making music Students with this type of intelligence reported that they tended to be distracted easily by background noise and preferred musicals to dramatic plays Logical-mathematical students, on the other hand, were identified with reported manifestation, including demonstrating a penchant for

37 categorization and orderliness Therefore, they study well when being given clear, step-by- step directions They are also good at solving calculations quickly in their head and enjoy logic puzzles

Students who possess interpersonal intelligence reported that they tend to thrive in group settings and work more efficiently when collaborating with others They also often take on leadership roles in group tasks and value relationships over individual accomplishments Therefore, these students commonly belong to more than three clubs or organizations Intrapersonal students, on the other hand, reported that they prefer working alone and learn best when emotionally invested in the subject Interpersonal students were also identified to be keenly aware of their beliefs, strengths, and weaknesses and value fairness

Table 2: Multiple Intelligence Survey Questionnaire

Multiple Intelligence Types Mean score Standard Deviation

Figure 3: Four most prominent intelligences among students

Students’ demonstration of WTC during MI-based lessons

The results revealed that students exhibited the highest level of willingness to continue the conversation despite facing language barriers with occasional integration of their mother tongue (mean score of 4.0625) (Tables 3 & 4) The same levels of WTC were also reported in learners’ willingness to collaborate and discuss topics introduced in class with their peers, and ask their peers about ideas or arguments related to the topic, demonstrating mean scores of 3.9375 and 3.8125, respectively Students also showed significantly high levels of willingness to utilize gestures and paraphrases when being stuck with difficulties expressing ideas (mean scores of 3.8125 equally)

Musical Logical-mathematic Intrapersonal Interpersonal

Table 3: Interpretation of students’ willingness to communicate

Table 4: Students’ WTC during MI-based lessons according to the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire

Statement Students’ WTC Mean SD

2.1.18 continue the conversation despite facing language limitations by integrating their mother tongue occasionally

2.1.1 initiate communication with their peers to discuss a topic taught in class

2.1.11 ask their peers about ideas/arguments related to the topic

2.1.19 use gestures when they cannot convey a specific meaning verbally

2.1.20 use synonyms or paraphrasing when they forget the precise term during speech

2.1.8 ask their teacher to repeat what s/he said 3.75 1.23827

2.1.9 ask their teacher about words or structures s/he related to the topic

2.1.21 modify or approximate their message as needed during speech

2.1.22 create new words to convey intended meanings when the exact vocabulary is lacking

The lowest level of WTC

2.1.3 discuss their academic concerns with their teacher 3.0625 1.23659

4787 2.1.13 present their own ideas in class regardless of others’ reactions

4492 2.1.7 answer a question posed to another student 2.9375 0.57373

Additionally, students’ willingness to ask the teacher to repeat missed information and to ask about words or structures related to the topic showed moderately high levels of WTC

(mean scores of 3.75 equally) (Tables 3 & 4) Similarly, students reported that they exhibited the same levels of willingness to approximate their speech as needed, making their ideas simpler and easier to transmit when facing difficulties expressing ideas (mean score of 3.6875) Similar levels of WTC were also seen in their willingness to create new words or phrases when they encountered a gap in vocabulary (mean score of 3.6875)

In sharp contrast, students demonstrated the slightest levels of willingness to discuss their academic concerns with the teacher and present their own ideas in class despite other classmates’ reactions (mean score of 3.0625 equally) Their willingness to answer a question posed to another student exhibited the lowest level, with a mean score of 2.9375.

Students’ WTC before and after the incorporation of MI-based activities

The most substantial enhancements were observed in initiating communication with peers to discuss topics covered during lessons (item 2.1.1) and giving group presentations in front of the class (item 2.1.27), demonstrating mean score changes of 0.5 and 0.4375, respectively (Table 5)

Additionally, significant growth in WTC was also noted in tasks involving speaking for two minutes on cue card topics with group mates (item 2.1.25) and asking teachers to repeat what they said (item 2.1.8), both exhibiting a mean score change of 0.375 Similar changes were also shown in students’ willingness to present their ideas in front of the whole class regardless of their anxiety (item 2.1.12), continue the conversation with some mixed expression of their mother tongue, and adjust their message as needed when facing language difficulty (item 2.1.18 &21), and deliver an individual presentation on the topic of their choice (item 2.1.28) (mean score change of 0.3125)

Moderate positive changes, with a mean score change of 0.25, were observed in aspects such as asking peers about ideas/arguments related to the topic (item 2.1.11) and engaging in dialogues and role-play activities with classmates (items 2.1.29 and 2.1.30)

Table 5: Significant and moderate enhancements of WTC after the integration of MI activities

Statement Students’ WTC Mean before

Mean change SD before SD after Students are willing to

2.1.1 initiate communication with their peers to discuss a topic taught in class

2.1.27 give a group presentation in front of the class

2.1.8 ask their teacher to repeat what s/he said

2.1.25 speak for two minutes on the given cue card topic with their group mates

2.1.12 present their own ideas in front of the class despite feeling nervous

2.1.18 continue the conversation despite facing language limitations by integrating their mother tongue occasionally

2.1.21 modify or approximate their message as needed during speech

2.1.28 give a monologue or make a solo presentation on a topic of their choice

2.1.11 ask their peers about ideas/arguments related to the topic

2.1.29 engage in dialogues with classmates, taking on different roles in the conversation

2.1.30 participate in role-play activities, assuming different characters and situations

Table 6: The smallest enhancements of WTC after the integration of MI activities

Statement Students’ WTC Mean before

SD before SD after Students are willing to

The smallest enhancement of WTC

2.1.6 raise hand to answer a question posed to the whole class or group

2.1.7 answer a question posed to another student

2.1.10 ask their peers about forms/words related to the topic

2.1.16 seek opportunities to express their thoughts even in a crowded classroom

2.1.17 participate in discussions even if they are seated in the back of the classroom

2.1.19 use gestures when they cannot convey a specific meaning verbally

2.1.20 use synonyms or paraphrasing when they forget the precise term during speech

2.1.22 create new words to convey intended meanings when the exact vocabulary is lacking

In contrast, the slightest changes, reflected by mean score changes of 0.0625, were notably observed in specific aspects of students' willingness to communicate (Table 6) This includes the use of gestures when facing difficulties in verbal expression (item 2.1.19), the use of paraphrases when faced with a lack of precise terms (item 2.1.20), and the creation of new words to convey intended meanings (item 2.1.22) Similarly, students displayed a limited shift in their readiness to respond to questions posed to the whole class/group or another student (item 2.1.6, 7), inquire from peers about forms/words related to the discussed topic (item 2.1.10), express thoughts in a crowded classroom environment (item 2.1.16), and actively participate in discussions while seated at the back of the classroom (item 2.1.17)

Factors influencing students’ willingness to communicate

In examining students' perceptions regarding factors impacting their willingness to communicate in English classrooms, all identified factors were notably considered significant (all items’ means > 3.40) (Table 7) Teachers' and classmates’ approval of students’ efforts emerged as the most crucial factor influencing students' inclination to engage in English conversations, exhibiting a mean score of 4.1875 (item 2.3) (Table 8) Additionally, personality traits (item 2.6), teacher support, and teacher wait time (items 2.14, 2.15) were identified as significant determinants affecting students' willingness to speak in class (all items’ means >=4)

On the contrary, internal desire and personal enjoyment in communicating in English, which indicated their internal motivation to speak and the pleasure they derive from English communication, received the lowest mean score of 3.4375 This suggests it was the least influential factor in students' willingness to communicate in classrooms (item 2.1)

Table 7: Interpretation of students’ perceived factors influencing their WTC

1.80 – 2.59 Slightly important 2.60 – 3.39 Moderately important 3.40 – 4.19 Significantly important 4.20 – 5.00 Extremely important

Table 8: Students’ perception of influencing factors of their willingness to communicate

No Factors Mean Std Deviation

2.6 Personality traits, such as being extroverted or introverted, enjoying interactions with others or not 4.0625 0.92870878

2.14 Teacher’s wait time, the duration the teachers allow to respond after asking the question 4.0625 1.12361025

2.15 Teacher’s support in answering questions 4.0625 1.12361025

2.4 Goal-oriented motivation, such as using the language for practical reasons like job opportunities or travel 4 1.09544512 2.10 Familiarity with interlocutors 4 0.81649658 2.2 Grades or rewards for having the right answers 3.9375 1.23659479

2.7 How positively or negatively one views oneself 3.875 1.14746097

2.8 Feelings, such as feeling anxious or confident in speaking English 3.875 0.71879529

2.13 The topic of discussion, whether it is familiar or unfamiliar 3.875 0.8850612

2.12 The topic of discussion, whether it is the topic of my interest 3.8125 1.10867789

2.5 Confidence level in communication skills in

2.9 Belief in the ability to accomplish specific tasks in

2.11 The size of the group 3.5 1.09544512 2.1 Internal desire and personal enjoyment to communicate in English 3.4375 1.03077641

Partner’s familiarity provides students comfort to freely share their ideas

Interviewed students admitted that familiarity with their partner increased their confidence in expressing ideas because of the shared rapport, which would otherwise impeded if their interlocutors were unfamiliar One student highlighted, “When conversing with an unfamiliar partner, I tend to feel reticent due to the fear of making mistakes.” Another student emphasized, “Engaging with unfamiliar individuals makes me hesitant to initiate communication as I'm uncertain of their communication level Conversely, conversing with familiar interlocutors allows for greater comfort because I already know where they are at.”

Approval of effort motivates students to further improvement

Recognizing effort is also of utmost importance in motivating students and fostering their drive for improvement, as it validates the worth of their effort Underlining the motivational role of acknowledgment, a student shared in the interview, “Receiving compliments on my speaking skills from my teacher significantly heightened my drive to improve, resulting in increased participation during class discussions.”

Familiar topics and topics of interest leverage students’ vocabulary and content knowledge

Interviews with the students revealed that topics, whether familiar or of their interest, were instrumental in motivating them to speak as they felt confident with their vocabulary and knowledge of the subject matter One student elaborated, “Familiar topics provide a wealth of related vocabulary, bolstering my confidence in contributing.” Another student also commented on the issue, “My enthusiasm to engage in discussions spikes when the topic aligns with my interests, leveraging my pre-existing background knowledge and igniting my willingness to participate.”

Teacher’s support helps students gain confidence in expressing their thoughts

Teacher’s support also played an important role in enhancing their WTC because assistance and encouragement when needed can boost their confidence Expressing the importance of teacher’s support during challenging lectures, an interviewed student emphasized, “During instances where I felt lost in the lecture, seeking clarification from the teacher or a peer, especially the teacher for clearer explanations, regained my confidence to actively engage in discussions.” Another student expressed “I felt more confident expressing personal thoughts and ideas in front of the class thanks to the support of the teacher and classmates”

Students’ general perceptions of the effectiveness of MI-based activities on their

Overall, upon rating the effectiveness of MI activities in boosting students’ willingness to communicate on a scale from 1 to 5, with 1 as not effective at all and 5 as extremely effective, the majority of students expressed positive perceptions, with equally 37.5% (6 out of 16) rating MI activities as moderately effective or very effective (Figure 4) Specifically, 18.8% of students (3 out of 16) deemed the incorporation of MI-based activities as extremely effective in enhancing their willingness to speak On the contrary, one student considered MI activities as ineffective, rating only 1 out of 5

Figure 4: Students’ assessment of the level of effectiveness of MI activities in increasing their WTC

In the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire, the majority of students (11 out of 16) expressed a positive correlation between MI-based activities and increased willingness to communicate in English (Figure 5)

Figure 5: Students’ perceptions of MI activities in their WTC

3: Moderately effective 4: Very effective 5: Extremely effective 1: Ineffective

Students confirming the efficacy of MI activities to their WTC Students negating the efficacy of MI activities to their WTC

MI-based activities’ benefits for students’ vocabulary and pronunciation

In the survey questionnaire, 10 students pointed out the benefits of MI activities in equipping them with better pronunciation and vocabulary, which prompted them to speak more One student articulated, “Exposure to various means of communication such as visual aids, and music enhancement has improved my pronunciation tremendously and bettered my repertoire of vocabulary, increasing my confidence to express myself in English”

MI-based activities’ benefits of learning through diverse learning experiences

3 students emphasized the advantages of accessing diverse experiences, learning compared to playing games,enhancing their lesson absorption in the survey questionnaire Three students shared “MI-based activities felt like games, which helped me absorb the lesson better” One student also articulated “These activities expand my knowledge, and enhance my creativity and soft skills”

MI-based activities’ benefits for enhancing knowledge, logical thinking, creativity, and interpersonal skills

4 students in the survey questionnaire and one student in the interview acknowledged the merits of broadening their knowledge of English and improving some of their cognitive skills such as logical thinking and creativity Furthermore, MI-based activities also familiarize them with teamwork activities, which enhance their interpersonal skills One student shared, “These activities prompted me to explore more about English both in class and at home, significantly improving my knowledge” Another student also added,

“Different music and visual mediums foster my creativity in generating more ideas and better my logical thinking” Furthermore, a student candidly admitted, “I feel more comfortable talking with other classmates and understand them better after numerous group assignments, bettering my interpersonal skills”

Students’ concerns about their anxiety and insecurity during MI-based activities

Nevertheless, a minority of students confirmed the efficacy of MI activities while expressing their concerns in both the survey questionnaire and interviews They expressed that these activities would have been more successful in boosting their WTC if it had not been for their anxiety and insecurity One student candidly admitted, “These activities helped me become more willing to express myself in English, even though I was still held back by my insecurity because of my lack of knowledge” Similarly, another student commented, “I have seen improvement in my inclination to speak although I still felt nervous and anxious when presenting in front of the class”.

Students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of certain MI-based activities on their

Students’ preferences for certain types of MI activities that influence their WTC

Among the surveyed students, 75% acknowledged activities centered around interpersonal intelligence as highly effective in boosting their willingness to communicate (WTC) during class sessions (Figure 6) Following closely, approximately 62% of students found music- based activities to be the second most effective intervention in enhancing their inclination to speak

Conversely, fewer students, accounting for 37.5%, considered logical-mathematic activities effective in contributing to an increase in their WTC Moreover, intrapersonal activities were perceived as the least influential, with only 18.8% of students noting their impact on enhancing WTC

Figure 6: Students' Perspectives: Assessing Effective Activities for Enhancing WTC

Reasons behind students’ preference for certain types of MI activities that influence their WTC

The results of the post-activity survey questionnaire and follow-up interviews revealed two main rationales behind students' preferences for specific Multiple Intelligences (MI) activities that enhanced their willingness to communicate in the classroom

According to the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire, half of the students (8 out of 16) expressed that the reason why they chose specific activities as effective in enhancing their willingness to communicate was because these activities resonate with their intelligence types These students reported that their great appreciation for these activities was due to their abiding interest in these aspects or their inclination towards these types of intelligence in both the WTC survey questionnaire and interview For instance, one student stated that

“I chose interpersonal activities because I tend to enjoy working with other people, not just in the classroom context, but also in other environments as well” The rest of the students

51 also provided similar justifications, associating their choices with their predilection for that particular activity

The remaining students highlighted the perceived benefits of certain activities as the driving force behind their effectiveness in fostering their willingness to communicate They acknowledged the advantages these activities offered in improving their collaborative skills For instance, one student expressed that “While participating in interpersonal activities, I could understand and engage with other people better, and working in a group also better my teamwork skills, which are necessary for my personal growth” Similarly,

12 students who were drawn to interpersonal intelligence activities emphasized enhanced teamwork skills, reduced anxiety while presenting in groups, exposure to diverse ideas, and a more conducive environment for expressing themselves in English 6 students favoring logical-mathematical activities noted enhancements in creative thinking, fluency, logical reasoning, and expanded knowledge in discussed topics Moreover, 10 students engaged in musical-based activities found these sessions less monotonous, facilitating their absorption of lesson content Additionally, 3 students inclined towards intrapersonal activities valued the opportunity these activities provided for self-exploration and the development of personal strengths and weaknesses.

Students’ thoughts on incorporating MI-based activities in their study in the future

11 students expressed a desire to participate in MI-based activities in English lessons in the future according to the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire These students shared that these activities proved beneficial for their communication skills and language study One student acknowledged a willingness to partake despite feeling shy in situations where he might struggle to answer questions from the teacher

Additionally, 14 surveyed students articulated that teachers should apply the MI approach to their teaching, not just in speaking lessons but also across various skills These students

52 considered the activities developed from MI to be diverse and engaging They found these activities instrumental in enhancing their lesson absorption, fostering increased communication, facilitating personal development, and expanding their knowledge.

Students’ WTC observed by the teacher during MI lessons

Classroom observation took place in all four lessons conducting MI activities to gain a better insight into students’ display of WTC during these lessons Overall, students’ willingness to communicate increased as the lessons progressed (Table 9) The following results will be presented according to the activities that yielded the highest levels of WTC, moderately high levels of WTC, and the lowest level of WTC

Table 9: Students’ demonstration of WTC with the implementation of MI activities observed by the teacher

No Students are willing to

1 initiate communication with their peers to discuss a topic taught in class    

9 ask their teacher about words or structures s/he related to the topic    

10 ask their peers about forms/words related to the topic    

18 continue the conversation despite facing language limitations by integrating their mother tongue occasionally

Moderately high level of WTC

2 initiate communication with their teacher(s) to seek clarification on a topic  

5 answer a question posed to the whole class or group   

8 ask their teacher to repeat what s/he said   

27 give a group presentation in front of the class  

29 engage in dialogues with classmates, taking on different roles in the conversation 

30 participate in role-play activities, assuming different characters and situations 

17 participate in discussions even if they are seated in the back of the classroom 

19 use gestures when they cannot convey a specific meaning verbally 

21 modify or approximate their message as needed during a speech 

26 speak for two minutes on the given cue card topic in front of the class  

4.8.1 Activities experiencing the highest levels of willingness to communicate

It is observed during the incorporation of MI activities that all students demonstrated the highest levels of willingness to discuss with their peers topics introduced (item 1), refer to their teachers and peers about topic-related words/structures (items 9 &10 ), and use mixed expressions of English and Vietnamese when facing language problems (item 18)

Student’ willingness to collaborate and discuss with their peers topics taught in class

Students consistently exhibited a high level of willingness to initiate communication with their peers regarding class-related topics, which was notably evident across all four incorporated lessons

Here are some typical evidence for this observation result:

Initially, in the first one or two lessons, students tended to engage in conversations with familiar individuals However, as the lessons progressed, they demonstrated increased openness to interacting with both their groupmates and new acquaintances This was particularly evident during collaborative activities such as brainstorming sessions, where students frequently sought advice from their friends In the group presentation activity, when drafting ideas for the topic, they frequently consulted their friends to validate their ideas or solicit new ones

For example, in activities where students were required to take turns asking questions on various topics, the teacher noticed an enhancement in their willingness to pose and answer questions There were even some students who were eager to raise questions beyond ones given by the teacher

However, their willingness to initiate conversation was less notable when they did individual work focusing on intrapersonal intelligence In these instances, students commonly relied on online resources for inspiration rather than turning to their friends

Students’ willingness to ask their teachers and peers about forms/words related to the topic

In the initial stages of integrating MI activities, the teacher noted a reluctance among students to engage in conversations with both peers and teachers regarding class structures and vocabulary Only students who knew each other beforehand showed comfort in sharing knowledge on the topics The rest of the class when faced with problems in vocabulary or ideas worked alone and did not ask the teacher As the lessons progressed, especially in lessons 3 and 4, there was a noticeable increase in students' willingness to engage in conversation with both their peers and the teacher

In lesson 3, in the collocation matching puzzle game, students showed an effort to ask their peers which vocabulary items should be matched together In lesson 4, when asked to write down job-related words associated with their dream jobs, some students enthusiastically referred to the teacher about the words’ meanings

Most students asked their peers and the teacher the words in English when faced with difficulty understanding and contextualizing English words, according to the teacher’s obervation notes For example, in lesson 2, during the crossword puzzle game, students would translate the clues and ask their groupmates for the English equivalents Some students also demonstrated a willingness to ask their teachers regarding the appropriate usage of language structures For example, in the group presentation activity, when teachers came to the table to ask if students needed help, they were willing to ask the teacher to review the structures that they used in preparing for the presentation

Student's willingness to continue the conversation despite facing language limitations by integrating their mother tongue occasionally

The teacher noticed that students tended to incorporate their mother tongue occasionally to continue with the conversation when faced with language limitations They showed an effort to raise their hands to answer questions from the teacher However, some students could not answer the questions fully in English, they instead switched back and forth between English and Vietnamese During pair or group work, the situation was even more

55 common Without the teacher’s observation, some students tended to discuss in Vietnamese for comfort Here is a specific example where this situation was evident:

For example, during group activities, when the teacher came to the students’ table to observe their work, she noticed that some students during discussion would stop midway and ask their friends for ideas or vocabulary in Vietnamese when facing an uncertainty in their knowledge The teacher then had to ask them to switch back to English and remind them of the purpose of the activities

4.8.2 Activities experiencing moderately high levels of willingness to communicate

Moderately high levels of willingness to communicate were observed in initiating communication with the teacher to seek clarification on a topic and to repeat missed information (items 2 &8), answer a question addressed to the whole class or group (item

5), give group presentations in front of the class (item 27), and engage in dialogues and role-play activities (item 29 &30)

Student's willingness to initiate communication with the teacher to seek clarification on a topic and to repeat missed information

Students conferred with the teacher to resolve their uncertainties or curiosity surrounding a gap in their knowledge was manifested in almost all activities incorporated in all four lessons As a matter of fact, students’ willingness to initiate communication on the matter was not considered low before the incorporation As the teacher spent significant time with the students for almost a whole course period before the intervention, the teacher and students developed a close relationship and rapport with each other, leading to frequent interactions between each other Here are some examples:

Mostly students turned to the teacher to ask for an explanation for a body of knowledge they were not sure that had been taught in the class Additionally, they tended to approach the teacher privately to address their concerns rather than sharing them publicly in front

56 of the class However, when prompted individually by the teacher, students demonstrated greater openness in posing questions

Only one student consistently asked for clarification directly during the lesson He even confronted the teacher when the knowledge taught in the class was contrasted with his background knowledge There was also another student who sought additional help from the teacher outside of class regarding grammar knowledge

Students also occasionally asked the teacher to repeat missed information These students mostly asked for repeated information when issues arose from difficulty in listening rather than a lack of concentration However, it is observed that students predominantly turned to their peers to ask for this rather than from the teacher

Students' willingness to answer questions posed to the whole class or groups

DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS

Introduction

The aim of the study was to investigate students’ WTC during MI-based lessons, their perceptions of the potential of the MI activities, and influencing factors contributing to their WTC in these lessons The researcher posed three research questions to achieve the aims and used the data gathered from different research instruments including the preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires, the MI survey questionnaire, the teacher’s observation notes, and the follow-up interview The results of the study were discussed according to each research question below:

1 How do students demonstrate their WTC in English-speaking classes using MI- based activities?

2 What are the students’ perceptions of the potential of the MI approach in enhancing their WTC?

3 What are the factors that affect students’ WTC in MI-based English-speaking classes

Discussion of the results

Discussion in relation to research question 1: Students’ WTC during MI-based lessons

In addressing the first question investigating students’ demonstration of WTC during MI- based activities, the researcher gathered the data collected from the preliminary and follow- up WTC survey questionnaires, as well as the teacher’s observation checklist The results

62 indicate that students were generally willing to engage in different communicative scenarios (see Sections 4.2 and 4.3) Specifically, students displayed the highest level of willingness to initiate communication with their classmates to discuss topics introduced in class and continue the conversation despite language limitations by incorporating their mother tongue from time to time (see Section 4.2 & 4.8.1)

Notably, students were found to engage more frequently with their classmates on topics related to class lessons rather than with the teacher One possible explanation is that peers tend to offer a more relaxed and informal kind of interaction, whereas teachers might induce higher pressure and uneasiness in the students regardless of their support Indeed, classmates have higher chances of commuting with each other, which develops closer rapport that might promote the frequency of their interaction Another interpretation is that MI-based activities tend to encourage conversations among students rather than with the teacher MI activities, whether ones tailored to interpersonal, musical, or logical- mathematical, commonly focus on peer and group assignments, increasing the likelihood of students engaging in different communicative contexts Furthermore, it was reported that students were frequently willing to ask their peers about forms/words and ideas related to the topic This was especially evident between students sitting close to each other in individual tasks or between students in group tasks as it was more convenient and faster than asking the teacher During lessons, students also might encounter gaps in vocabulary or structures and confusion regarding the knowledge delivered by the teacher, thus consulting with their peers about these issues frequently is inevitable This explains the significant willingness to discuss with their friends the topics during lessons, especially on structures, vocabulary, and ideas

It is noteworthy that students utilize occasional incorporation of their mother tongue to compensate for their lack of vocabulary to keep the conversations going, especially in situations without teacher observation and when interacting with their peers (see 4.4.1) This tendency for code switching was also identified to be the most dominant compensation strategy to overcome their language proficiency limitations An interpretation pertains to

63 students’ low and intermediate proficiency levels, preferring to use their mother tongue along with L2 to voice difficult ideas (Hawa, Suryani, Susiani, Dauyah, Majid, 2021) This response shows that the use of mixed expressions of the target language and mother tongue enhances their motivation to participate and be involved actively in the learning process This reliance on their native language may also stem from a comfort-seeking behavior, with students showing a tendency to incorporate their mother tongue when the exact vocabulary is lacking This highlights a persistent reluctance to make a concerted effort to communicate exclusively in English

Additionally, students were reported to be relatively willing to ask the teacher to repeat information There was plenty of time when students lost focus in the class, thus simply asking the teacher to repeat was more effective in obtaining accurate and detailed information compared to asking their peers This request for repetition was also less intimidating than seeking help from the teacher on academic matters or ideas

Somewhat surprisingly, the results also suggest some mismatches between students’ self- report WTC and actual WTC behavior in the classroom The results lend support to Cao & Phillip’s (2006) findings, which associated the discrepancy with influences of both trait- level and state-level WTC on learners As MacIntyre et al (1999) articulated, trait WTC may bring an individual into a situation where communication is likely, but once in a particular situation, in this case, classroom interaction, state WTC could determine whether communication actually occurs The results suggest mismatches in students’ willingness to employ different compensation strategies to overcome gaps in their knowledge and vocabulary Their willingness to use gestures, paraphrases, and approximate their message as needed, which was generally perceived as significant by the students, was observed at a lower frequency by the teacher In reality, in these situations, students tended to freeze, pause, or use mixed expressions of English and Vietnamese to continue their speech Students’ infrequent use of synonyms or paraphrases might also be attributed to their limited repertoire of vocabulary and grammatical structures, which hampered them from expressing ideas flexibly There were also differences in the lowest levels of willingness

64 to communicate according to students’ self-report and teacher’s observations While students expressed the least willingness to answer questions posed to another student, classroom observation indicated that they were the least inclined to speak for two minutes on a given topic in front of the whole class and utilize gestures or approximation in compensation for their language limitations

Students’ level of willingness to respond to questions for the whole group/class was also moderate, although considered higher than those posed to another student (see 4.4.2) This suggests that students exerted more effort in answering questions when personally addressed, possibly due to the perceived pressure Conversely, when questions were posed to their peers, students might have less urgency in finding answers, resulting in a lower level of willingness to communicate compared to when the questions were directed at them directly

Discussion in relation to research question 2: students’ perceptions of the potential of the MI approach in enhancing their WTC

The second question regarding students’ perceptions of the MI-based syllabus’ effectiveness on their WTC was answered by the data collected from the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire and the interviews The results indicate that the majority of students viewed the integration of MI activities as beneficial in increasing their WTC (see Section 4.5) Additionally, activities centered around interpersonal and musical intelligence were deemed highly effective in boosting their willingness to communicate during class sessions (see Section 4.6) A possible explanation is that interpersonal learners, as maintained by Armstrong (2003), need to learn in social settings rather than solitary ones, fostering interpersonal conversation Furthermore, as Fonseca-Mora, Toskano-Fuentes, & Wermke

(2011) stated, there is a correlation between strong linguistic intelligence and high musical intelligence, or sensitivity to sounds or phonology According to a number of authors, including Armstrong (2003), linguistic intelligence facilitates language acquisition Therefore, learners have a higher degree of musical intelligence due to their superior language skills, supporting their WTC Conversely, activities tailored to intrapersonal

65 intelligence were perceived as least influential in students’ shifts of WTC, possibly due to the solitary nature that fosters less interaction with peers compared to interpersonal activities This result is also in line with Mohammadzadeh & Jafarigohar's (2012) research, which emphasized that interpersonal and musical intelligence have a positive correlation to WTC, while intrapersonal intelligence has the minimum impact The students also expressed anticipation for the future incorporation of an MI-based syllabus in their language study

Interestingly, students’ positive views of certain activities on their WTC were attributed to not only their resonance with the intelligence but also their acknowledgment of the associated benefits The benefits perceived can be different according to each intelligence type, but in general, MI-based activities have a positive impact on students’ teamwork skills, personal growth, creativity, knowledge, and idea expression This perception suggests that an MI-based syllabus may impact a student’s WTC positively even though that activity did not align with their intelligence type

There was also a small number of students expressing their concerns while admitting the beneficial effect the MI activities had on their WTC These students articulated that the impact of MI on their WTC would have been more significant had it not been held back by their insecurity, nervousness, and anxiety at the moment Indeed, these feelings may prevent students from initiating communication or understanding what others say (Dửrnyei

& Ryan, 2015; Yashima et al, 2018; Kruk, 2021; Akkakoson, 2016) This underscores that the impacts of the MI syllabus on students’ WTC do not stem from the activities themselves, but also from students’ feelings and self-perceptions, suggesting that teachers should consider these influences in the development of the MI syllabus

Discussion in relation to research question 3: Influencing factors of students’ WTC in MI-based English-speaking classes

The third inquiry, focused on influencing factors of students’ WTC while participating in MI-based activities, drew upon data collected from the follow-up WTC questionnaire and the interview

CONCLUSION

Conclusion

Having an interest in the potential of multiple intelligences on students’ willingness to communicate, the researcher conducted this study to examine students’ willingness to communicate with the assistance of the MI syllabus and investigate students’ perceptions regarding the implementation of MI activities on their WTC and factors influencing their WTC The research was conducted on 16 IELTS students in an English center in Nghe An province Additionally, MI and WTC survey questionnaires, teacher's classroom observation, and interviews were the main collection instruments

The MI survey questionnaire was initially given to students to determine the four most dominant intelligence types before designing appropriate MI-based activities to use in the classroom Subsequently, preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires were administered to investigate students’ perceptions of their shift in WTC, and their perceived factors influencing their WTC during MI lessons In the meantime, the teacher’s classroom observation was also carried out to examine students’ actual WTC in the classroom Lastly, the researcher conducted interviews with four students to gain a deep understanding of students’ perceptions regarding their exposure to MI activities and their impact on their WTC

The first research question concerning how students demonstrate their WTC in MI lessons was answered from the preliminary, follow-up WTC survey questionnaires and teacher’s classroom observation The results indicated students were generally willing to

69 communicate The majority of students exhibited the strongest willingness to discuss with their peers topics taught in class and continue the conversation despite facing language limitations by integrating their mother tongue occasionally They were also often willing to ask their peers about ideas/arguments or words/structures related to the topic and ask their teacher to repeat missed information Although most students perceived that they were willing to adopt compensation strategies such as utilizing gestures, paraphrasing, approximation, and creating new words in place of language limitations during MI-based speaking lessons, the actual levels of students’ willingness in these situations were low as observed by the teacher

The second question exploring students’ perceptions regarding the potential of MI syllabus on their WTC was answered via the data collected from the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire and the interviews Generally, students considered the MI-based speaking lessons to be effective in enhancing their WTC They found the MI approach to be successful in increasing their desire to communicate, especially valuing activities designed for interpersonal intelligence Many students believed that the effectiveness of the MI approach stemmed from its alignment with their individual intelligence preferences and the positive outcomes of the activities they engaged in

The third question, which aimed to gain insight into influencing factors, was answered through the follow-up WTC survey questionnaire and the interviews Notably, peers' and teachers’ validation, personality traits, support from instructors, and the amount of time teachers wait before intervening were considered the most influential factors, ranked in descending order of importance.

Limitations of the study

The research focused solely on IELTS students at a low proficiency level Therefore, researchers who are interested in examining MI and WTC on students of different characteristics should refer to additional studies Furthermore, the context of the study was in a small number of students in a modest center in Nghe An province, thereby could not

70 generalized for a larger population Finally, although the researcher made an effort to apply a variety of MI-based activities in investigating students’ display of WTC, time limitations led to certain activities being excluded.

Implications

Based on the results of the preliminary and follow-up WTC survey questionnaires, the teacher’s observation, and interviews, the researcher drew crucial implications that are hoped to be useful for those who are examining WTC with the assistance of the MI syllabus, students’ perceptions of MI and the influencing factors of WTC

A variety of MI activities should be implemented

Although much effort had gone into designing various activities that aligned with students’ intelligence types, the study's time limitations resulted in the exclusion of many options Therefore, educators considering the adoption of MI syllabi in their classrooms should aim to maximize the range of activities feasible within the allocated time Increasing the variety of activities provides students with greater exposure to diverse experiences, allowing them to discover what resonates with them and enhances their learning.In addition to aligning activities with students' intelligence types, teachers should also prioritize activities that offer the benefits students require For instance, while intrapersonal students may typically excel in solitary tasks, exposing them to interpersonal activities can enhance their teamwork and communication skills Similarly, students inclined towards interpersonal intelligence can benefit from engaging in intrapersonal activities to foster self-exploration and introspection

By incorporating a balanced mix of activities that cater to different intelligence types and offer complementary benefits, educators can create dynamic learning environments that cater to the diverse needs and preferences of their students

Teachers should give students suitable support and wait time

Teacher’s support and wait time is considered significant in influencing students’ willingness to communicate Therefore, teachers should provide students with strong support during lessons to cultivate close relationships and bridge any perceived distances Specifically, teachers could incorporate more verbal and non-verbal behaviors such as acknowledgment, encouragement, confirmation, smiles, nodding, etc Additionally, teachers should provide students with appropriate wait time for task preparation, topic selection, and error correction By being given the necessary wait time, students are more likely to engage in the activities and be open to discussions, increasing their willingness to communicate

Teachers should incorporate more interpersonal activities

It was indicated from the findings of the studies that students yielded more promising outcomes from interpersonal activities compared to Interpersonal activities include group or pair work that facilitates human interaction, which is essential for fostering willingness to communicate Conversely, intrapersonal activities, which focus more on solitary work and inner reflection, may not offer the same opportunities for interaction Therefore, it is advisable for teachers to prioritize interpersonal activities to encourage meaningful conversations and enhance students' willingness to communicate

Teachers should promote the use of gestures, synonyms, and approximation and different commmunication strategies

In the context of the study, mother tongue usage was not prohibited completely during MI- based activities Therefore, although the level of participation was high, students tended to use their mother tongue more than expected, leading to decreased use of English This reliance on their native language, in the long run, might lead to the deterioration of their second language proficiency and less utilization of gestures, paraphrasing and approximation Encouraging students to predominantly use English in the classroom fosters language immersion and facilitates the development of vocabulary and communication skills Additionally, guiding students to use gestures and paraphrases when

72 encountering language barriers promotes active problem-solving and enhances communication fluency

Teachers should create safe and pleasant learning environments that minimize the impact of stress, anxiety, and apprehension

A pleasant learning environment minimizes the impact of negative emotions such as stress, anxiety, and apprehension and fills students with support from teachers and friends, all are deemed important to promote a good level of students’ willingness to engage in the classroom’s activities A positive classroom atmosphere, free of prejudice and negative criticism, encourages students to express themselves confidently Teachers should actively listen to students' concerns and thoughts, fostering an environment where students feel valued and respected By prioritizing emotional well-being alongside academic development, educators can create a classroom culture that nurtures effective communication and enhances overall learning experiences

Teachers should give students more approval of their effort

Teacher’s acknowledgment was considered the most important in enhancing students’ willingness to engage in classroom activities Therefore, it is essential for teachers to provide students with recognition and approval for their efforts, whether through small gifts, rewards, or verbal compliments when they meet expectations By receiving the validation they need, students are more likely to feel motivated to participate actively in future activities and strive for improvement Furthermore, students should also be encouraged to provide mutual support for each other Being recognized by their peers also plays a motivational role in boosting their willingness to engage in communication

Individual differences should be recognized

Personality traits are considered highly influential in determining students’ WTC in MI classrooms Students who exhibit traits such as extraversion and openness to new experiences tend to actively engage in classroom interactions On the contrary, some students may be more reserved, which might make it difficult for them to participate in

73 communication activities Hence, it is essential for teachers to recognize these individual differences and implement strategies to foster a supportive environment for communication For instance, teachers can offer personalized guidance or provide relevant materials to encourage participation for less vocal students."

Suggestions for further studies

In light of the study findings, the researcher also gives a recommendation for other studies First, further studies can be carried out to conduct a longitudinal study that follows students’ willingness to communicate over an extended period with the incorporation of MI-based lessons This could give a deep insight into the sustained impact of these activities on learners’ WTC and how it evolves

Second, apart from speaking skills, research regarding MI activities on learners’ WTC could be conducted across various skills, including reading, listening, and writing or specific language components such as vocabulary or grammar Further research on these aspects could offer a comprehensive understanding of WTC in diverse contexts

Third, it is also advisable to investigate the effectiveness of MI based-activities in developing other speaking sub-skills such as intonation and word stress

Next, it is recommended that MI-based activities should be carried out with students of other cohorts, such as mature or teenage students to examine the variability of WTC across diverse age groups

Last but not least, activities developed on other types of intelligences, such as bodily- kinesthetic, spatial, naturalistic or linguistic could be studied to investigate their impact on learners’ WTC

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APPENDIX 1: THE MI SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES SURVEY (ENGLISH VERSION)

This survey aims to identify your Multiple Intelligences profile It is very important that you answer all the questions sincerely Your identity and individual responses will be kept confidential, and the findings of the survey will be used only for research purposes

Thank you for your participation and cooperation

Put a check (√) next to each statement you feel accurately describes you If you do not identify with a statement, leave the space provided blank

1 _ I enjoy categorizing things by common traits

2 _ Ecological issues are important to me

3 _ Classification helps me make sense of new data

5 _ I believe preserving our National Parks is important

6 _ Putting things in hierarchies makes sense to me

7 _ Animals are important in my life

8 _ My home has a recycling system in place

9 _ I enjoy studying biology, botany and/or zoology

10 _ I pick up on subtle differences in meaning

11 _ I easily pick up on patterns

12 _ I focus in on noise and sounds

13 _ Moving to a beat is easy for me

15 _ I respond to the cadence of poetry

16 _ I remember things by putting them in a rhyme

17 _ Concentration is difficult for me if there is background noise

18 _ Listening to sounds in nature can be very relaxing

19 _ Musicals are more engaging to me than dramatic plays

20 _ Remembering song lyrics is easy for me

21 _ I am known for being neat and orderly

22 _ Step-by-step directions are a big help

23 _ Problem solving comes easily to me

24 _ I get easily frustrated with disorganized people

25 _ I can complete calculations quickly in my head

27 _ I can't begin an assignment until I have all my "ducks in a row"

29 _ I enjoy troubleshooting something that isn't working properly

30 _ Things have to make sense to me or I am dissatisfied

31 _ I learn best interacting with others

32 _ I enjoy informal chat and serious discussion

34 _ I often serve as a leader among peers and colleagues

35 _ I value relationships more than ideas or accomplishments

36 _ Study groups are very productive for me

38 _ Friends are important to me

39 _ I belong to more than three clubs or organizations

42 _ I enjoy making things with my hands

43 _ Sports are a part of my life

44 _ I use gestures and non-verbal cues when I communicate

45 _ Demonstrating is better than explaining

48 _ Inactivity can make me more tired than being very busy

49 _ Hands-on activities are fun

52 _ I enjoy reading books, magazines and web sites

54 _ Word puzzles like crosswords or jumbles are enjoyable

55 _ Taking notes helps me remember and understand

56 _ I faithfully contact friends through letters and/or e-mail

57 _ It is easy for me to explain my ideas to others

59 _ Puns, anagrams and spoonerisms are fun

60 _ I enjoy public speaking and participating in debates

61 _ My attitude affects how I learn

62 _ I like to be involved in causes that help others

63 _ I am keenly aware of my moral beliefs

64 _ I learn best when I have an emotional attachment to the subject

65 _ Fairness is important to me

66 _ Social justice issues interest me

67 _ Working alone can be just as productive as working in a group

68 _ I need to know why I should do something before I agree to do it

69 _ When I believe in something I give more effort towards it

70 _ I am willing to protest or sign a petition to right a wrong

71 _ Rearranging a room and redecorating are fun for me

72 _ I enjoy creating my own works of art

73 _ I remember better using graphic organizers

74 _ I enjoy all kinds of entertainment media

75 _ Charts, graphs and tables help me interpret data

76 _ A music video can make me more interested in a song

77 _ I can recall things as mental pictures

78 _ I am good at reading maps and blueprints

79 _ Three-dimensional puzzles are fun

80 _ I can visualize ideas in my mind

KHẢO SÁT VỀ ĐA TRÍ TUỆ (BẢN TIẾNG VIỆT)

Gửi các bạn học sinh,

Bản khảo sát này nhằm mục đích xác định loại thông minh của các em Để đảm bảo tính chính xác của kết quả, cô mong các em sẽ trả lời các câu hỏi dưới đây một cách thành thật Danh tính và câu trả lời cá nhân của các em sẽ được bảo mật hoàn toàn, kết quả của cuộc khảo sát này cũng sẽ chỉ dành cho mục đích nghiên cứu

Cảm ơn các em vì đã tham gia và hợp tác

Hãy đánh dấu (√) vào những câu các em cảm thấy phù hợp với bản thân Nếu câu nào không đúng về mình các em có thể bỏ trống

1 _Tôi thích phân loại mọi thứ dựa theo đặc điểm

2 _Các vấn đề sinh thái quan trọng với tôi

3 _Việc phân loại giúp tôi hiểu các thông tin mới

4 _Tôi thích chăm sóc vườn cây

5 _Tôi tin rằng việc bảo tồn các công viên quốc gia là quan trọng

6 _Tôi cảm thấy việc sắp xếp mọi thứ theo cấp bậc là hợp lý

7 _Động vật quan trọng đối với tôi

8 _Nhà tôi có sử dụng hệ thống tái chế

9 _Tôi thích học về sinh học, thực vật học và/hoặc động vật học

10 _Tôi có thể nhận biết được những sự khác biệt nhỏ trong ý nghĩa

11 _Tôi dễ dàng nhận biết được các quy luật (những việc lặp đi lặp lại)

12 _Tôi hay để ý tiếng động và âm thanh

13 _Tôi có thể dễ dàng chuyển động người theo nhạc

15 _Tôi có thể cảm nhận được nhịp thơ

16 _Tôi nhớ mọi thứ dễ hơn bằng cách xếp theo vần điệu

17 _Tôi cảm thấy khó tập trung khi có tiếng ồn xung quanh

18 _Nghe âm thanh thiên nhiên rất thư giãn với tôi

19 _Các vở nhạc kịch thú vị hơn là các trò chơi đóng vai

20 _Tôi có thể nhớ lời bài hát dễ dàng

21 _Tôi thường được miêu tả là người gọn gàng, ngăn nắp

22 _Tôi thấy việc hướng dẫn từng bước một rất cần thiết

23 _Tôi có thể giải quyết các vấn đề dễ dàng

24 _Tôi dễ bị khó chịu với những người không ngăn nắp

25 _Tôi có thể làm các phép tính nhẩm nhanh

26 _Tôi thấy các trò giải đố trí tuệ thú vị

27 _Tôi không thể bắt đầu làm việc nếu không sắp xếp những công việc đó trước

28 _Tôi thích mọi thứ có trình tự, tổ chức

29 _Tôi thích sửa những thứ bị hư hỏng

30 _Những thứ khó hiểu khiến tôi thấy khó chịu

31 _Tôi học hiệu quả nhất khi có tương tác với người khác

32 _Tôi thích những cuộc trò chuyện xã giao và những cuộc bàn luận nghiêm túc

33 _Tôi thấy càng đông càng vui

34 _Tôi thường là người chỉ đạo/dẫn dắt trong nhóm bạn học hay đồng nghiệp

35 _Tôi trân trọng các mối quan hệ hơn là các ý tưởng hay thành tựu

36 _Học nhóm thì hiệu quả đối với tôi

37 _Tôi là người làm việc nhóm tốt

38 _Bạn bè quan trọng với tôi

39 _Tôi đang ở trong nhiều hơn ba câu lạc bộ hoặc tổ chức

40 _Tôi không thích làm việc một mình

41 _Tôi học bằng cách thực hành

42 _Tôi thích làm ra mọi thứ với đôi bàn tay của mình

43 _Thể thao là một phần trong cuộc sống của tôi

44 _Tôi thể hiện cử chỉ hoặc các dạng giao tiếp không thành lời khi giao tiếp

45 _Giải thích bằng hành động thì tốt hơn giải thích bằng lời

47 _Tôi thích làm việc với các loại máy/công cụ

48 _Không làm gì khiến tôi mệt mỏi hơn là bận rộn

49 _Tôi thấy những hoạt động thực tế thú vị

50 _Tôi có đời sống năng động

51 _Tôi có hứng thú với ngôn ngữ nước ngoài

52 _Tôi thích đọc sách, tạp chí, trang web

53 _Tôi có viết nhật ký

54 _Tôi thấy những trò giải đố từ vựng như trò ô chữ hay xếp từ thú vị

55 _Việc ghi chép giúp tôi ghi nhớ và hiểu kiến thức tốt hơn

56 _Tôi thường xuyên liên lạc bạn bè thông qua viết thư và/hoặc email

57 _Giải thích ý tưởng với người khác là việc dễ đối với tôi

58 _Tôi viết lách để giải trí

59 _Tôi thấy các trò như chơi chữ, đảo chữ hay nói lái thú vị

60 _Tôi thích diễn thuyết trước đám đông hoặc tham gia tranh luận

61 _Thái độ của tôi ảnh hưởng đến cách mà tôi học

62 _Tôi thích làm những việc mà giúp đỡ người khác

63 _Tôi có nhận thức rõ ràng về niềm tin đạo đức của mình

64 _Tôi học tốt nhất khi đặt cảm xúc vào môn học đó

65 _Tôi thấy sự công bằng quan trọng

66 _Tôi quan tâm về công lý xã hội

67 _Tôi thấy làm việc một mình cũng hiệu quả như làm việc theo nhóm

68 _Tôi cần phải biết lý do nên làm việc gì trước khi đồng ý làm việc đó

69 _Khi tôi tin vào việc gì, tôi sẽ nỗ lực để làm việc đó hơn

70 _Tôi sẵn sàng biểu tình hay ký vào đơn kiến nghị để sửa đổi một vấn đề sai trái

71 _Tôi thấy việc sắp xếp phòng hoặc trang trí lại cái gì đó thì thú vị

72 _Tôi thích sáng tạo ra các tác phẩm nghệ thuật của riêng mình

73 _Tôi nhớ thông tin tốt hơn dưới dạng hình ảnh, biểu đồ

74 _Tôi thích tất cả các phương tiện giải trí

75 _Các đồ thị, biểu đồ, bảng biểu giúp tôi hiểu dữ liệu dễ hơn

76 _Xem video âm nhạc có thể khiến tôi thấy hứng thú hơn với bài hát đó

77 _Tôi có thể nhớ lại mọi thứ bằng hình ảnh trong đầu

78 _Tôi giỏi đọc bản đồ và bản vẽ thiết kế

79 _Tôi thấy các trò giải đố/lắp ráp mô hình thú vị

80 _Tôi có thể mường tượng các ý tưởng bằng hình ảnh trong đầu

APPENDIX 2: PRELIMINARY WTC SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

PRELIMINARY WTC SURVEY (ENGLISH VERSION) Part 1: Background information

1.3 How long have you been learning English?

1.4 How would you describe your overall attitude toward speaking the L2 in class?

Part 2: Indicate your perception of willingness to communicate

2.1 Reflect on your experiences of communicating with others in English in speaking lessons in the first half of the course Indicate to what extent you agree with the following statements by ticking on the column 1-5

1 = Strongly disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Agree 5 = Strongly agree

No Statement: I am willing to 1 2 3 4 5

2.1.1 initiate communication with my peers to discuss a topic taught in class

2.1.2 initiate communication with my teacher(s) to seek clarification on a topic

2.1.3 discuss my academic concerns with my teacher

2.1.4 contribute my ideas during group discussions

2.1.5 answer a question addressed to the whole class or group

2.1.6 raise hand to answer a question addressed to the whole class or group

2.1.7 answer a question addressed to another student

2.1.8 ask my teacher to repeat what s/he said

2.1.9 ask my teacher about words or structures s/he just used

2.1.10 ask my peers about forms/words related to the topic

2.1.11 ask my peers about ideas/arguments related to the topic

2.1.12 present my own ideas in front of the class despite feeling nervous

2.1.13 present my own ideas in class regardless of others’ reactions

2.1.14 present my own ideas even when my classmates are more proficient in English

2.1.15 present my own ideas even if my language mistakes are frequently corrected by the teacher

2.1.16 seek opportunities to express my thoughts even in a crowded classroom

2.1.17 participate in discussions even if I am seated in the back of the classroom

2.1.18 switch to my native language if I cannot express a term in English

2.1.19 use gestures when I cannot convey a specific meaning verbally

2.1.20 use synonyms or paraphrasing when I forget the precise term during speech

2.1.21 modify or approximate my message as needed during speech

2.1.22 create new words to convey intended meanings when the exact vocabulary is lacking

2.1.23 discuss familiar topics such as hobbies, family, and daily routines in Part I of the IELTS speaking test with my group mates

2.1.24 discuss familiar topics such as hobbies, family, and daily routines in Part I of the IELTS speaking test in front of the class

2.1.25 speak for two minutes on the given cue card topic with my group mates

2.1.26 speak for two minutes on the given cue card topic in front of the class

2.1.27 give a group presentation in front of the class

2.1.28 give a monologue or make a solo presentation on a topic of my choice

2.1.29 engage in dialogues with classmates, taking on different roles in the conversation

2.1.30 participate in role-play activities, assuming different characters and situations

2.31 Are there situations in class where you feel more willing to speak in the L2? Please describe

2.32 Are there situations in class where you feel less willing to speak in the L2? Please describe

KHẢO SÁT SƠ BỘ VỀ SỰ SẴN LÒNG TRONG GIAO TIẾP

Phần 1: Các thông tin cơ bản

1.3 Em đã học tiếng Anh được bao lâu? _

1.4 Nhìn chung em cảm thấy việc nói tiếng Anh của bản thân trong lớp học như thế nào?

Part 2: Cho biết nhận thức của các em về sự sẵn lòng giao tiếp

2.1 Dựa vào trải nghiệm giao tiếp bằng tiếng Anh trong các tiết học nói trong nửa khóa học vừa rồi, các em hãy chọn mức độ đồng ý của mình với các quan điểm dưới đây bằng cách chọn các cột từ 1-5

2 = Không đồng ý 3 = trung lập 4 = đồng ý 5 = hoàn toàn đồng ý

No Quan điểm: Tôi sẵn lòng 1 2 3 4 5

2.1.1 bắt chuyện với bạn cùng lớp để thảo luận một chủ đề liên quan đến bài học

2.1.2 mở đầu cuộc trò chuyện với thầy cô để được làm rõ một vấn đề liên quan đến bài học

2.1.3 thảo luận những quan ngại về học tập với thầy cô

2.1.4 đóng góp ý kiến trong các cuộc thảo luận nhóm

2.1.5 trả lời một câu hỏi dành cho cả lớp hoặc nhóm

2.1.6 giơ tay để trả lời một câu hỏi dành cả lớp hoặc nhóm

2.1.7 trả lời một câu hỏi dành cho học sinh khác

2.1.8 nhờ thầy cô nhắc lại những gì vừa nói

2.1.9 hỏi thầy cô về từ vựng/cấu trúc mà thầy cô vừa mới sử dụng

2.1.10 hỏi các bạn cùng lớp về cấu trúc/từ vựng liên quan đến bài học

2.1.11 hỏi các bạn cùng lớp về các ý tưởng/quan điểm liên quan đến bài học

2.1.12 trình bày ý tưởng của tôi trước lớp mặc dù có cảm thấy lo lắng

2.1.13 trình bày ý tưởng của tôi trước lớp bất kể phản ứng của người khác có như thế nào

2.1.14 trình bày ý kiến của tôi mặc dù bạn cùng lớp giỏi tiếng Anh hơn tôi

2.1.15 trình bày ý kiến của tôi mặc dù thường xuyên bị thầy cô sửa lỗi

2.1.16 tìm cơ hội để thể hiện quan điểm của mình kể cả trong lớp học đông người

2.1.17 tham gia vào các cuộc thảo luận mặc dù ngồi phía cuối lớp

2.1.18 sử dụng tiếng mẹ đẻ khi tôi không thể nghĩ ra một từ nhất định trong tiếng Anh

2.1.19 sử dụng ngôn ngữ cử chỉ khi tôi không thể diễn đạt bằng ngôn từ

2.1.20 sử dụng các từ đồng nghĩa hoặc diễn đạt lại theo cách khác khi tôi không thể nhớ ra từ định nói trong tiếng

2.1.21 sửa đổi hoặc ước chừng ý tôi định nói khi không thể diễn đạt chính xác trong tiếng Anh

2.1.22 sáng tạo ra các từ/cách diễn đạt mới để diễn đạt thông tin định nói khi tôi không biết dùng từ vựng chính xác

2.1.23 thảo luận những chủ đề thường gặp như Sở thích, Gia đình và Thói quen hàng ngày trong phần 1 của bài kiểm tra nói IELTS với bạn cùng nhóm

2.1.24 nói về những chủ đề thường gặp như Sở thích, Gia đình và Thói quen hàng ngày trong phần 1 của bài kiểm tra nói IELTS trước lớp

2.1.25 nói trong vòng 2 phút dựa trên chủ đề cho sẵn với bạn cùng nhóm

2.1.26 nói trong vòng 2 phút dựa trên chủ đề cho sẵn trước lớp

2.1.27 thuyết trình theo nhóm trước lớp

2.1.28 thuyết trình cá nhân trước lớp theo chủ đề mà tôi chọn

2.1.29 tham gia vào các cuộc đối thoại với bạn cùng lớp, đảm nhận các vai trò khác nhau trong cuộc trò chuyện

2.1.30 tham gia vào các hoạt động đóng vai, đảm nhận các nhân vật và tình huống khác nhau

2.31 Có những tình huống nào trong lớp mà em cảm thấy sẵn lòng nói tiếng Anh hơn không? Hãy miêu tả tình huống đó

2.32 Có những tình huống nào trong lớp mà em cảm thấy ít sẵn lòng nói tiếng Anh hơn không? Hãy miêu tả tình huống đó

APPENDIX 3: THE FOLLOW-UP WTC SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE

FOLLOW-UP WTC SURVEY (ENGLISH VERSION)

1 Reflect on your experiences of communicating with others in English in the last four speaking lessons with MI-based activities Indicate to what extent you agree with the following statements by ticking on the column 1-5

1 = Strongly disagree 2 = Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Agree 5 = Strongly agree

No Statement: I am willing to 1 2 3 4 5

1.1 initiate communication with my peers to discuss a topic taught in class

1.2 initiate communication with my teacher(s) to seek clarification on a topic

1.3 discuss my academic concerns with my teacher

1.4 contribute my ideas during group discussions

1.5 answer a question addressed to the whole class or group

1.6 raise hand to answer a question addressed to the whole class or group

1.7 answer a question addressed to another student

1.8 ask my teacher to repeat what s/he said

1.9 ask my teacher about words or structures s/he just used

1.10 ask my peers about forms/words related to the topic

1.11 ask my peers about ideas/arguments related to the topic

1.12 present my own ideas in front of the class despite feeling nervous

1.13 present my own ideas in class regardless of others’ reactions

1.14 present my own ideas even when my classmates are more proficient in English

1.15 present my own ideas even if my language mistakes are frequently corrected by the teacher

1.16 seek opportunities to express my thoughts even in a crowded classroom

1.17 participate in discussions even if I am seated in the back of the classroom

1.18 continue the conversation despite language limitations by integrating mother tongue occasionally

1.19 use gestures when I cannot convey a specific meaning verbally

1.20 use synonyms or paraphrasing when I forget the precise term during speech

1.21 modify or approximate my message as needed during speech

1.22 create new words to convey intended meanings when the exact vocabulary is lacking

1.23 discuss familiar topics such as hobbies, family, and daily routines in Part I of the IELTS speaking test with my group mates

1.24 discuss familiar topics such as hobbies, family, and daily routines in Part I of the IELTS speaking test in front of the class

1.25 speak for two minutes on the given cue card topic with my group mates

1.26 speak for two minutes on the given cue card topic in front of the class

1.27 give a group presentation in front of the class

1.28 give a monologue or make a solo presentation on a topic of my choice

1.29 engage in dialogues with classmates, taking on different roles in the conversation

1.30 participate in role-play activities, assuming different characters and situations