Global Journal of Foreign
Language Teaching
Volume 11, Issue 1, (2021) 51-67
www.gjflt.eu
Beyond willingness to speak Chinese: The case of transferring
learning Chinese into communication among University of
Ghana students
Bright Nkrumah*, Modern Languages Department (Chinese Section), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
Suggested Citation:
Nkrumah, B. (2021), Beyond willingness to speak Chinese: The case of transferring learning Chinese into
communication among University of Ghana students. Global Journal of Foreign Language Teaching.
11(1), 51–67. https://doi.org/10.18844/gjflt.v11i1.5339
Received November 15, 2020; revised December 14, 2020; accepted February 05, 2021.
Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof Dr. Jesús García Laborda, University of Alcalá, Spain.
©2021 Birlesik Dunya Yenilik Arastirma ve Yayincilik Merkezi, Lefkosa, Cyprus.
Abstract
Willingness to communicate (WTC) has become an important role that facilitates language learning. The aim of this paper is
to investigate WTC in Chinese as a foreign language of motivation to transfer learning through oral communication among
students learning Chinese at the University of Ghana. Second language learner’s motivation to transfer learning is grounded
on effort, desire, knowledge and skills learned in the classroom and beyond the classroom to achieve the goal of learning a
language. By adopting a survey approach, quantitative data were administered for the study via questionnaires. One hundred
participants from levels 200, 300 and 400 were involved in the study to ascertain the factors that influence student’s WTC in
Chinese. According to the results, personality trait, environment and teaching practice, language skills, the complexity of the
medium of translation, anxiety and self-confidence were factors that contributes to students’ WTC.
Keywords: University of Ghana, Chinese learners, willingness to communicate.
* ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Bright Nkrumah, Modern Languages Department (Chinese Section), University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
E-mail address: bnkrumah@ug.edugh