Instructor verbal immediacy in the EFL classroom: Does it matter?

Abstract

Teaching English in a monolingual context is often daunting for many EFL instructors and teachers. Studies have shown that instructors are pivotal in driving students' learning motivation. However, how EFL instructors teach, including how their verbal immediacy behavior impacts learners, often goes unnoticed. Instructor verbal immediacy is a significant factor in motivating learners to learn, especially in the EFL classroom. This paper presents findings investigating the relationship between instructor verbal immediacy behaviors and learner-state motivation in an EFL classroom in China. A cross-sectional survey design was used to gather data among undergraduates majoring in English at a public university in Southeast China. The results showed that EFL instructors displayed medium to high levels of verbal immediacy and that EFL instructors’ verbal immediacy behaviors exhibited a significant correlation with EFL learners’ state motivation. The findings also revealed the two verbal immediacy behaviors as significant predictors of EFL learning motivation: using humor in class and praising students’ work, actions, or comments. Therefore, instructor verbal immediacy behaviors should be effectively integrated into EFL pedagogy to enhance EFL students' language learning motivation.