A Study On Investigating The Correlation Between Teachers’ Classroom Discipline Strategies And Students’ L2 Willingness To Communicate In One Senior High School English Classroom

As communication plays a more and more vital role in second language acquisition,studies on learners’ willingness to communicate in a second language(L2WTC)thrive.Influenced by this general trend of emphasizing communication and involvement,activity-based language learning approach is proposed in English Curriculum Standards for Senior High School(2020).This approach requires students’ willingness to communicate in various activities as well as teachers’ effective management in the classroom.Thus,a survey on these two factors is necessary so that some improvements can be made in current teaching and learning.This study is conducted to investigate senior high school students’ L2 WTC,teachers’ employment of classroom discipline strategies as well as their correlation.Both quantitative and qualitative research methods employed,first of all,a questionnaire survey is conducted among 240 students in their second year of a senior high school in Tianjin to examine the current situation of the variables and their correlation.Then the semi-structured interview is conducted with six students to dig out reasons behind the potential correlation.Research questions are as follows:1.What is the current situation of teachers’ use of classroom discipline strategies and students’ L2 WTC in a senior high school English classroom?2.What is the correlation between students’ L2 WTC inside the English classroom and their teachers’ classroom discipline strategies?3.What are the reasons behind the correlation?The questionnaire data indicate that from students’ perspective their teachers employ more recognition and rewards strategy than punishment in classroom and that the current situation of students’ L2 WTC in speaking inside the classroom is not that satisfactory.Moreover,a significant positive correlation can be found between teachers’ use of recognition and rewards and students’ L2 WTC while the correlation between teachers’ punishment and students’ L2 WTC varies from case to case.The interview results show that these relationships are shaped by a combination of internal and external factors among students.The findings indicate that teachers should optimize their lessons to motivate students’ L2 WTC.In addition,they should choose discipline strategies carefully.Students should cooperate with their teachers in language learning and classroom management.In teacher education,more supportive platforms should be provided for teachers so that they can exchange experiences and feelings and grasp more classroom management skills.