Willingness to Communicate in EFL and ESL Research (2016-2025): A Bibliometric Mapping of the Field

Abstract

This bibliometric study maps the intellectual structure and research evolution of Willingness to Communicate (WTC) in EFL and ESL contexts from 2016 to 2025. By examining 391 Scopus-indexed journal articles, the study applies performance analysis, co-citation analysis and co-occurrence analysis to identify publication trends, influential authors, key institutions and dominant thematic clusters. Findings reveal exponential growth in WTC research with strong foundations in ecological, sociocognitive and affective frameworks. Psychological constructs such as motivation, foreign language enjoyment and anxiety emerge as central drivers of communicative behavior while demographic and contextual variables remain comparatively under-integrated. The analysis also highlights increasing engagement with digital learning and artificial intelligence, though theoretical integration across clusters remains limited. Geographical concentration in Asian and Middle Eastern EFL contexts suggests the need for broader cross-contextual validation. By systematically synthesizing the field, this study contributes to evidence-based language pedagogy and supports inclusive, equitable and quality education aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education). The findings inform sustainable language education practices that promote learner agency, communicative competence and lifelong learning in globalized educational environments.