Effects of virtual exchanges on learners’ affective and speaking outcomes

Abstract

Interactive speaking performance—understood as dialogic communication through peer exchanges, discussions, and collaborative dialogues involving real-time negotiation of meaning—together with affective improvement remain pedagogically and technologically challenging in language learning. The current study examines the impact of virtual exchanges (VE) on Japanese high school EFL learners’ Willingness to Communicate (WTC), International Posture (IP), and oral proficiency. Three VEs between 36 Japanese and 28 Taiwanese high school students were conducted using Google Meet. Analyses of four sources of data (e.g., an eight-item questionnaire on WTC, a 24-item questionnaire on IP, open-ended reflection responses, and paired face-to-face speaking tests) revealed four benefits: enhancement of WTC, promotion of IP, improvement of speaking proficiency, and development of partner-oriented communication. Participant self-perceptions of VEs correlated with prior enjoyment of English classes through junior high school. Furthermore, reflection text-mining indicated that both proactive and passive groups of Japanese participants developed cross-cultural awareness, with proactive learners reporting a sense of fulfillment and passive learners expressing self-criticism about English communication. These findings indicate that greater frequency and duration of international VEs enhance WTC, IP, and oral proficiency while encouraging proactive behaviors in language learners.