This quantitative comparative study investigated how teacher–student relationship (TSR) dimensions—closeness and conflict—influence students’ willingness to communicate in English (WTC) among Thai (n = 544) and Chinese (n = 518) college students enrolled in science, technology, and vocational education programs, with particular attention to gender and national context. A total of 1,062 students completed a survey assessing TSR and WTC. Results of ANOVA analyses revealed significant cross-cultural differences: Thai students reported higher levels of teacher–student closeness than Chinese students, whereas Chinese students perceived greater conflict with their teachers. Thai students also reported significantly higher WTC than Chinese students. Gender-based analyses showed that both Thai males and females perceived greater closeness and higher WTC than their Chinese counterparts, while conflict was more pronounced among Chinese females. Theoretically, these findings extend attachment theory and social role perspectives by demonstrating that the emotional quality of teacher–student relationships functions differently across gendered and cultural contexts, shaping learners’ communicative confidence in distinct ways. The study also suggests that cultural patterns of self-construal—emphasizing relational harmony in Thailand and academic hierarchy in China—shape how students perceive and respond to teacher–student relationships in relation to their willingness to communicate. Practically, the findings call for gender-responsive and culturally sensitive pedagogical approaches that nurture supportive teacher–student relationships and reduce relational tension, particularly among female students in hierarchical learning environments. By integrating relational, cultural, and gendered perspectives, this research advances cross-cultural understanding of how socioemotional classroom climates foster or hinder students’ willingness to communicate in English within collectivist educational systems.

Authors:
Yanwen Zhai, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand

About the Presenter(s)
Zhai Yanwen, Ph.D. candidate at KMUTT, Thailand. Interests: SLA, WTC in ESL, cross-cultural communication, teacher education. Current project: WTC dynamics in Thai and China university ESL classrooms.

Additional website of interest
https://www.facebook.com/share/189QZh1MtX/

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