The Role of a Mother and Siblings in Enhancing Two Young Iranian EFL Students’ Willingness to Communicate in a Second Language Through Serious Game Play

Many studies have demonstrated that commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) games can foster learners’ second language (L2) willingness to communicate (WTC). However, there is a dearth of research examining how serious games as a platform can enhance young students’ L2WTC through interaction with their mothers at home. To address this issue, and drawing on sociocultural theory, the authors of this study investigated the L2WTC of two Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students by analysing video recordings, semi-structured interviews, and demographic profiles. Drawing on thematic analysis and inductive coding, the researchers found that the role of the mother was essential in promoting the young students’ L2WTC during serious game play. The findings of this study provide insights for English Language Teaching (ELT) stakeholders by acknowledging the role of mothers in their children’s engagement in serious game play and how this role mediates the L2WTC of Iranian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners.