EFL students’ Intercultural Willingness to Communicate through Intergenerational Storytelling

Intercultural communication is shaped by language, emotion, and human connection. This study examines how intergenerational storytelling influences Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language students’ intercultural willingness to communicate. A qualitative design with semi-structured interviews was conducted with fifteen Vietnamese students studying abroad. Findings show that willingness to communicate developed through emotional engagement and narrative immersion rather than linguistic confidence alone. Students shifted from avoidance to active and self-initiated communication when they felt emotionally connected to stories. Storytelling reduced cultural stereotypes and fostered both cognitive and emotional empathy through lived experiences. Communication anxiety decreased due to supportive interaction, visual scaffolding, and balanced relational power. The study suggests that storytelling creates emotional safety and meaningful intercultural contact. It recommends integrating narrative-based intercultural activities into English as a Foreign Language pedagogy to enhance real-world communication readiness.