Growth language mindsets, the beliefs that language-learning ability can be cultivated through effort, are argued as a motivational resource that guides learners to focus on improvement and learning processes. However, little is known about how classroom learning contexts predict predict language-mindsets, and whether language-mindsets are linked to learners' competence development and language use in a language classroom. In this study, we recruited 392 university-level English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students in Iran and examined (a) how learners' perceptions of their teacher's autonomy support predict their language-mindsets, and (b) whether language-mindsets in turn predict learners' perceptions of communicative competence and willingness to communicate (WTC). Path analyses demonstrated that growth language-mindsets mediated the link of autonomy support on communicative competence and WTC. Students who perceived their teachers to be more autonomy-supportive were more likely to endorse growth (vs. fixed) language-mindsets, and thereby feeling more competent and being more willing to use English in the classroom. This study highlights the importance of growth mindsets in EFL classrooms and provides practical implications for fostering growth mindsets with autonomy-supporting strategies.

人们认为，成长型语言的思维定势是可以通过努力来培养语言学习能力的信念，是引导学习者专注于改进和学习过程的一种激励性资源。但是，关于课堂学习情境如何预测语言心态以及语言心态是否与语言教室中学习者的能力发展和语言使用相关联的知识鲜为人知。在这项研究中，我们在伊朗招募了392名大学水平的英语作为外国语言（EFL）的学生，并研究了（a）学习者对老师自主性支持的看法如何预测他们的语言观念，以及（b）是否语言观念反过来可以预测学习者对沟通能力和沟通意愿（WTC）。路径分析表明，成长语言的心态介导了自主支持在沟通能力和WTC上的联系。认为老师对自主性有更多支持的学生更有可能赞同成长（相对于固定）的语言观念，从而感到能力更强，更愿意在课堂上使用英语。这项研究突出了成长思维方式在EFL课堂中的重要性，并为通过自主性支持策略培养成长思维方式提供了实际意义。