Abstract:

The assertions and empirical evidence in the research world of technology and language teaching and learning support and highly encourage the use of technology in second and foreign language teaching/learning. Research on computer-assisted language learning puts forward the belief that the integration of technologies into language teaching and learning provides EFL/ESL learners more authentic input and creates an ample environment which promotes situations that stimulate interest, allow communication, enhance reactivity, foster a sense of personal worth, facilitate collaborative and cooperative work, and most importantly permit rich learning experiences.

Situated in the field of technology and language teaching and learning, the current paper reports a mixed-method research study on the use of digital storytelling for developing EFL learners’ speaking skills. The purpose of this research study, therefore, was threefold: primarily, to investigate the impact of digital storytelling on EFL learners’ speaking skills, secondly, to reveal the learners’ attitude towards implementing the program, and thirdly, to report the students’ learning behaviors when using the program.

Accordingly, this quasi-experimental study revealed the effect of a 7-week's instructional treatment on speaking skills, in which speaking was addressed to be developed in terms of the integration of digital storytelling. 12 learners assigned to the experimental group and the same number to the control group participated in the study. The experimental group received the treatment, while the control group got the placebo, i.e. speaking tasks were carried out by traditional means of storytelling. The learners’ oral performance was elicited by means of interactional tasks.

The instrumentations used for data collection constituted pre and post tests, an attitudinal questionnaire, and a semi-structured interview which served to collect quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. The results of statistical analysis displayed that there was a trend towards significant gains in the learners’ oral production after the treatment. It also documented the learners’ positive attitude towards the program.

Keywords:

New learning technologies in education, language teaching/learning, speaking skills, digital storytelling.