Abstract:

The Covid-19 pandemic led to an abrupt transition to emergency remote teaching, resulting in three alternating and co-occurring teaching scenarios face-to-face (F2F), hybrid, and distance. Such volatility of teaching modalities compromised the implementation and monitoring of some activities, namely those of language classes.

Considering English as a Foreign Language (EFL), we observed constraints in students’ oral production in F2F classes and online classes and during the co-occurrence of teaching regimes. To overcome these constraints, we integrated Flipgrid as an educational resource for teaching English to secondary education students, which is analysed. The main goal was to ensure that English oral communication continued to be mobilized and enhanced in F2F or during distance or blended-learning periods in secondary school.

Our theoretical framework considers The European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators (DigCompEdu), and focuses on core curricular documents such as the Students' Profile by the End of Compulsory Schooling and the English Language Essential Curriculum for 12th Grade (continuation). At a macro level, we also perceive mobile learning through the bring your own device (BYOD) strategy, namely implemented to allow Flipgrid use for EFL learning and teaching.

Our research design followed a mixed-approach methodology, collecting qualitative and quantitative data, and we opted for a project methodology. The diagnostic phase informed the planning phase, leading to the design and implementation of activities with Flipgrid as an educational resource for EFL teaching. Observation was critical for research monitoring and adjustments. Evaluation of the study was carried out throughout all phases of the project to supervise and ensure its quality.

As a result of our research, we expect to validate and promote Flipgrid as an educational resource for prompting and enhancing EFL speaking skills, specially, but not exclusively, to non-vocational 12th-grade class students in Portuguese Secondary Education.

Keywords:

Educational Resources, Flipgrid, Mobile Learning, Oral Communication and Speaking Skills, English as a Foreign Language.