Podcast-integrated speaking instruction: Enhancing informal digital learning of English, academic engagement, and speaking skills

Area of Science:

• Educational Technology
• Applied Linguistics
• Second Language Acquisition

Background:

• Digital technologies are increasingly integrated into language education to enhance speaking skills and motivation.
• Podcasts offer accessible, authentic language exposure but lack extensive research on their pedagogical use.
• Limited empirical evidence exists on the systematic application of podcasts in structured language learning environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of structured podcast-based speaking instruction on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners.
• To assess the effects on Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE), academic engagement (AE), and overall speaking skills.
• To compare outcomes between students receiving podcast-integrated instruction and those in standard instruction groups.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-posttest control group design was employed with seventy intermediate female EFL students in Iran.
• Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (podcast-based instruction) or a control group (standard instruction).
• Data were collected using validated questionnaires for IDLE and AE, and speaking assessments analyzed with a standardized rubric; ANCOVA was used for analysis.

Main Results:

• The experimental group showed significantly greater improvements in speaking skills compared to the control group.
• Podcast-integrated instruction led to significantly higher levels of Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE).
• Academic engagement (AE) was also significantly enhanced in the group utilizing podcast-based learning activities.

Conclusions:

• Structured podcast-based instruction is an effective pedagogical tool for improving EFL speaking proficiency.
• This approach fosters autonomous learning behaviors and enhances students' engagement with digital English learning resources.
• Podcast integration positively influences academic motivation and contributes to more holistic language skill development.