Smartphone Apps -based Teaching Method to Develop Oral English Communication Skills at the Tertiary Level in an EFL Context

Abstract

Smartphones are the most used hand-held devices by people globally, whereas large class size is a common scenario in many EFL (English as a Foreign Language) contexts like Bangladesh. Besides, EFL learners get scarce opportunities to practice oral skills inside and outside the class to develop oral English communication skills (OECSs). Thus, this study investigates learners' experiences after the intervention of 9 weeks with a smartphone apps-based teaching method (SBTM) employing WhatsApp, call, and voice recorders in an EFL classroom at the tertiary level for managing large-size class for developing learners' OECSs in Bangladesh. For this purpose, a qualitative research design using interviews, reflective journals, and classroom observation was used to elicit learners' experiences and practices for soliciting a model of a smartphone apps-based teaching method (SBTM). The findings showed that learners had positive experiences, e.g., ubiquitous and flexible processes, opportunities for individual and partner practice, recordings facilitated oral practice, and inside and outside classroom oral practice for managing large-size classes for developing OECSs in an EFL context. On the other hand, the negative experiences that learners reported were that this method was challenging for teachers, e.g., for assessment, and the classroom became noisy. The findings of this study will leave implications for teachers, learners, app developers, policymakers, and researchers for practising, developing a new app, and adopting a policy for implementing technology inside the classroom.