The Effectiveness of Using Podcasting in Enhancing Speaking Skills for Adult Learners of English as a Foreign Language

Abstract

The present study aimed at improving EFL adult learners’ speaking skills through listening to different podcasts related to the program they are having. To achieve this aim, a podcasting program of instruction was developed. The program integrated listening, speaking and technology. This program was used to guide the instruction of the proposed podcasting activities according to its stages and sub-stage. Different listening and speaking techniques such as weblogs, listening tracks, multimedia reflective activities, etc. were incorporated in the program. The study adopted the quasi experimental design using one group. This group consisted of 37 (15 females and 22 males) Adult EFL learners aged from 18 to 28 years old. The program lasted for 4 weeks (5 sessions per week, three-hour each). The time of each phase was left to the instructor's estimation. The findings of the study indicated that there were statistically significant differences at 0.000 level between the mean scores of the experimental group students on the pre- and post-application of the Speaking skills test (SST) in favor of the post one. In the light of the results of the study, the researcher recommended that the proposed podcasting program proved to be effective in developing EFL adult learners’ speaking skills. The researcher also suggested designing other podcasting content programs for developing other language skills other than speaking.

Keywords: Podcasting, EFL adult learners, MALL technology, listening and speaking skills.