Integrating TBLT with Digital Tools: Impacts on Learners’ Oral Performance

Speaking proficiency is one of the most vital yet challenging skills for second language learners to master. Traditional methods often fall short in creating meaningful opportunities for authentic communication, which has led to growing interest in Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) as a way to foster oral performance. With the rise of digital technologies, TBLT can now be enriched through platforms such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Duolingo, and AI-powered applications. It offers learners more interactive and flexible practice. This study explores how integrating TBLT with digital tools influences English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ speaking skills. Using a mixed-methods design, 60 intermediate learners engaged in digitally mediated tasks over eight weeks. Data were collected through pre-speaking tests and post-speaking tests, recordings, surveys, and semi-structured interviews. The results showed significant improvements in fluency, accuracy, and complexity, with fluency demonstrating the strongest gains. Learners also reported greater motivation, engagement, and confidence, alongside positive perceptions of digital TBLT. The findings suggest that blending TBLT with digital tools creates an effective, learner-centered approach to enhancing speaking skills in EFL contexts. The study further offers practical recommendations for teachers, curriculum designers, and policymakers to integrate digital resources into communicative task design.