Using Technology to Develop Young Learners’ Oracy Skills

As young language learners embark on their journey of acquiring English as an additional language, oracy development emerges as a foundational skill essential for self-expression and communication of ideas. Oracy development could improve young learners’ linguistic proficiency, boost their confidence, and facilitate their engagement in meaningful interaction. Language educators play an important role in this process by providing targeted strategies and fostering supportive learning environments. The advancement of digital technology has offered a wide selection of interactive tools and digital platforms that can enhance oracy skills through interactive and immersive learning experiences, which are both playful and motivating for young learners. These technologies could afford various listening inputs and opportunities for personalized speaking practice, making language learning more dynamic and accessible for young learners. This chapter begins by examining the importance of oracy in young learners’ language development and the challenges associated with fostering listening and speaking skills in classroom settings. It then explores how digital tools—including interactive language learning apps, multimedia resources, speech recognition software, and gamified learning environments—support listening comprehension, pronunciation, fluency, and spontaneous language production in young learners. Finally, this chapter discusses the pedagogical implications of integrating technology into oracy instruction, providing practical strategies and real examples for educators to optimise its advantages.