Digital Tools for Language Learning: Exploring Teachers’ Innovative and Engaging Practices

Abstract

This paper reports on the case study conducted with a group of secondary school language teachers and their practices of using digital tools from the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak onward. It investigates which tools the respondents used when they conducted classes exclusively online, and which ones they use when organising in-person teaching. The study aims at determining whether, how and to what extent the habit of using digital tools has improved over time. Quantitative research, in the form of an online survey, was conducted at the beginning of 2023 in order to analyse teachers' overall perceptions of digital tools in language teaching and learning before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Forty-eight respondents did the online questionnaire. The findings showed that teachers held critical viewpoints on the use of technology in language teaching. The findings also suggest that teachers adopted digital technologies to address their and students' needs. Teachers reported that they found it difficult to deal with the challenges of online learning, especially regarding the lack of effective communication, staying up to date with modern technology and time-consuming administrative work. Furthermore, the results reveal that using digital tools helps students engage with the language in diverse ways, enhances their motivation to learn, develops their language learning skills, and improves their intercultural communicative competence.