Abstract
Storytelling has long been used to support language learning; however, the potential of online digital storytelling (ODST) to enhance authentic listening and engagement in public-school EFL classrooms remains underexplored. This study examined whether ODST can improve Grade 7 learners’ comprehension of authentic spoken English and their behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design was employed with two intact Grade 7 classes in Guangzhou, China (N = 59; experimental n = 30, control n = 29). Both groups completed parallel pre- and posttests of authentic listening comprehension and an 18-item engagement scale. The experimental class received an eight-week ODST intervention integrating narrated online stories with captions, visuals, and sound effects. In contrast, the control class followed textbook-based audio activities aligned with the national syllabus. Baseline equivalence was established on listening and engagement. Quantitatively, posttest outcomes were analyzed using MANCOVA/ANCOVA with pretest scores as covariates. Qualitatively, semi-structured interviews (n = 20) were thematically analyzed, with saturation assessed by codebook stability (i.e., no substantively new themes emerged in the final interviews). Compared with conventional instruction, ODST led to significantly greater improvement in authentic listening comprehension. ODST also yielded significantly higher post-intervention engagement overall and across behavioral, emotional, and cognitive subdimensions, with effects in the medium-to-large range. Interview data converged with these findings, highlighting greater enjoyment, stronger motivation to persist with challenging input, clearer understanding through multimodal cues, and increased confidence in listening. ODST yielded dual benefits for junior high EFL learners in a public-school context, improving comprehension of authentic spoken English and enhancing behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. Because this is a single-site, quasi-experimental study with intact classes, causal claims and generalizability should be interpreted cautiously. The study advances ODST research by empirically linking multimodal narrative scaffolding to both authentic-listening gains and multidimensional engagement in an ecologically realistic public-school setting, and it justifies broader, longitudinal, and multi-site replications.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Data is provided within the manuscript.
References
Prasongngern, P. & Soontornwipast, K. Effects of listening strategy instruction incorporating intensive and extensive listening on listening skills and metacognitive awareness. Int. J. Instruction ; 16(4).155-172 (2023).
Vandergrift, L. & Goh, C. C. M. Teaching and Learning Second Language Listening: Metacognition in Action (Routledge, 2012).
Carroll, M., Lindsey, S. & Chaparro, M. Integrating engagement-inducing interventions into traditional, virtual and embedded learning environments. In: International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction. Cham: Springer International Publishing; :263–281. (2019).
Hedgcock, J. S. & Ferris, D. R. Teaching Readers of English: Students, texts, and Contexts , 2018.Routledge, 2018 Feb).
AlShareef, S. N. A. Applying the communicative approach in assessing EFL young learners. Eurasian J. Appl. Linguistics. 10 (1), 14–27 (2024).
Dasam, S. Essentials of English Language and Communication (Academic Guru Publishing House, 2025). Jun 9.
Renandya, W. A. & Farrell, T. S. C. Teacher, the tape is too fast!’: extensive listening in ELT. ELT J. 65 (1), 52–59 (2011).
Goh, C. & Taib, Y. Metacognitive instruction in listening for young learners. ELT J. 60 (3), 222–232 (2006).
Abdushukurova, U. Teaching receptive skills: reading and listening. Eur. J. Humanit. Educational Advancements. 5 (5), 58–63 (2024).
Gilmore, A. I prefer not text: developing Japanese learners’ communicative competence with authentic materials. Lang. Learn. 61 (3), 786–819 (2011).
Yin, M. The effect and importance of authentic language exposure in improving listening comprehension. (2015).
Hiver, P., Al-Hoorie, A. H., Vitta, J. P. & Wu, J. Engagement in Language learning: A systematic review of 20 years of research methods and definitions. Lang. Teach. Res. 28 (1), 201–230 (2024).
Miller, E. R. & Coen, L. L. Engagement in second Language listening: A socio-cognitive perspective. Appl. Linguistics Rev. 12 (2), 273–296 (2021).
Kahu, E. Increasing the emotional engagement of first year mature-aged distance students: interest and belonging. Int. J. First Year High. Educ. ;5(2), 45-55. (2014).
Wandas, A. M. P. English Language needs of non-language education students. Cognizance J. Multidisciplinary Stud. 4 (5), 283–306 (2024).
Baralt, M., Gurzynski-Weiss, L. & Kim, Y. Engagement with the Language: How Examining Learners’ Affective and Social Engagement Explains Successful learner-generated Attention To form. InPeer Interaction and Second Language Learning: Pedagogical Potential and Research Agenda. Vol. 26, pp. 209–239 (John Benjamins Publishing Company.(2016 ).
Han, R., Alibakhshi, G., Lu, L. & Labbafi, A. Digital communication activities and EFL learners’ willingness to communicate and engagement: exploring the intermediate Language learners’ perceptions. Heliyon 10 (3), e25213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25213 (2024).
Wang, X., Gao, Y., Reynolds, B. L. & Wang, Q. Exploring Chinese EFL learners’ beliefs about AI-mediated informal digital learning of english (IDLE): insights from Q methodology. Porta Linguarum. (XIII), 131–146. https://doi.org/10.30827/portalin.viXIII.31925 (2025). Revista Seug.
Wang, X. & Reynolds, B. L. Beyond the books: exploring factors shaping Chinese english learners’ engagement with large Language models for vocabulary learning. Educ. Sci. 14 (5), 496. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci1405049 (2024).
Appleton, J. J., Christenson, S. L., Kim, D. & Reschly, A. L. Measuring cognitive and psychological engagement: validation of the student engagement instrument. J. Sch. Psychol. 44 (5), 427–445 (2006).
Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C. & Paris, A. H. School engagement: potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Rev. Educ. Res. 74 (1), 59–109 (2004).
Mercer, S. & Dörnyei, Z. Engaging Language Learners in Contemporary Classrooms (Cambridge University Press, 2020).
Pakdaman, A., Alibakhshi, G. & Baradaran, A. The impact of negotiated syllabus on foreign Language learners’ Language anxiety and learning motivation. Teach. Engl. Lang. 16 (1), 35–63 (2022).
Lambert, C., Philp, J. & Nakamura, S. Learner-generated content and engagement in second Language task performance. Lang. Teach. Res. 21 (6), 665–680 (2017).
Ghelichli, Y., Seyyedrezaei, S. H., Barani, G. & Mazandarani, O. The relationship between dimensions of student engagement and Language learning motivation among Iranian EFL learners. Int. J. Foreign Lang. Teach. Res. 2 (31), 43 (2020).
Schnitzler, K., Holzberger, D. & Seidel, T. All better than being disengaged: student engagement patterns and their relations to academic self-concept and achievement. Eur. J. Psychol. Educ. 36 (3), 627–652 (2021).
Chubko, N., Morris, J. E., McKinnon, D. H., Slater, E. V. & Lummis, G. W. Digital storytelling as a disciplinary literacy enhancement tool for EFL students. Education Tech. Research Dev. 68 (6), 3587–3604 (2020).
Zemali, S. The role of audio narration and visual aids in teaching short stories in Algerian middle school. 15 (1), 889–900 (2025).
Razmi, M., Pourali, S. & Nozad, S. Digital storytelling in EFL classroom (oral presentation of the story): A pathway to improve oral production. Procedia - Social Behav. Sci. 98, 1541–1544 (2014).
Alibakhshi, G., Abdollahi, H. & Nezakatgoo, B. Exploring the antecedents of english Language teachers’ teaching self-efficacy: a qualitative study. Qualitative Res. J. 21 (3), 286–303. https://doi.org/10.1108/QRJ-05-2020-0040 (2021).
Yaşar, B. The Effects of Project-based Learning Using Storytelling on Enhancing EFL Young Learners’ 21st Century Skills (Master’s thesis, Instituto Politecnico do Porto (Portugal)).
Dobakhti, L., Zohrabi, M. & Masoudi, S. Scrutinizing the affective predictors of teacher immunity in foreign Language classroom. Teach. Engl. Lang. 16 (1), 65–88 (2022).
Zhang, R., Zou, D. & Cheng, G. A systematic review of technology-enhanced L2 listening development since 2000. Lang. Learn. Technol. 27 (3), 41–64. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/73531 (2023).
Graham, S. Research into practice: listening strategies in an instructed classroom setting. Lang. Teach. 50 (1), 107–119 (2017).
Parsaiyan, S. F. & Mansouri, S. Digital storytelling (DST) in nurturing EFL teachers’ professional competencies: A qualitative exploration. Technol. Assist. Lang. Educ. 2 (4), 141–167 (2024).
Alibakhshi, G. & Mohammadi, M. J. Synchronous and asynchronous multimedia and Iranian EFL learners’ learning of collocations. Appl. Res. Engl. Lang. 5 (2), 237–254 (2016).
Zarei, M. A., Alibakhshi, G. & Nezakatgoo, B. Strategies employed by EFL teachers to Cope with Language learners’ classroom anxiety. TESOL J. 15 (4), e843. https://doi.org/10.1002/tesj.84 (2024).
Amiryousefi, M. The incorporation of flipped learning into conventional classes to enhance EFL learners’ L2 speaking, L2 listening, and engagement. Innov. Lang. Learn. Teach. 13 (2), 147–161 (2019).
Vandergrift, L. Second Language listening: Presage, process, product, and pedagogy. In Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning Vol. 2 (ed. Hinkel, E.) 455–471 (Routledge, 2011).
Tsou, W., Wang, W. & Tzeng, Y. Applying a multimedia storytelling website in foreign Language learning. Comput. Educ. 47 (1), 17–28 (2006).
Kearsley, G. Distance learning. In: Connotative Learning: The Trainer’s Guide to Learning Theories and Their Practical Application to Training Design. :101. [publisher/location needed]. (2004).
Xiao, Y. The impact of AI-driven speech recognition on EFL listening comprehension, flow experience, and anxiety: A randomized controlled trial. Humanit. Social Sci. Commun. 12 (1), 1–14 (2025).
Mayer, R. E. Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. In: The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning. :31–48. (2005).
Mayer, R. E. Multimedia Learning 2nd edn (Cambridge University Press, 2009).
Verenikina, I. Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory and the zone of proximal development. [details needed]. (2003).
Lowrance-Faulhaber, E. Young English learners as writers: An exploration of teacher-student dialogic relationships in two mainstream classrooms [dissertation]. Cincinnati, OH: University of Cincinnati; (2020).
Yang, Y. T. C. & Wu, W. C. I. Digital storytelling for enhancing student academic achievement, critical thinking, and learning motivation: A year-long experimental study. Comput. Educ. 59 (2), 339–352 (2012).
Mukhtorova, M. & Ilxomov, X. How to improve listening skills of both ESL and EFL students. Qo‘Qon Universiteti Xabarnomasi. 11, 84–86 (2024).
Polishchuk, G. Listening as the major language processing skill of spoken interaction. [journal/title language: Ukrainian; article number 2025189; details needed]. (2025).
Vandergrift, L. Recent developments in second and foreign Language listening comprehension research. Lang. Teach. 40 (3), 191–210 (2007).
Afriyuninda, E. & Oktaviani, L. The Use of English Songs To Improve English Students’ Listening Skills ([details needed], 2021).
Qizi, T. M. S. The main difficulties encountered in the beginning of the english Language. Am. J. Social Sci. Humanity Res. 3 (12), 85–98 (2023).
Goh, C. C. M. Listening as process: learning activities for self-appraisal and self-regulation. In English Language Teaching Materials (ed. Harwood, N.) 179–206 (Cambridge University Press, 2012).
Banaszewski, T. M. Digital storytelling: Supporting digital literacy in grades 4–12 [dissertation]. Atlanta, GA: Georgia Institute of Technology; (2005).
Lantolf, J. P. & Thorne, S. L. Sociocultural Theory and the Genesis of Second Language Development (Oxford University Press, 2006).
Kramsch, C. From communicative competence to symbolic competence. Mod. Lang. J. 90 (2), 249–252 (2006).
Riaz, H. & Riasat, A. Effect of digital storytelling on vocabulary retention and Language motivation of Pakistani EFL learners. Lang. Teach. Res. Q. 33 (1), 52–65 (2023).
Gregersen, T., MacIntyre, P. D. & Meza, M. D. The motion of emotion: idiodynamic case studies of learners’ foreign Language anxiety. Mod. Lang. J. 98 (2), 574–588 (2014).
Xu, Q., Wang, X. & Ma, Q. Enhancing EFL students’ listening skills through digital storytelling: A quasi-experimental study. Computer-Assisted Lang. Learn. 33 (5–6), 570–594 (2020).
Reschly, A. L. & Christenson, S. L. Jingle, jangle, and conceptual haziness: evolution and future directions of the engagement construct. In Handbook of Research on Student Engagement (eds Christenson, S. L. et al.) 3–19 (Springer, 2012).
Reinders, H. & Wattana, S. Affect and willingness to communicate in digital game-based learning. ReCALL 27 (1), 38–57 (2015).
Graham, S. & Santos, D. Language learning in the public eye: an analysis of newspapers and official documents in England. Innov. Lang. Learn. Teach. 9 (1), 72–85 (2015).
Goh, C. & Aryadoust, V. Examining the notion of listening subskill divisibility and its implications for second Language listening. Int. J. Listening. 29 (3), 109–133 (2015).
Dörnyei, Z. & Ushioda, E. Teaching and Researching Motivation (Routledge, 2021).
Selfa-Sastre, M., Pifarre, M., Cujba, A., Cutillas, L. & Falguera, E. The role of digital technologies to promote collaborative creativity in Language education. Front. Psychol. 13, 828981 (2022).
Ramírez Verdugo, D. & Alonso Belmonte, I. Using digital stories to improve listening comprehension with Spanish young learners of english. Lang. Learn. Technol. 11 (1), 87–101. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/44090 (2007).
Demirbaş, İ. & Şahin, A. The effect of digital stories on primary school students’ listening comprehension skills. Participatory Educational Res. 9 (6), 380–397. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.22.144.9.6 (2022).
Shadish, W. R., Cook, T. D. & Campbell, D. T. Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Designs for Generalized Causal Inference (Houghton Mifflin, 2002).
Braun, V. & Clarke, V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Res. Psychol. 3 (2), 77–101 (2006).
Polat, M. & Erişti, B. The effects of authentic video materials on foreign Language listening skill development and foreign Language listening anxiety at different levels of english proficiency. Int. J. Contemp. Educational Res. 6 (1), 135–154 (2019).
Mardiha, S. M., Alibakhshi, G., Mazloum, M. & Javaheri, R. Electronic flipped classrooms as a solution to educational problems caused by COVID-19: a case study of a research course in Iran higher education. Electron. J. e-Learning. 21 (1), 26–35. https://doi.org/10.34190/ejel.21.1.2440 (2023).
Kearsley, G. & Shneiderman, B. Engagement theory: A framework for technology-based teaching and learning. Educational Technol. 38 (5), 20–23 (1998).
Goh, C. C. M. & Vandergrift, L. Teaching and Learning Second Language Listening: Metacognition in Action (Routledge, 2012). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203843376
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge that AI applications were used for proofreading the manuscript.
Funding
This work was sponsored in part by 2023 Featured Innovation Project Guangdong Scientific Research Projects for the Higher-educational Institution [grant number: 2023WTSCX027]. 2025 The Philosophy and Social Sciences Planning Project of the Guangdong Provincial Government [grant number༚GD25YWW03].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
W.W, L.Z and J.Z designed the study. W.W, L.Z and J.Z collected the data. W.W analyzed and interpreted the data. L.Z and J.Z drafted the manuscript. W.W, L.Z and J.Z proofread the paper. W.W, L.Z and J.Z agreed to be accountable and verified the submitted version.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Ethics approval and consent to participate
Before participating, all subjects provided informed consent. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and Guangdong University of Finance and Economics approved the protocol.
Informed consent
Informed consent was obtained from the experts.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, which permits any non-commercial use, sharing, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if you modified the licensed material. You do not have permission under this licence to share adapted material derived from this article or parts of it. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.
About this article
Cite this article
Wang, W., Zheng, L. & Zhang, J. Effect of online digital storytelling on the comprehension of authentic listening materials and engagement of junior high school EFL learners. Sci Rep (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36913-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-36913-4
