Digital storytelling for enhancing EFL learners’ speaking skills: A systematic review

Abstract

The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the factors influencing, the educational outcomes of, and the instructional strategies related to the application of DST in enhancing the speaking abilities of EFL students. The research utilized a qualitative systematic review methodology informed by the PRISMA framework. Data were collected from 30 peer-reviewed scientific articles published between 2017 and 2025 and indexed in ERIC, Scopus, Google Scholar, JSTOR, and DOAJ. The selected studies were analyzed using a thematic synthesis procedure that included coding, categorization, and theme development. The findings revealed four major contributing factors influencing DST effectiveness: technological access, learner-related factors, teacher scaffolding, and collaborative interaction. Moreover, the implementation of digital storytelling (DST) consistently enhanced students’ oral fluency, precision in pronunciation, mastery of vocabulary, coherence in narrative construction, levels of self-confidence, intrinsic motivation, and readiness to engage in communication. Successful pedagogical strategies encompassed pre-production scaffolding, peer-to-peer feedback mechanisms, multimodal integration, exposure to authentic audiences, and ongoing formative assessment practices. The review concludes that DST is a pedagogically meaningful and theoretically grounded approach capable of facilitating multidimensional speaking development in EFL classrooms when supported by adequate instructional design and technological infrastructure. The results yield significant practical ramifications for educators, curriculum designers, and scholars endeavoring to incorporate technology-facilitated speaking pedagogy within modern English as a Foreign Language (EFL) educational context.