Listening, speaking and learning: Teachers’ use of low-tech digital tools to enhance learner engagement in English First Additional Language (EFAL) classrooms

Learner engagement in English First Additional Language classrooms is a pressing concern in many rural South African schools, characterised by overcrowding and limited digital infrastructure. This study explored how teachers integrate low-tech digital tools to enhance listening and speaking skills in such contexts. Guided by a qualitative interpretive approach, data were collected from eight English First Additional Language teachers across rural primary schools through semi-structured interviews and were analysed thematically. The findings revealed that teachers use low-tech digital tools primarily to support storytelling, manage overcrowded classrooms, and sustain learner interest despite connectivity challenges. While low-tech digital tools improved learner participation and attentiveness, infrastructural constraints and inconsistent internet access limited their full potential. The study recommends targeted teacher development, improved school-level digital support and context-sensitive integration strategies to strengthen English First Additional Language engagement. By foregrounding teachers’ lived experiences, the article contributes to ongoing debates on equitable and pedagogically sound technology integration in resource-constrained settings