Integrating 'Padlet' as Interactive Teaching Tool for English Language Learners: An Experimental Study

Abstract

The digital transformation of educational environments has initiated a significant shift in language teaching methodologies, particularly for ESL students who are developing essential literacy skills. This research investigates the educational potential of Padlet, a cloud-based collaborative platform, as a novel approach to enhancing English language proficiency among elementary-level ESL learners in Pakistan. Utilizing a mixed-methods research framework, the study engaged 80 elementary students from two public schools, with participants evenly split into an experimental group (receiving Padlet-integrated instruction) and a control group (experiencing traditional teaching methods). Quantitative data were collected through pre & post intervention assessments, supplemented by qualitative feedback from student interviews and teacher observations. In addition to more engagement and learner freedom in the classroom, the results showed a statistically significant improvement in the experimental group's vocabulary development, sentence structure, and writing fluency. The visual and interactive features of Padlet further highlighted students' enthusiasm, increased motivation, and a noticeable rise in peer engagement, according to qualitative data. Vygotsky's sociocultural theory and Krashen's Input Hypothesis, which contend that digitally mediated cooperation can greatly enhance second language acquisition by providing socially relevant, authentic, and scaffold learning experiences, corroborate these findings. The report however, acknowledges contextual barriers, such as insufficient digital infrastructure and the difficulties educators encounter when implementing new technologies. Notwithstanding these difficulties, Padlet has shown itself to be a flexible, inclusive, and scalable teaching tool that may change traditional ESL classrooms into spaces that encourage student-centered, creative, and active learning.