Evaluating Print and Digital Speaking Materials For Arab Learners of English as a Foreign Language: Teacher Perspectives From an Omani Foundation Programme

This study evaluates how print and digital speaking materials support Arab learners of English as a foreign language in an Omani foundation programme. It focuses on Pathways 2: Listening, Speaking, and Critical Thinking and its former digital supplementary platform, MyELT. Although MyELT has since been retired and replaced by Spark, the findings remain relevant to wider discussions of digital English language teaching platforms, especially accessibility, feedback, interactivity, and teacher customisation. The study adopted a mixed-methods design combining criteria-based materials evaluation with questionnaire data from 50 English language teachers. The findings indicate that Pathways 2 provides varied communicative activities, including discussions, presentations, role-plays, and collaborative tasks. However, some activities were only partially aligned with learners’ proficiency levels, local needs, and assessment expectations. MyELT provided useful multimedia support, but its value for speaking development was limited by technical problems, restricted customisation, weak feedback mechanisms, and limited collaborative speaking practice. The article argues that effective speaking materials require stronger localisation, clearer alignment with learning outcomes, accessible digital design, and more opportunities for meaningful interaction.

Arab learners of English; coursebook evaluation; digital learning platforms; English as a foreign language; materials evaluation

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