Using digital technologies in teaching German as a second foreign language to improve communicative competence and motivation in multilingual classrooms
The development of communicative competence and the maintenance of learner motivation in multilingual classrooms remain persistent challenges in foreign language pedagogy. This study aimed to examine the impact of digital technologies (the online platforms Moodle, ChatGPT, and Grammapp) on the development of communicative competence and learner motivation in German language instruction, in comparison with traditional teaching approaches. The study was conducted using a mixed-methods design, including a quasi-experimental quantitative component (communicative competence test, motivation questionnaire) and a qualitative component of pedagogical observation. The validity of the instruments was ensured by content assessment by experts, and reliability was confirmed by high internal consistency of the scales (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient=0.87 for motivation and alpha=0.84 for the communicative competence test). The study involved 200 students from a Kazakh university, who were divided into two groups: an experimental group (EG) (receiving instruction via an innovative method) and a control group (CG) (receiving traditional instruction). The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in overall communicative competence (t=10.62, p<0.001, d=1.06, 95% CI: 0.82–1.30) and progress in specific skills, including written communication (F=33.18, p<0.001, η²=0.29) and listening comprehension (F=23.62, p<0.001, η²=0.23), among participants in the EG. In contrast, improvements in the CG were considerably smaller, with only moderate gains observed in writing, speaking, and listening skills (d=0.04–0.11; η²=0.04–0.11).
The results suggest that the integration of digital technologies into German language instruction enhances learners’ communicative skills and increases their motivation, indicating its effectiveness for practical implementation in multilingual classroom settings.
