Abstract
This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of the Engage–Study–Activate (ESA) framework in developing speaking competence in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts. Drawing on open-access studies published between 2018 and 2025, the article analyzes ESA’s theoretical foundations and its practical impact on learner engagement, fluency, accuracy, and classroom interaction. The findings indicate that ESA provides a structured yet flexible lesson model that balances emotional involvement, focused language instruction, and communicative practice. The review also identifies research gaps and highlights implications for effective speaking pedagogy in diverse educational settings
References
1. Anderson, J., & West, R. (2020). Communicative competence and classroom interaction in EFL contexts. Education Sciences, 10(9), 245. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090245
2. Derakhshan, A., Coombe, C., Zhaleh, K., & Tabatabaeian, M. (2020). Examining the roles of continuing professional development needs and views of research in English language teachers’ success. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 24(3), 1–27.
3. Dörnyei, Z., & Al-Hoorie, A. H. (2017/2018 updated ed.). Motivational dynamics in language learning. Multilingual Matters.
4. Ellis, R. (2018). Reflections on task-based language teaching. Multilingual Matters.
5. Ghanbari, N., & Nowroozi, S. (2021). The effect of communicative tasks on EFL learners’ speaking fluency and accuracy. Journal of Language and Education, 7(2), 45–59.
6. Goh, C. C. M., & Burns, A. (2019). Teaching speaking: A holistic approach. Cambridge University Press (Open access chapters).
7. Kao, C. W., & O’Neill, C. (2020). Technology-mediated speaking tasks in EFL classrooms. Education and Information Technologies, 25, 3821–3839.
8. Lee, J. S. (2019). The role of classroom anxiety in EFL speaking development. Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 28(6), 489–497.
9. Li, S. (2020). The effectiveness of corrective feedback in SLA: A meta-analysis. Language Teaching Research, 24(2), 217–248.
10. Moorhouse, B. L., & Beaumont, A. M. (2020). Utilizing communicative language teaching in Asian EFL contexts. TESL-EJ, 24(2), 1–15.
11. Nguyen, H. T. M., & Tran, T. T. (2021). Learner engagement in communicative English classrooms. Education Sciences, 11(5), 216. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11050216
12. Philp, J., Adams, R., & Iwashita, N. (2018). Peer interaction and second language learning. Routledge (selected open chapters).
13. Sato, M., & Loewen, S. (2019). Evidence-based second language pedagogy. Routledge Open Research Series.
14. Sun, Y. C., & Yang, F. Y. (2020). The impact of digital storytelling on EFL speaking performance. Computer Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal, 21(2), 1–19.
15. Teng, M. F., & Zhang, L. J. (2020). Empowering learners through metacognitive instruction in speaking. Language Teaching Research, 24(5), 1–21.
16. Vafaei, M., & Rahimi, M. (2022). The effects of communicative approach on EFL learners’ oral proficiency. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 9(1), 34–48.
17. Wang, Y., & Han, Z. (2021). Focus on form in communicative classrooms: A systematic review. Languages, 6(3), 115. https://doi.org/10.3390/languages6030115
18. Yin, H., & Zhang, J. (2022). Student-centered speaking instruction and classroom interaction. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 842379. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.842379
19. Zhang, X. (2023). The relationship between speaking anxiety and oral performance in EFL learners. Frontiers in Education, 8, 112233. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.112233

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.