Developing Digital Learning Media for Teaching Public Speaking to Improve English Skills of Junior High School Students

Abstract

The limited availability of interactive and contextual learning resources in rural areas has posed a significant challenge for English language acquisition, particularly in speaking skills. This study aimed to design and develop digital learning media for teaching public speaking to enhance the English proficiency of junior high school students at SMP Satap 8 Maiwa, Enrekang Regency. Employing a Research and Development (R&D) approach with the 4D model (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate), the study engaged 29 seventh-grade students and English teachers as participants. The needs analysis revealed that 88.3% of students expressed strong interest in using digital media such as e-books, videos, and interactive activities to support their learning, while teachers highlighted the lack of accessible and practical media for classroom implementation. The developed digital media integrated text, images, videos, and interactive exercises, designed with Canva and converted into a Heyzine Flipbook for user-friendly navigation. Expert validation showed high validity scores from both media (86.7%) and content (95.6%) specialists. Furthermore, small- and large-scale trials demonstrated strong practicality and effectiveness, with student responses reaching 90.6% and 92.3% respectively, indicating that the media was engaging, easy to use, and supportive in improving public speaking skills. Teachers also rated the media as creative, innovative, and efficient (87.5%). These findings indicate that the digital learning supports developed in this study are valid and practical, offering an effective way to improve students' communication skills. In addition to the benefits of the classroom, the study contributes to the ongoing digital transformation of rural education and offers valuable possibilities for recognition in similar educational contexts.