Analysis of the Impact of Pictogram-Based Instruction on EFL Speaking Skills Development

Abstract

This study examined the effect of pictogram-based instruction on the development of speaking skills in primary EFL students, with specific attention to pronunciation and word stress. A quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design within a mixed methods approach was employed, involving a control group and an experimental group. The participants were 203 EFL students, distributed into a control group (n = 99) and an experimental group (n = 104). The experimental group received pictogram-based guided speaking instruction, while the control group followed conventional instruction. Speaking performance was assessed pre- and post-intervention using parallel oral tasks and an analytic rubric focusing on pronunciation and word stress. Descriptive statistics, baseline comparisons, paired comparisons, gain-score analyses, confidence intervals, and effect sizes were calculated to determine the impact of the intervention. Interview data from a randomly selected subgroup of students in the experimental group were analyzed and integrated with the quantitative findings to explain students’ perceptions of how pictograms supported pronunciation and word stress. The results showed that both groups improved from pre-test to post-test; however, the experimental group achieved significantly greater gains in pronunciation, word stress, and overall speaking performance. Pronunciation showed a large effect size, while word stress demonstrated an even stronger improvement, with a very large effect size. Within the experimental group, word stress improved significantly more than pronunciation. These findings suggest that pictograms can serve as effective visual scaffolds for oral language development, particularly in supporting suprasegmental features such as stress, rhythm, and comprehensibility.