<![CDATA[Developing children's speaking skills in primary English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms is still challenging, because there are limited opportunities for meaningful oral interaction and there are no instructional materials that cater for the actual needs of learners. This study investigates the necessities, lacks, and wants of learners as the basis of designing Interactive Digital Storybook Based on Collaborative Character Education for the development of English-speaking skills. A qualitative descriptive needs analysis was employed in the analysis phase of the ADDIE model. Data were collected from 18 students in a fifth-grade English as a foreign language (EFL) class using a yes–no questionnaire and semi-structured interviews with three students at varying levels of speaking proficiency. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The findings show that students had high motivation for learning English but had problems with pronunciation, limited vocabulary, speaking anxiety and low confidence. Learners also indicated their preference for contextual stories, speaking activities conducted in collaboration with others, and interactive multimedia features such as audio narration, illustrations, animations and educational games. The findings provide an empirical basis for designing an Interactive Digital Storybook with contextual narratives, multimedia-supported speaking practice, collaborative learning and collaborative character education. The study highlights the need for the learners’ linguistic, affective, collaborative and technology need to be integrated in the technology-enhanced instructional materials to create meaningful and engaging speaking experiences for primary EFL learners.]]>
