ONLINE TEXT CHAT vs VOICE CHAT: WHICH BETTER SUPPORTS MARITIME ENGLISH SPEAKING DEVELOPMENT FOR LOW-PROFICIENCY CADETS?

Abstract

This study investigates how two synchronous digital communication modalities—real-time text chat and real-time voice chat—support the early speaking development of low-proficiency EFL learners. The participants were beginner-level maritime cadets enrolled in an Indonesian maritime higher education institution, all of whom were classified as low-proficiency EFL learners. Adopting a comparative qualitative design, were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis of interaction transcripts, learner reflections, and descriptive profiles of pre- and post-intervention speaking performance. Findings reveal that text chat facilitated message planning, form-focused monitoring, and reduced performance anxiety, allowing learners to develop confidence and greater control over basic linguistic structures. In contrast, voice chat provided opportunities for spontaneous production and authentic conversational engagement, prompting learners to negotiate meaning, manage turn-taking, and develop a more natural communicative rhythm despite initial anxiety. Both modalities contributed positively to oral development, though through different mechanisms: text-based interaction strengthened accuracy and conceptual clarity, while voice-based interaction fostered fluency, immediacy, and interactional competence. The study concludes that the two modalities are complementary rather than competitive. Pedagogically, a sequenced integration—beginning with text chat to build foundational stability and progressing to voice chat to promote spontaneous speech—offers an effective approach for supporting novice learners' transition into more confident oral communication