Abstract

The integration of digital technologies into junior secondary English education, particularly within the Chinese context, is often oriented toward cultivating students’ key competencies; however, it frequently leads to a disconnect between technological application and competency development. This study explores the core issue to identify the underlying causes and propose effective pathways for integration. Grounded in a systematic literature review and theoretical analysis, the research identifies three primary dilemmas: the predominance of instrumental rationality, a pronounced theory-practice gap, and the lag in assessment methods. In response, this study constructs a theoretical model for technology-competency integration, and proposes three transformative pathways: the creation of digitally intelligent scenarios, the design of critical thinking tasks, and the implementation of precise feedback mechanisms. These contributions offer both theoretical and practical guidance for achieving meaningful pedagogical transformation in junior secondary English teaching.

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