Digital literacy and engagement among Chinese EFL learners: How does teacher support matter?

Digital literacy plays a crucial role in language learning. However, the relationship between digital literacy and engagement in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning remains unclear. Furthermore, the factors that moderate this link are not well understood. This study explored the connection between digital literacy and learning engagement among EFL learners, with particular attention to the moderating role of teacher support, as framed by social support theory. A total of 1,582 secondary school students from China participated in the research, providing self-reported data on digital literacy, learning engagement, teacher support, and demographic information. Multiple regression analysis revealed that after controlling for age, gender, and socioeconomic status, digital literacy positively predicted engagement in EFL learning. Moderation analysis indicated that teacher support significantly moderated this relationship. Specifically, the relationship between digital literacy and learning engagement was stronger when teacher support is high, or teacher support helped students with lower digital literacy become more engaged in EFL learning. These findings contribute to the application of social support theory in EFL education and have important implications for EFL teaching and learning practices.