Beyond the Textbook: A Conceptual Framework for Integrating Multimedia Pedagogy in Technical English Classrooms

Abstract

English Language Teaching in polytechnic institutes across India has long been confined to textbook-driven instruction that develops grammatical knowledge but fails to build the oral communication skills that industry demands. This paper proposes the Triple-I Framework, a three-stage conceptual model comprising Immersion, Interaction, and Integration, designed to shift polytechnic ELT from passive text-based learning to active, multimedia-supported oral production. Grounded in Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning, Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis, Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, and Swain's Output Hypothesis, the framework uses authentic video input, digitally scaffolded practice through shadowing and self-recording, and real-time peer interaction to develop industry-ready spoken English. A job interview preparation module illustrates the framework's classroom application across three structured sessions. The paper also situates the framework within the NEP 2020 mandate for skill-embedded, vocationally relevant education. As a conceptual model, the Triple-I Framework offers polytechnic English teachers a theoretically grounded, practically viable, and infrastructure-light pathway for developing the oral proficiency that diploma students need to succeed in professional recruitment contexts.