Virtual exchange (VE) is a form of the Communicative Approach to foreign language teaching that uses digital communication tools to enable cooperation and interaction between partner classes in geographically separate locations. Although the implementation of such projects has become increasingly common with the development of information and communication technology, only a limited number of studies have examined their implementation with pupils in the first educational cycle of primary school. Our literature review identified several studies on VE in relation to the development of listening and speaking skills; however, none focused on VE with pupils in this age group. In the Slovenian context, there is no research on virtual exchange in English lessons in the first educational cycle of primary school, which may be related to the fact that foreign language learning in the first grade only became compulsory in the 2024/25 school year. This master’s thesis examines the relationship between the implementation of a virtual exchange project and the development of first-grade pupils’ listening and speaking skills, as well as their experience of learning English. The study involved 12 first-grade pupils from a primary school in the Central Slovenia region who used digital communication tools to collaborate with a class of eight first-grade pupils from Warsaw, Poland. The theoretical part presents the Communicative Approach to teaching English to young learners, the development of listening and speaking skills at this age, the characteristics and pedagogical potential of virtual exchange, and the teacher’s role in implementing VE. In the empirical part, both quantitative and qualitative research methods were used. Quantitative data were collected using listening and speaking tests and a questionnaire on pupils’ experience of learning English. The speaking tests were audio-recorded, and the recordings were subsequently analysed qualitatively. The same instruments were used before the start of VE and after its completion, and the results were then compared. The results show that the pupils made considerable progress in both listening and speaking skills during the project. In the speaking test, they improved particularly in their use of vocabulary and structures that had been used during the synchronous virtual exchange or supporting activities. The study found no significant relationship between the implementation of virtual exchange and changes in pupils’ experience of learning English. Although the findings cannot be generalised to the wider population due to the small sample size, they may encourage and support teachers in implementing similar projects. They may also provide a basis for developing guidelines and educational materials for the implementation of similar projects and for further research on virtual exchange in English language teaching at primary level in the Slovenian context.
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