Using social media to promote EFL learners’ speaking skill: perceptions from both teachers and learners
List of Authors
  • Rabeya Khatun Mitu

Keyword
  • Social media, EFL context, Oral proficiency, EFL teachers, EFL learners

Abstract
  • With the advancement of technology, social media has been a great source in the field of education. Through the blessing of social media (Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, Instagram, Imo, Messenger and so on), people are able to exchange their feelings, emotions, liking, disliking everything with other disregard to distance. It is a great means in the process of L2 learners’ communication skill development. Thus, the aim of this paper is to see the significance of social media to promote Bangladeshi university learners’ speaking skill based on the perceptions from both teachers and students. For this descriptive study, data have been collected through questionnaires designed by the author. The data have been collected through google form where the participants are 100 EFL (English as a Foreign Language) university teachers and 100 university students. The result of this study shows that social media has a great importance to both teachers and learners to develop learners’ oral proficiency. Both teachers and learners show their positive attitudes towards the use of different social sites in the process of learners L2 speaking skill and day by day such use of social media is gaining a growing tendency. The result of this study will give benefit to the EFL teachers and policy makers to be more concerned with a positive attitude about how to use social sites more effectively in EFL classroom to enhance learners’ L2 skills, especially oral skill.

Reference
  • 1. Akinola, O. T. (2015). social media as a weapon mass instruction in training library and information science. In A. Tella, Social Media Strategies for Dynamic Library Service Development (pp. 175-202). IGI Global.

    2. Alam, M., Alam, M. Z., & Farzana, S. (2018). Taking Lead in L2 Speaking Skill through Teachers’ Motivation: A Retrospection of Private Universities in Bangladesh. Australasian Journal of Business, Social Science and Information Technology, 4 (3), 94-102.

    3. Al Musa, A. b. (2002). Using Computers in Education. Riyadh. Ima Mohamed BinSaud Islamic University.

    4. Al-ali, S. (2014). Possible use of instagram as a language mLearning tool. Issues and Trends in Educational Technology, 2(2), 1–16.

    5. Aydin, S. (2014). Foreign language learners’ interactions with their teachers on Facebook. System, 42(1), 155–163. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.system.2013.12.001

    6. Azadi, G., Biria, R., & Nasri, M. (2018). Operationalising the Concept of Mediation in L2 Teacher Education. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 9(1), 132-140.

    7. Baker, J., & Westrup, H. (2003). Essential Speaking Skills: A Handbook for English Language Teachers. London: Continuum.

    8. Brown, D. H. (1994). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall Regent.

    9. Buga, R., Căpeneaţă, I., Chirasnel, C., & Popa, A. (2014). Facebook in foreign language teaching – A Tool to improve communication competences. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 128, 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. sbspro.2014.03.124

    10. Burns, A. & Joyce, H. (1997). Focus on speaking. Sydney: National Center for English Language Teaching and Research. Retrieved July 27, 2019 fromhttp://www.cal.org/caela/esl_resources/digests/Speak.html.

    11. Channey, A. L. (1998). Teaching Oral Communication in Grades K-8. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

    12. Chun, D., Smith, B., & Kern, R. (2016). Technology in language use, language teaching, and language learning. Modern Language Journal, 100, 64–80. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12302

    13. Dana Lynn Driscoll (2011). Introduction to Primary Research: Observations, Surveys, and Interviews. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data.

    14. Dörnyei, Z., & Ushioda, E. (2011). Teaching and researching motivation (2nded.). Harlow: Longman.

    15. Ekoc, A. (2014). Facebook groups as a supporting tool for language classrooms. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education, 15(3), 18–26

    16. Eren, Ö. (2012). Students’ Attitudes towards Using Social Networking in Foreign Language Classes: A Facebook Example. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(20), 288-294.

    17. Greenhow, C., & Gleason, B. (2012). Twitteracy: Tweeting as a new literacy practice. The Educational Forum, 76(November), 463–477. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2012.709032

    18. Gutiérrez, D. (2005). Developing oral skills through communicative and interactive tasks. Profile Issues in Teachers` Professional Development, 6(1), 2 – 10.

    19. Haigh, p. (2010). Social Network Websites: Their Benefits and Risks. London: Optimus education e-books.

    20. Hasan, M. R., Ab Rashid, R., Hasan, M., Nuby, M., & Alam, M. R. (2019). Learning English Informally Through Educational Facebook Pages. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 7(7), 277-290.

    21. Hosseini, E. Z., Nasri, M., & Afghari, A. (2017). Looking beyond teachers’ classroom behavior: novice and experienced EFL teachers’ practice of pedagogical Knowledge to Improve Learners’ Motivational Strategies. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 4(8), 183-200.

    22. Kabilan, M. K., Ahmad, N., & Abidin, M. J. Z. (2010). Facebook: An online environment for learning of English in institutions of higher education? Internet and Higher Education, 13(4), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2010.07.003

    23. Kent, T., & McNergney, R. (1999). Will technology really change education? Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press, Inc.

    24. Levy, M. (2009). Technology in use for second language learning. The Modern Language Journal, 93(1), 769782.

    25. Mahadi, N., & Ubaidullah, N. H. (2010). Social networking sites: Opportunities for language teachers. International Journal of Learning, 17(6), 313–324. Retrieved from http://www. scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-79955896947&pa rtnerID=40&md5=9c5de320eea50ee59c249f62c89f3e75

    26. Milon, M. R. K., Hossain, M. R., & Alam, M. R. (2018). Factors Influencing on Dropouts at Undergraduate Level in Private Universities of Bangladesh: A Case Study. Australasian Journal of Business, Social Science and Information Technology, 4 (4), 177-188.

    27. Namaziandost E., & Nasri, M. (2019). A meticulous look at Long’s (1981) interaction hypothesis: does it have any effect on speaking skill? Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 6(2), 218-230.

    28. Nasri, M. & Biria, R. (2017). Integrating multiple and focused strategies for improving reading comprehension and l2 lexical development of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 6(1), 311-321.

    29. Nasri, M., Biria, R., & Karimi, M. (2018). Projecting Gender Identity in Argumentative Written Discourse. International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature, 7(3), 201-205.

    30. Pichette, F. (2009). Second Language Anxiety and Distance Language Learning. Foreign Language Annals, 42(1), 77-93.

    31. Rios, J. A., & Campos, J. L. E. (2015). The role of technology in foreign language learning. Revista de Lenguas Modernas, 23, 1–2.

    32. Shafie, L. A., Yaacob, A., & Singh, P. K. K. (2016). Lurking and L2 learners on a facebook group: The voices of the invisibles. English Language Teaching, 9(2), 1. https://doi.org/10.5539/ elt.v9n2p1

    33. Shih, R. C. (2013). Effect of using facebook to assist English for business communication course instruction. Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 12(1), 52–59

    34. Shih, R.-C. (2011). Can Web 2.0 technology assist college students in learning English writing? Integrating “Facebook” and peer assessment with blended learning. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27(5), 829–845. https://doi. org/10.14742/ajet.v27i5.934

    35. Thornbury, S. (2005). How to teach speaking. U.K.: Pearson.