TESL 0100: Unit 9 Reflection - Social Media and Language Learners
TESL 0100 Unit 9 Reflection: Social Media and Language Learners
At the turn of the 21st century, the internet
revolutionized the way we interact with each other, namely with the birth of
social media. Thanks to this innovation, the world no longer feels like such a
big place; we can now connect with people from every corner of the Earth instantaneously.
By its very communicative nature, social media can also be a powerful tool for
language learners. Through social media, they can now extend their language
learning outside of the classroom in new and exciting ways. Below I have taken
four headings from Brown and Lee (2015) to outline some ways in which social
media can enrich language learning:
1.)
Opportunities
for Interaction:
Social media offers language learners an
abundance of opportunities for them to interact with others in their L2. They
can “…express themselves, build profiles, form online communities of shared
interests, and interact socially with others.” (Brown & Lee, 2015, pg.
242). Social media opens up possibilities to use their L2 in ways that might
not have been available otherwise. This is especially important for students who are
studying their L2 as a Foreign Language and might not have many chances to use it
outside of the classroom. Even for those living in a country where their L2 is
the official language, social media gives newcomers many opportunities to practice
their L2 in meaningful ways.
2.)
Access
to Authentic Language Use:
Social media is a great medium for students
to tap into authentic language sources because it exposes them to a variety of language
forms. For example, language learners can pick up on ways that native speakers
use idioms and slang in authentic contexts. Social media can also help build
intrinsic motivation by allowing students to use social media for their own
personal interests.
3.)
Enacting
Agency and Identity:
Social media, especially social networking sites, enable language
learners to use their L2 to express themselves, and build an identity shaped by
what “…words, photos, videos, [and] symbols…” they choose (Brown & Lee, 2015). As they nurture their identity, they in turn discover their needs as language learners. Social media can also
help students become more autonomous in their learning by giving them opportunities
to use their L2 by their own choosing. They can decide to use language however
they like and whenever they like to express what is important to them. This gives language learners control of how they interact with their L2.
4.)
Opportunities
for Cross-Cultural Learning:
Language learners can use social media to
learn about other cultures as well as share their own. By reaching out to
others online, they can practice their L2 while learning more about
different cultures. They can watch videos on YouTube, view photos on Instagram,
read posts on Facebook, listen to podcasts on iTunes, the list goes on!
Within the realm of social media, one site I particularly
like is Lang-8, a site that exemplifies all four of these areas. Lang-8 is a
blogging website tailored for users who wish to improve in their L2 writing
skills. On the surface, this website is like any other blogging website. It
allows you to build a profile and write posts, upload pictures and videos, and
interact with other blogs. However, what makes this site different from any
other blogging website is that it connects the user with a network of native speakers of the user’s L2 who can offer corrections and suggestions for the
user’s blogposts. In return, the user can then offer to give corrections and
advice to those writing blogs in the user’s L1. It’s through this give-and-take
system that users can receive feedback while also giving feedback to others. In
my case, I used this website to write blogposts in Japanese and received
corrections and advice from native Japanese users. In return, I’d offer
corrections and suggestions to help them with their English blog posts. What I
love most about this site is it allows users to practice their L2 while
building friendships with native speakers. I myself have made some incredible
Japanese friends thanks to this site and am grateful that I am able to practice
my Japanese at the same time. If this interests you, I highly recommend
checking out Lang-8.
To conclude this blogpost, I'd like to ask you this: What do you think about social media and language learning? Do you agree that using social media can enrich a student's experience in their L2? Feel free to comment below!
To conclude this blogpost, I'd like to ask you this: What do you think about social media and language learning? Do you agree that using social media can enrich a student's experience in their L2? Feel free to comment below!
References
H. Brown, H. L. (2015). Teaching by Principles:
An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. White Plains, NY: Pearson
Education, Inc. .
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