social media essay proficiency

Impact of social media on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic

PSU Research Review

ISSN : 2399-1747

Article publication date: 21 January 2022

This research shows how social media has affected learning at present during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it has become the largest and most convenient area of communication. In the current scenario, it seems that social networking sites not only had a profound impact on our social structure and intra-social interaction, but also affected education in general and learning English language in particular. It has been proven that these various social media platforms have created a realm of digital environment in today's new-age learning. Social media platforms are social networking sites through which people interact and communicate with each other easily and conveniently. Undoubtedly and unquestionably, social networking has been proven to be a global phenomenon that has caused a vast paradigm shift in the world of Learning and education during the current pandemic. Therefore, the present study aims to reach the extent of the impact of the various social media platforms on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic from the students' point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted at the undergraduate level for English language learners. The sample comprised 166 undergraduate students at Najran University. A survey questionnaire was administered to find out the impact of various social media platforms and social networking sites on learning English language in the academic year of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to highlight possible suggestions for improving future virtual language learning.

The findings of the study contributed to the area of online learning of English language during the COVID-19 pandemic. Final results confirmed that the utilization of social media has been significantly perceived to have positively impacted learning English language in terms of writing style, reading skills, listening and lexical variation, communication skills and grammar usage.

Practical implications

The findings of the study can serve as fundamental indicators to implement prompt pedagogical reformations, for which a number of pedagogical implications can be proposed. Another equally important pedagogical implication is to design and provide professional development and training sessions to both students and educators on the ultimate utilization of social media as instructional technologies in the context of English language teaching and learning.

Originality/value

This research provides insights in developing policies to assist with the integration and utilization of social media platforms as instructional technologies in the context of English language teaching and learning and how institutions can respond to the advent of advancing technology, especially during and after the COVID-19 era. A model to improve online English language learning process is recommended as a guideline for all educators offering online learning.

• Social media in education
• English language learning
• L2 learning style
• COVID-19 pandemic

Muftah, M. (2022), "Impact of social media on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic", PSU Research Review , Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-10-2021-0060

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Muneera Muftah

Published in PSU Research Review . Published by Emerald Publishing Limited. This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this licence may be seen at http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode

1. Introduction

Social media is constantly changing the way people live in different aspects. Nowadays, various social media platforms are affecting communication, information delivery, knowledge exchange, commerce, education and all different aspects of life ( Rieger and Christoph, 2018 ; Bhatti et al. , 2019 ; Amin et al. , 2020 ). With the vast spread of various social networking sites on the Internet, researchers from different fields have started to direct their attention and shed more light on the importance and impact of social media on different aspects of life including social as well as educational aspects.

To pursue their constant efforts and to look at those aspects as an area of concentration that needs to be investigated further, Language learning professionals and instructors specifically have attempted to investigate the effect of social media and social networking sites in second language acquisition and second/foreign language learning. In one of the researches, it was found out that the group who got learning, commitment and inspiration through social media sites has indicated higher results in an English proficiency test compared to the other one that got training on an eye-to-eye premise ( Wamba and Carter, 2016 ).

Up-to-date data available on Statista (2020) have indicated that there are about 3.96 billion social media users across the world. Social media networking sites range from microblogs such as Twitter and sites and applications such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn and Snapchat. Yet, these different platforms have influenced the individuals' social, educational and personal aspects of life.

In the area of education, a significant number of research studies have been conducted to estimate their effectiveness in different disciplines. Linguistically speaking, the influx of linguistic output on social media represents numerous opportunities for language learners to process language and obtain input, as young users of social media networks spend more than half of their days using and interacting on these networking sites using their language and communication skills ( Al Jahromi, 2020 ).

Consequently, online chats and discussions, whether oral or written, have replaced conventional face-to-face dialogues, leading to substantial changes in the users' daily language and language skills. The extensive use of smartphones, laptops, and tablets along with prosperous social media applications has perhaps availed rich linguistic input at the fingertips of their users and has contributed in the production of comprehensible L2 output ( Al Jahromi, 2020 ; Pikhart and Botezat, 2021 ).

Regardless of the inevitable impact of social media in individuals' lives everywhere, and taking into account that the students of today are insubordinate to old-fashioned instructing methods and learning techniques, there are not many studies that explore their effects in learning and education particularly in the English language context. Therefore, the present study aims to identify the impact of social media on learning English during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve this aim, the present work specifically seeks to address the following research questions.

In what way did social media platforms impact the learning of English Language during the COVID-19 pandemic?

In order to answer this question, the following sub-question was developed to direct the scope of the study: How do Saudi university students perceive the impacts of using social media platforms on their learning of English language during the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to (1) Positive and negative effect? (2) Number of social media platforms used? (3) Motives for using Social Media platforms? (4) Frequency and time spent in using Social Media? (5) Educational or communicative tools? (6) The Rate of using social media on Learning English Language? (7) Aspects of language Skills improved via social media? and (8) Social media effects on students' studies?

2. Literature review

The COVID-19 pandemic led to shocking and unpredicted experiences for Saudi university students. The precautionary measures followed during the pandemic have had a wide impact on the students' social and educational life aspects ( Alghamdi, 2021 ). Recently, we have seen a radical change in favor of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemics, therefore, it could be worthwhile to investigate the impact of social media in the foreign language context as they have been used much more now ( Pikhart and Botezat, 2021 ). The current COVID-19 situation makes us aware that the impact of social media will increase due to social distancing.

Social media platforms are omnipresent and the research into the use of them in foreign language learning has become immense ( Yurdagül and Öz, 2018 ; Artyushina and Sheypak, 2018 ; Ayers, 2020 ). Today, with 2.95 billion social network users worldwide, social media usage is increasingly attractive and accessible, especially among the younger generation ( Pikhart and Botezat, 2021 ). Social network sites have become the main means of communicating and a way to maintain a social life ( Li and Croucher, 2020 ).

Social Media refers to websites, blogs, chats, computer programs, i.e. any content-based form of e-communication that enables users to share information and expose ideas. While social networking sites for language learning represent the corpus of those social media channels and service, mainly designed for specific purposes, devoted to foreign language learning. Furthermore, it is also proposed that English might now be the first truly global language, being the dominant or official language in over 60 countries. The English language as stated is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world ( Akinwamide, 2012 ).

Roelofse (2013) argues that exposure to new literacies found in new technologies definitely impacts the way in which second/foreign language learners perceive the world. Likewise, the amount of contact with these social utilities certainly influences literacy practices by learners. New technologies do not merely alter the way people live, but it influences the way they think. Moreover, Davies (2012, p. 21) in Roelofse (2013) argues that “texts of the new technologies have mutated into complex hybrid systems that have made new demands on reading and writing, viewing, social exchange, and communication”.

Facebook is no exception in that the use of this social network site requires a multimodal approach of embedding and combining words and written texts from many sites. In the same sense, WhatsApp is perceived by the researchers as having the same contaminating effect on learners' writing skills. In this regard, social media is a “dialogue” and “means [of] engaging with people” ( Coons, 2012 , p. 44).

The body of literature reveals a significant number of studies in the area of the impact of social media on the linguistic output of non-native speakers of English. Chomsky (2014) has stated that our language is constantly, inevitably, and naturally changing, transforming and becoming more adaptive to its users due to the changes in our contemporaries. More particularly, the initiation and rapid development of social media networking sites as eminent activity has created a distinguishing language system necessary for practical communication ( Attila, 2017 ).

Baldwin (2012) suggests that social media can be both a friend and a foe for natural language processing. While he considers social media a cause for “spelling inconsistencies, the free-form adoption of new terms, and regular violations of English grammar norms,” he refers to the advantage of “lexical normalization” in the same linguistic setting. In this regard, Thurairaj et al. (2015) examined whether social media networks were “making or marring academic English” and whether infrequent online code-switching and inconsistent spelling affect non-native learners' language learning process. Their findings revealed that the discourse used on social media had not influenced the learners' English language proficiency due to their higher awareness of the deviations between their online informal meta-language and their formal academic language.

Furthermore, simplified online interactions help speakers produce meaningful exchanges whilst using the target language in useful manners ( Mutum and Wang, 2010 ). Another advantage of social media is the reduced communication anxiety. People often exchange and share information and construct new personal and linguistic identities on social media because of being at ease with revealing their preferred identities behind monitors as a result of the anonymity expedited in such situations ( Blattner and Fiori, 2011 ). Lowered anxiety in online settings coined with heightened motivation and self-confidence have been shown to provide L2 learners with anxiety-free zones that enable them to produce language spontaneously and creatively ( Al Jahrami, 2019 ).

Studies conducted by Slim and Hafedh (2019) , Thurairaj et al. (2015) have revealed that social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter enhance students' overall language learning process. In connection with particular language skills, a significant number of studies have found that the use of social media enhances learners' grammatical complexity and vocabulary acquisition and learning ( Al Jahrami, 2019 ; Attila, 2017 ; Mills, 2011 ; Stevenson and Liu, 2010 ). Mason and Rennie (2008) notice that vocabulary acquisition on social media has become a phenomenon due to the employment of techniques such as coining and compounding to produce words such as Face + book, Snap + chat and Blog + sphere.

Another employed technique is sound imitation resulting in words such as Twitter which comes from the verb tweet, and Boo which reflects the sound of contempt. Similarly, social media have affected the forms of different words. For instance, the proper names of social media applications and websites have become verbs and adjectives (e.g. Google it, I'll Instagram this). Another technique is the change in the negative form of the verb like and the noun friend to become unlike and unfriend. Additionally, the semantic connotations of many words have undergone change on social media (e.g. wall on Facebook, spam, steam, etc.).

As to the writing skill, the fact that social media exchanges are more written than spoken in what is referred to as “text speak”. Attila (2017) argues that the use of logograms, abbreviations, acronyms and paralinguistic features (e.g. b4 = before, Gr8 = great) has made writing easier, faster and more liberated from the normal constraints of traditional writing. However, spelling can accordingly be negatively affected when frequently using logograms and abbreviations (e.g. 2 day = today).

Longitudinal studies have also indicated a significant improvement of oral proficiency with particular reference to speaking and listening ( Chen, 2013 ; Lin et al. , 2016 ). Lin et al. , however, have asserted caution that learners would need carefully planned instructional guidance and tailored activities in order to be able to use social media efficiently to enhance their language learning process.

Despite the positive effects of social media on language proficiency and language learning, many researchers are more concerned with the harmful effects these networking sites might have on L2 learners' interlanguage with particular reference to inconsistent spelling and violated grammatical rules ( Baldwin, 2012 ). Lin et al. (2016 , p. 143) claim that “language use on the Internet is often criticized as being less correct and less coherent than other forms of language use, and as having disrupted adjacency.” Effects of social media on Pakistani students' L2 learning process have also been reported in a study conducted by Tariq et al. (2012) . Similarly, Akram and Albalawi (2016) found Facebook to be a negative learning distraction for their Saudi students.

Amidst these incompatible claims, the present study aims to confirm the possible impact of social media platforms on learning English language during the Covid-19 Pandemic from the perspectives of undergraduate students in the Saudi context. The precautionary measures followed during the pandemic have led the Saudi government to abundantly utilize the World Wide Web and all its facets for different socioeconomic and educational purposes. It is not surprising, then, that social media platforms and social networking sites are heavily used by L2 learners. Consequently, the purpose of the current study is to evaluate the possible gains of the broad use of social media platforms on the learning of the English language during the pandemic and to view the perceptions of the learners in regard to these possible gains, which is a gap in the literature that the current study aims to fill.

3. Methodology

The purpose of the current study is to find out the impact of various social media platforms and social networking sites on learning English language in the academic year of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to highlight possible suggestions for improving future virtual language learning.

3.1 Participants

The study was conducted at the undergraduate level for English language learners in the College of Languages and Translation–Najran University, KSA. It was performed after completing a full year of online education and teaching classes and during the final examinations in the second semester of 2020. The sample comprised 166 students: 66 male and 100 female students in all bachelor's degrees with English language majors. Students in the English department form the highest number of students with their ages ranging from below 20 years–23 years old. The participants are native speakers of Arabic. Their interaction outside the classroom is low. That's to say, most of them had very little interaction with native English speakers outside the classroom and in most cases no contact at all.

Most of the students do not have any prior experience with online learning. Requirement courses including Arabic, Religious Culture and other general courses were conducted online on the main campus before the recent crisis, and it was optional. However, the examinations were conducted on campus. The following Figure 1 displays the percentage of the participants.

3.2 Research instrument

The method chosen for this study is quantitative; a more in-depth method was designed to estimate the impact of various social media platforms on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic. The quantitative method was used to conduct more detailed studies of a smaller area using closed-questionnaires. This survey-based questionnaire consists of 10 multiple choice questions, which covered the study objectives. The questionnaire was administered to 166 English language learners. It consists of different parts; the first part is looking at students' demographic information, the second part includes a set of multiple-choice questions about learners' experiences with social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, … etc.), and their effect on learning English during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Social Media platforms they use and have access to, the motives for using social media during the pandemic, the Frequently used Social Media platforms, the extent to which social media is used for educational and communication purposes, The rate of social media use on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic, time spent on social media platforms, language skills improved via social media use and finally the effect of social networking sites Students' Studies. The questionnaire was checked for validity and reliability fulfillment.

3.3 Data analysis procedures

In this study, a quantitative approach to data collection has been employed. A descriptive analysis method was applied to analyze the research by counting the answers for every question to get the percentages. A questionnaire was the tool that was used in order to collect data. The questionnaire consisted of ten questions. Thick description and reflective thinking are the two most important elements that have been used while analyzing and interpreting the data. The data were carefully read for possible categories relevant to the purpose of the study. Then, these reported statements were categorized based on the purpose to be achieved.

4. Results and interpretation

The results of the present study were structured based on the varying types and length of questions applied in the close-ended questionnaire. In the scheduled questionnaire, the researchers set certain questions to gain a wide range of answers and opinions regarding the impact of social media platforms on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Figure 2 displays the results of the students who think that social media can affect learning English positively during the pandemic. The results indicate that the majority of the participants use social media as a language learning tool. Almost 86.75% of the students believe that social media can affect learning English positively, while 13.25% of them think that it has a negative effect on the language learning process.

As to the number of social media platforms that students have access to and can straightforwardly use, Figure 3 indicates that 25.91% of the total respondents use only one social networking site, 22.29% use two sites and 37.35% of them use three social networking sites. Yet, only 14.45% of the students use more than three social media platforms.

Concerning the reasons and the motives for using social media during the pandemic, Figure 4 below shows that 60.84% of the participants use social networking sites for the purpose of studying. Likewise, the results indicate that 19.27% of them use social networking sites for playing games, while the students who use these sites for making friends and chatting with friends are 28.31 and 31.74% respectively. The remaining 24.09% reported that they use social networking sites for other purposes.

Figure 5 below shows the most frequently used social media platforms. The data indicate that the most popular online networking site was WhatsApp, with the highest percentage of 72.89% of all university students stating that they use it on a typical day. Facebook is the second mostly-used platform, with 53.01% of the students using it daily. It is also reported that only 31.32% use Twitter, another 26.50 and 21.68% use Google+ and Instagram respectively. The least used social media platform was WeChat, with 3.61% of students using it daily. Moreover, 18.07% of the students prefer to use different other social media platforms and no one of them uses LinkedIn.

Similarly, Figure 6 below presents results related to the use of social media as a communication tool during the COVID-19 Pandemic. The results point out that 81.92% of the students prefer to use social media platforms for learning purposes. They believe that social media provide the facility to communicate among the students during the pandemic, i.e. to communicate with their teachers and classmates. On the other hand, 18.07% did not use social media for educational purposes, as they believe that social networking platforms did not support their studies. They believe that these platforms are supposed to make them feel more connected.

Figure 7 reflects the students' perception towards using social media as an educational tool and as a support for their studies in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results point out that the majority of the students 84.94% are interested in using social media as an educational tool as it helps them to get more useful information and to interact with learning groups and other educational systems that make the learning process more convenient. However, only a few students, 15.06% mention that social media platforms did not support their own studies.

Results reported prove that the majority of the students are interested in using social media as an educational tool and that almost 51.20 and 18.08% of the students use social media to learn English language at higher rates “good” and “excellent” respectively. Moreover, it is also reported that only 21.09% of the students rate the use of social media on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic as “average”, another 7.23% rate it as “poor” and only 2.40% rate using social media in learning English as “very poor” (see Figure 8 ).

Concerning how much time do students actively spend on social networking sites, Figure 9 shows that 6.02% of the students do not spend a moment on social networking sites during a typical day, almost 21.08% of them spend 10–30 min a day. Most of the students 31.93% spend about one to two hours on social networking sites during their typical day, while 27.71% spend from 2 to 3 h of their time. It is also reported that 4.22% of the participants spend between 4 and 5 h on social networking sites, and only 9.04% of the participants spend more than 5 h on social networking sites daily.

Interactive social media channels to language learning enable students to develop communication and language skills. Regarding the different aspects of language skills the students improve via social media platforms, the results presented in Figure 10 below showed that 40.96% of the students improved their writing skill, 39.15% improved their reading skill, the third skill is listening and vocabulary with a ratio of 31.92%. In addition, their speaking skill was improved with a percentage of 31.32% and only 22.28% of learners improved their grammar.

The last question discusses the effect of social networking sites on students' studies. The results specified that social networking sites have seriously affected students' studies at a ratio of 24.09%, whereas 31.93% of the participants believe that social networking sites have slightly affected their performance and their language achievement.

On the other hand, 18.07% of the learners agreed that social networking sites have no impact on their studies. Moreover, 14.46% of them believed that such sites are seriously helping, while only 11.45% of the total number of students admitted that social networking sites can slightly help them on their studies. The extent to which social networking sites are affecting the learners' studies is presented in Figure 11 above.

5. Discussion and conclusion

The present work attempts to investigate the most important impacts of using social media for learning English language during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The challenges of the digital world are omnipresent, and different options have to be considered so that educators are able to use them to assist the learners.

Social media is no exception, as it can provide many opportunities in the foreign language learning process. The technological revolution today, like never before, can be obviously reflected in the L2 learners' wide experience, the independence in exploring digital resources and documents that represent powerful support in enhancing oral, written, listening and reading competence. In this sense, L2 learners do no longer depend directly and entirely on the teacher to improve their skills but on other resources such as Internet and technology ( Al Jahromi, 2020 ; Pikhart and Botezat, 2021 ; Slim and Hafedh, 2019 ; Thurairaj et al. , 2015 ).

In other words, social media along with social networking sites have become part of the learners' as well as educators' daily routines, in terms of communication, language experience, practice and exercise, news feed and knowledge sharing. The digital world has seemingly become their way of life inside and outside class settings and that is the reason behind examining their impact on L2 learners.

With the help of social media platforms, L2 learners can learn, read, write, advertise or communicate in a more efficient way. The main questions addressed referred to the impact of social media on learning English language during the Covid-19 pandemic and usage and the degree of facilitation and assistance of foreign language learning by social media, and the findings revealed that students were very positive and felt motivated by social media.

L2 learners do not have to rely on classes or handbooks to get their daily amount of knowledge. It can all be achieved from the social networking sites as indicated in question 2. At least, the learners can use three different types of social media platforms and formats to reach their educational goals and in some cases four types. The learners can follow or get information about their studeis from any part of the world. For instance, Twitter allows a user to get information which is more interactive in nature with the help of embed photo and video. Smartphones are an example of a handheld device through which learners can communicate and exchange information by using any social media platform which is allowed.

The world is getting closer every day and everyone, including L2 learners, needs to be connected. It is moving strongly and more towards “social media”. The information comes to users rather than users have to make effort to get the information. In terms of personal relationships too, social networking is connecting people. Social networking can also be very crucial in educational help. Education support groups can be created from which learners can get information as indicated in question 3 where 60.84% of L2 learners indicated that they use social media platforms for studying and for educational purposes while the rest of them use them for other purposes including chatting with friends, making friends, playing games and for other different purposes.

The kind of interaction a user wants from these social networks depends on the type of information the user is interested in. With reference to question 4, using different platforms depends on users' purposes, for the participants in the study aiming at enhancing proficiency in English language, WhatsApp can be used for chatting or sending many kinds of text-information, assignments or even creating groups for different courses. Facebook was not appealing due to its informal style, while the participants aiming at improving communicating skills found it useful for social and L2 identity construction. Google + can be used for academic purposes, it can greatly enhance the way people learn. Twitter and Instagram have also become popular and integral part of everyday communication. Other platforms such as YouTube, learners can watch videos to understand a topic better or look at photos which might help them to visualize a concept, after all, “a picture speaks a thousand words”. Brick (2011) reported it as the main positive aspect of using social networking sites, adding to it the real-time feedback. The immediate response and real-time conversation are also achieved through live sessions on Instagram or Facebook dedicated pages for L2 learners, such as the Instagram stories that offer quizzes focusing on idioms, phrasal verbs or other lexical related items or lives where learners are invited to write down words that they would like to learn the pronunciation.

The fact that technology including social media and the different networking sites should be part of the educational process is not questionable anymore, the way it finds its scope within it and how and to which extent should educators, as well as learners, use it, had better be delivered by a multidisciplinary methodological framework. Among the numerous potential advantages to using social media, L2 learners have perceived that it can be used as a good communication and educational tool (See Question 5 and 6). The opportunities provided by this medium are immense and many L2 learners are making use of this medium to better their practices. Social networks, unlike the common media, do not have a pattern as to how much information has to be conveyed and where to draw the line. Therefore, learners can obtain much information and better performance. Similar findings were found by Sitthirak (2012) , who acknowledged the attitudinal impact of social media on language from an educational perspective. Similarly, Mutum and Wang (2010) and Blattner and Fiori (2011) have declared that social media provides a smoother, more direct communication tool.

In other words, by maximizing the benefits of social networks, whether it be their role in delivering educational outcomes, or facilitating supportive relationships, identity formation, or a sense of belonging and resiliency, the direct contacts that occur in discussion groups, exercises, conversations, videos and other widgets on linguistic social networks cover various language registers. With the expanding demand of various social media platforms, the growing numbers of users in different parts of the world, it is fair to assume that it impacts second language acquisition, at least by the permanent flow of visuals and text that we access on a daily basis. In the broad context of globalization, all visuals improve not only linguistic skills, but they also build an international culture ( Pikhart and Botezat, 2021 ).

The current Covid-19 pandemic has posed some challenges, and like any emergency event, it has some inherent risks. Through increased social media literacy as an educational tool– ensuring all students can utilize these media to develop the skills and to critically understand, analyze and create content – these challenges can be overcome and risks mitigated in a way that ensures the many benefits for both learners and educators. The findings shown in questions 7 and 8 corresponded with the aforementioned ones related to L2 learners' views on the particular effects of social media on the enhancement of these language learning skills. Results have asserted that approximately 69.28% of the frequent users of social media platforms for learning purposes have rated them as excellent and good mediums to enhance language skills, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is in line with Li (2017) study. Li argued that students' comfort with online class design, structure, level of interaction between students and faculty, the quality and amount of class content and overall experience with online class delivery impact the overall learning experience and determine the ultimate success or failure of online mode of education. Haque and Al-Salem (2019) have also found that social media is a good platform for students as it provides opportunities for learners to study foreign languages.

The intensity of using English-language social media content is positively and significantly related to students' perceptions of their ability to speak English including reading, writing, listening and speaking aspects. Hence, social media is needed to be learning media for learning English language as a Foreign Language ( Anwas et al. , 2020 ). Online socialization according to Slim and Hafedh (2019) seems to have positively affected the production of an acknowledged linguistic repertoire independent of age or gender.

With reference to the last question, results show positive perceptions of the respondents of the effects of using social media on their L2 writing (see Figure 11 ). In addition to improved English language learning, these effects included enhanced writing style, quality and quantity. Al Jahromi (2019) and Li (2017) have similarly found that online interactions on social media networks and online facets significantly develop L2 learners' writing accuracy and complexity. These findings could also be related in this regard to the influence of the projection of authorial and social presence and identity practices facilitated on social media due to the increased linguistic input and output on these platforms in comparison to the less-advantageous classroom settings ( Chen, 2013 ).

In addition, L2 learners who acknowledged the positive impact of social media on their English learning reported that their L2 Reading skills are also enhanced. This is due to the improvement of the L2 learners' vocabulary as well as listening skills. This is similar to the findings obtained by Mutum and Wang (2010) , Thurairaj et al. (2015) and Slim and Hafedh (2019) . However, online communication of students raises another important issue discussed by the great majority of authors, that of the nonacademic purposes of social media usage of students. Given that the majority of the students were using written-based social media networks such as WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram, speaking, grammar and pronunciation skills were perceived as the least enhanced. However, Al Jahrami (2019) has claimed that language accuracy is concerned, extensive reading and writing online can enhance L2 learners' grammatical competence (see also Attila, 2017 ; Mills, 2011 ; Stevenson and Liu, 2010 ).

In sum, the research study investigated the impact of social media platforms on learning English language during the Covid-19 pandemic from undergraduate Saudi users' perspectives. The aforementioned findings suggest that Saudi L2 learners find social media platforms effective in enhancing their L2 proficiency, with particular reference to how positively they influence L2 writing, vocabulary learning and communication skills. They also reported that they use various social media platforms including WhatsApp, Facebook, Google+, Twitter, etc., and that they find social media as both educational and communicative tools. Based on these findings, it is safe to conclude that social media can be appreciably helpful in enhancing English language learning.

6. Research implications and recommendations

The findings of the study can serve as fundamental indicators to implement prompt pedagogical reformations, for which a number of pedagogical implications can be proposed. Social media can be implemented to make teaching more student-centered through the facilitation of interactive collaboration and exchange of information, resulting in an enhancement of syntactic and lexical complexity.

L2 teachers in particular need to use social media to aid their teaching strategies and amplify their material with interactive and innovative activities on social media such as online debates and group discussions. Another equally important pedagogical implication is to design and provide professional development and training sessions, workshops, seminars to both students and educators on the ultimate utilization of social media as instructional technologies in the context of English language teaching and learning.

Social media networks can be employed in this regard to provide authentic extensive reading tasks that can facilitate intentional and incidental vocabulary learning and writing complexity. Furthermore, awareness campaigns can be conducted by e-learning educationists to recognize the benefits of online learning and teaching and validate the acceptability of social media learning, mobile learning and mixed teaching via learning management systems.

For implementing the positive findings of different studies and for educational technology to be used effectively, educators must be ready for a paradigm shift: from traditional education to pedagogy enhanced by the new technology. Further research is needed into the current realism and prospects of the utilization of digital media in connection with the wellbeing of the learners, increased levels of depression and anxiety, and some other negative psychological, social and economic aspects of the use of social media. This paper is the starting point and should be an impetus for further research into the topic of utilization of social media, especially during and after the COVID-19 era.

To offer online learning, English language undergraduate students require assistance. The following model is recommended as a guideline for all educators offering online learning. The proposed model is demonstrated in Figure 12 .

Participants distribution

The effect of social media platforms on learning English

The use of social media

Motives for using social media platforms

Frequently used social media platforms

Use of social media platforms as a communication tool

Using social media platforms as an educational tool

The rate of social media use on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic

Time spent on social media platforms

Language skills improved via social media use

Social networking sites effects on students' studies

Procedure to improve online English language learning process

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Further reading

Bhatti , A. ( 2018 ), “ Sales promotion and price discount effect on consumer purchase intention with the moderating role of social media in Pakistan ”, International Journal of Business Management , Vol. 3 No. 4 .

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Corresponding author

About the author.

Dr. Muneera Muftah is an Associate Professor in the Department of English at the Faculty of Arts, Thamar University, Yemen. She is currently working in the Department of English Language at the College of Languages and Translation, Najran University, KSA. She earned PhD in English Language Studies from Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia. She teaches courses in linguistics, applied linguistics and translation. Her main research interests are in the areas of translation, syntactic and morphological mental representation and development, and vocabulary development in SLA, generative syntax and morphology, discourse studies and second language assessment.

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Social Media Usage in Improving English Language Proficiency from the Viewpoint of Medical Students

Minwuyelet andualem desta.

1 Department of English Language and Literature, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Amhara, Ethiopia

Melaku Bayu Workie

Destaw bayabel yemer, chalachew yenew denku.

2 Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Amhara, Ethiopia

Meslo Sema Berhanu

3 Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Amhara, Ethiopia

In the world today, many people use various communication technologies, like as computer-aided equipment, the internet, and so on. In information communication technologies, people use social media as one of the tools with which to exchange their ideas in everyday communications. Hence, the present study aimed at examining social media usage in improving English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students among Ethiopian public university students.

A descriptive survey design was employed since the purpose of this study was to gain detail information about social media usage in improving English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students. Hence, the researchers intended to use a quantitative approach. This is because a quantitative methodology helps researchers calculate the results more easily and avoid the difficulties which a qualitative approach might entail.

The reports obtained from respondents showed that social media (SM) platforms have many advantages in improving medical learners’ English understanding in the process of EFL learning. It positively affects them in improving their level of English proficiency. Gender not only influenced the attitude of students in using social media for learning English but also improved their proficiency in the process of language learning. Even if gender differences exist in nature, significant differences in the viewpoint of male and female students regarding social media (SM) usage in enhancing their English proficiency were not observed. The majority of the respondents strongly agreed that social media use plays a dominant role in improving English proficiency.

In the English language learning–teaching process, social media platforms have many advantages in enhancing medical students’ English proficiency in their own learning and teaching practices. Gender did not influence the attitude of students in using social media for learning English or improve their proficiency in the process of language learning.

Introduction

Information communication technologies are vital in all walks of life. In the world today, many people use various communication technologies, such as computer-aided equipment, the internet, and the like. 10 , 20 People use social media as one tool to exchange ideas in their everyday communications. 24 New technologies have played an important role for human beings not only in how they communicate but also in improving learners’ social behavior.

In this regard, Tuckman explained that learners are no longer little versions (variations) of people as they may have been in previous decades. 29 Interactions through ICT tools and computer and mobile applications like Facebook, and Twitter make learners more active in their own lives. 25 , 29 Learners who originated from countries in which English is used as a foreign language (eg Ethiopia) have changed their views on learning information communication technologies. 16 They can socialize with other students who speak the English language well (naïvely or as their first language) and those who have developed their competency in ESL. Social media provide a number of platforms that help students to create and grasp ideas andinteract with large audiences. 18 In the world today, most of the non-English speaking countries, such as Ethiopia, have adopted different kinds of learning programs that assist learners to learn the English language. 31 Thus, having knowledge of the English language through using new technology (eg Facebook, wikis, etc.) is one possible way to learn, among others. 14 , 18

Within English as a foreign language educational settings, information and communication technologies (ICT) have initiated new educational practices that can be justifiable methods of language learning and teaching. This is because it is important to deduce whether or not such technologies have been viewed as an active force by teachers and students. The present study explored the role of social media (SM) platforms on students’ English language proficiency, whereby interactions on SM may affect learners in terms of forming positive or negative views on EFL (English as a foreign language) learning. 7 , 33

Research studies have shown that adopting web-based communication tools is vital at all educational levels in the world (ie English-speaking countries and non-English speaking countries). For example, Girma conducted a study on potential uses of social media in educational practices. 8 He examined the opportunities that social media usage provides for today’s neo-millennial students and found that learners have developed their own learning styles through using different interactive media and reading and commenting on other people’s posts on social networking sites. 8

Likewise, Taye conducted a study on the advantages of SM for teachers’ language teaching at Unity University College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He found that teachers who seek to utilize social media make their students take an active role in their own everyday learning. 28 In line with this, the Ethiopian Ministry of Education pointed out that higher educational institutions (HEIs) still rely on traditional platforms, like learning management systems, that do not capitalize on the pedagogical benefits of SM. 21 Identifying the advantages that SM offers in terms of in shifting the viewpoint of students regarding English language learning in non-English-speaking countries, like Ethiopia, has become an essential research subject. 33 This is because it is useful in communicating and sharing of knowledge because SM is easier to use and has a wider reach than other sources. 13

Moreover, Kline conducted research on the overall outcomes of SM on pupils' learning at Amhara colleges of teacher education. He found that learners may use SM sources like WhatsApp, Facebook and other social networking sites to improve their learning, in both picture form and messages/texts. 9 , 15 SM plays a dominant role in learning since it provides opportunities for learners to improve their learning skills. 4

This current study tried to assess the viewpoint of medical students regarding social media usage in improving their English proficiency in EFL learning. It attempted to unravel how using SM tools enables learners to perceive their English language proficiency, and whether or not it positively/negatively affects their English language learning. This was to discover whether or not medical EFL learners improve their English language proficiency through social media usage. Moreover, it also questioned whether gender influences students’ views on social media use and, consequently, their academic performance. Thus, in Ethiopia, social networking sites have particularly become integral parts of higher education students’ lives and learning. 11 , 22

However, as much as this area grasps researchers’ attention in developed countries, it has been an unexplored area in developing countries like Ethiopia. 22 It still remains hardly explored by local researchers. The researchers’ aim was to deduce social media usage in the English language learning–teaching process and identify university students’ viewpoints regarding its contributions to enhancing their English language competency. This study, therefore, aimed at examining the role of social media usage in improving English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students among Ethiopian public university students. The study attempted to answer the basic research questions stated below:

[1] What are the medical students’ viewpoints on social media usage in improving their English language proficiency?

[2] Is there any statistically significant difference that can be ascribed to gender (male and female students) in the viewpoints of respondents regarding learning English through using social media?

TThe researchers employed a descriptive survey design since the purpose of this study was to gain detailed information about SM usage in improving English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students. Hence, the researchers used a quantitative approach because it helped them calculate the results more easily and avoid the difficulties which a qualitative approach might produce. 17

Research Site and Population

The study was conducted at Debre Tabor University in Ethiopia. It was chosen based on its convenience for data collection. Also, doing research in the home university saved time and finance outlays as the researchers worked at the university too. The research participants were medical students taking English Language Skills courses. Second year and above medical students were targeted because they took more than one English language course during their six years’ study as, in Ethiopia, the English language is the learners' target language for studying medicine. There were 99 (41 male and 58 female) second year and above medical students at Debre Tabor University in the 2019/2020 academic year. As the number of participants was manageable, the researchers found the comprehensive sampling technique more convenient. Thus, data were generated from 99 respondents in the second semester of the 2019/2020 academic year.

Instruments

The researchers used a self-administered questionnaire as the data gathering instrument, which was designed to assess students’ viewpoints regarding the role of SM usage in enhancing their English proficiency. Thus, a five-point Likert scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree was used. The researchers developed the questionnaire based on research objectives, and used some procedures to ensure its validity and reliability. To ensure its validity, the questionnaire was given to two volunteer educational psychologists from Debre Tabor University because they were expected to have more experiences on research. Thequestionnaire’s reliability coefficient, in contrast, was computed using Cronbach’s alpha.

Data Analysis

The researchers employed a descriptive research design. Hence, the researchers used descriptive statistics like frequency, percentages, etc. to analyze data obtained from questionnaires and inferential statistics like t -tests, using SPSS version 20. Here, t -tests were used to check whether or not statistically significant differences existed between genders (male/female learners) in how they perceive English language learning via social media usage. The statistical significance values were computed at 0.05.

FindingsFindings

Medical students’ viewpoints regarding sm usage in improving their english language proficiency.

So as to know students' feeling about social media usage in the improvement of their English language proficiency, percentages and frequencies were used to analyze their responses to the questionnaires. The findings are summarized in Tables 1 – 5 . Most of the students strongly agreed that social media was a good platform for student learning. This tends to agree with the finding of Omar, that SM enables learners find resources and distribute them to others. According to him, social media may force students to waste time on their learning activities rather than using the constructive, cooperative and real learning opportunities that such platforms offer 23 because, by nature, SM is attractive or appealing to the senses. 23

Social Media is a Useful Platform to Improve Medical Students’ English Proficiency

Abbreviations: SA, strongly agree; A, agree; UD, undecided; DA, disagree; SD, strongly disagree; F, frequency.

Social Media Positively Affects Learners in Their English Language Learning

Abbreviations: SA, strongly disagree; A, agree; UD, undecided; DA, disagree; SD, strongly disagree; F, frequency.

As the data in Tables 1 and Figure 1 shows, the majority of respondents (54.5%) strongly agreed that social media is a good platform to improve medical students' English language proficiency. In contrast, 3% of respondents strongly disagreed that social media is not a useful platform to enhance students' English language competency. This is because, when students use Facebook, they waste so much time and forget their learning aim.

Social media is a useful platform to improve medical students’ English proficiency.

As presented in Tables 2 and Figure 2 , 62.6% of respondents agreed that social media is a very important learning tool to promote students’ confidence in every aspect of their studies in general and on the use of the English language in particular. Three percent of respondents, on the other hand, strongly disagreed that social media increases medical students’ confidence in using the English language.

Social Media Increases Medical Students’ Confidence in the Use of the English Language

Social media increases medical students’ confidence in use of the English language.

As indicated in Tables 3 and Figures 3 , 53.5% of participants agreed that social media helps learners to grasp/create good ideas in the English language. Participants responded that, when students use SM as a learning tool, they are able to create good ideas in the English language and communicate them to others. However, 31.3% of respondents disagreed that SM helps learners to create or grasp good ideas in the English language in all learning–teaching situations. Moreover, 12.1% of respondents strongly agreed that social media helps medical students to grasp/create good ideas in the English language.

Social Media Helps Medical Students to Grasp/Create Good Ideas in the English Language

Social media helps medical students to grasp/create good ideas in the English language.

As the data presented in Tables 4 and Figure 4 show, 66.7% of respondents agreed that social media enables learners to minimize their level of anxiety in using the English language. This is because, in non-English-speaking countries in general and Ethiopia in particular, at any grade level, most of the students are afraid to express their ideas using the English language. In contrast, 2% of respondents strongly disagreed that SM helps learners to minimize their level of anxiety in using the English language. From here, one can possibly say that SM used as a learning tool does improve students' English language competency by reducing their level of anxiety.

Social Media Helps Learners to Minimize Their Level of Anxiety in Using the English Language

Social media helps learners to minimize their level of anxiety in using the English language.

As shown in Tables 5 and Figure 5 , 57.6% of respondents agreed that SM positively affects learners EFL learning because it encourages them to reflect on their ideas using the English language inside and outside the classroom. In line with this, 27 respondents (27.3%) strongly agreed that it positively affects learners in their English language learning. This is because it creates room for students to grasp ideas in English using the skills gained in the EFL learning–teaching process. In contrast, 6.1% of students disagreed that SM positively affects students in their English language learning. From this, one can conclude that SM greatly affects learners’ attitudes toward their English language learning.

Social media positively affects learners in their English language learning

As shown in Table 6 , no significant differences were observed between students' viewpoints on the basis of gender (M = males, 3.5, females, 3.6; 57.1% and 41.07%, respectively; p = 0.34, r = 0.19). From this, one can possibly claim that male and female medical students held similar views regarding the influence of SM usage on their English language learning.

Mann–Whitney Test

Abbreviations: G, gender; MR, mean rank; TR, total rank; SD, significance difference; F, female; M, male.

The main purpose of this study was to examine social media usage in improving students’ English language proficiency from the viewpoint of medical students. The study explored the impacts of social media on medical students’ attitudes towards English language learning from their perspectives. The first research question was proposed to identify views of medical students regarding social media usage in improving their English proficiency in their own English language learning and teaching practices. It was intended to unravel SM usage and its influence on EFL learners’ views regarding their English language learning–teaching process. Our results revealed that most medical students felt that they benefited from social media usage.

Our results also showed that social media helps to improve learners’ understanding of how to use their English language skills (ie macro and micro English language skills) and ability to practice inside and outside the classroom in the real world. The statistical data from all sources deduced that SM platforms offer many advantages in terms of improving medical learners’ English understanding in the process of EFL learning. This finding is congruent with other research identifying that learners may promote their EFL fluency by reading constructive comments on other people's posts on Twitter, Telegram, etc. 3 , 26 Also, the finding supports the statement of Jarer that most social networking sites utilize English as the principal language, even those that have been customized. 12 Thus, those networking sites help beginners learning first-level (basic) English language skills. 12

In sum, using SM offers many advantages for improving medical students’ understanding of and proficiency in English, and positively influences their attitude toward English language learning and teaching. It encourages the idea that SM has a place in teaching/learning based on the understanding that learners derive their level of competency from creating connections with others. 27 Moreover, students reported that SM improves their level of understanding and performance in their EFL learning. It also enhances learners' awareness regarding listening, speaking, reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary skills, etc., which helps them in their everyday communications. 6 , 30 Moreover, Miangah stated that communication using SM is an effective way to improve learning of the English language. 19

Social media usage positively affects learners’ understanding of English. In line with this, the responses gained from respondents showed that most of them strongly agreed that SM inspires them to reflect on their ideas using the English language inside and outside the classroom. This idea tends to agree with the findings of a number of individuals who feel that SM provides opportunities to use the target language (English) in their own learning practices. 23 , 32 Furthermore, the second research question was intended to identify whether or not a significant difference exists between the viewpoints of male and female learners regarding learning English through SM usage. As the data in Table 6 shows, there were no significant differences in the viewpoints of male and female learners.

From this, it is possible to deduce that gender did not influence either views on utilizing social media in EFL learning or improving proficiency in the process of language learning–teaching. This idea is supported by the findings of Aidom, that is, even if gender differences exist in nature, they are not reflected in learning, studying, working and so on. 2 , 5

On the basis of our overall findings, we reached the following conclusions. In the English language learning–teaching process, social media platforms have many advantages in terms of enhancing medical students’ English proficiency. SM can broaden their ways of communication and levels of interaction, etc. Most of the medical students strongly agreed that SM usage enables them to improve their English language proficiency, and it can guide them on how to use and practice the target language (English) in their everyday walks of life. As their reports disclosed, learners are highly motivated to use social media in English learning since it offers opportunities to make everything clear to them.

Learners benefited from SM usage in terms of improving their macro (ie listening, speaking, reading and writing) and micro (ie grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) English language skills. Moreover, gender did not influence attitude to using SM for learning English or improving their proficiency in the process of language learning. Thus, even if gender differences exist in nature, they are not reflected in views on learning English via SM.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to extend their gratitude to the Department of English Language and Literature, University of Debre Tabor, for their material assistance in this study, although the department was not involved in the study. Next, the authors would like to give great thanks to all participants who cooperated with them in the data collection process.

Abbreviations

EFL, English as a foreign language; ESL, English as a second language; SM, social media.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used during the present study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request after completion of data publication.

Ethics Approval and Consent Statement

This study was approved by the research ethics committee of Debre Tabor University, Department of English Language and Literature (Ref. dtu.837.En./01/13). The objectives of the study were explained to the students and written informed consent obtained from all of them before distributing the data. The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Author Contributions

All authors made substantial contributions to conception and design, acquisition of data, or analysis and interpretation of data; took part in drafting the article or revising it critically for important intellectual content; agreed to submit to the current journal; gave final approval of the version to be published; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.

Social Media Exposure and English Writing Proficiency of Grade 11 Students in a Philippine Public High School

Social media has become a vital part of people's daily communication activities in all walks of life and had globalized its use, especially to learners. Learners' propensity to social media has come to increasing involvement in the internet cafes. Since its medium of instruction is mainly English, it influences learners' English communication skills, especially in writing. The paper examined the relationship between the extent of exposure to social media and the English writing proficiency of Grade 11 students in a Philippine public senior high school. Using the descriptive research design, data were collected using the self-administered survey questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The results reveal that the respondents demonstrated an average extent of exposure to social media when grouped according to their demographic profiles and an internet connection and were average in their English writing proficiency level. The results also established a slight positive significant relationship between exposure to social media and English writing proficiency. Generally, the paper validates how social media exposure influences English writing proficiency as intervened by the academic language education.

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When learning a foreign language, the mother tongue (L1) influences the learning process either to enhance or to hinder it. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the most common errors high school students make due to the Spanish morphosyntactic interference when developing the English writing skill, to determine the factors that caused those errors and to propose some suggestions to overcome them. The participants of the study were 32 students of an Ecuadorian public high school. A quantitative and qualitative study was carried out; data collection instruments included a pre and a post-test as well as a questionnaire for students and teachers. Four morphosyntactic errors were identified: word order, negation, pluralization, and subject omission.  After the intervention, it was determined that to overcome these errors, school teachers should focus on practicing more writing activities with their students in class and on motivating learners to do English tasks at home. 

PROBLEMATIKA KETERAMPILAN BERBICARA BAHASA INDONESIA SISWA KELAS XI SMA NEGERI 1 LILIRILAU KABUPATEN SOPPENG [The Problems Faced by Class XI Students of SMA 1 Lilirilau, Soppeng District in Speaking Indonesian Skills]

This study aims to describe the problems faced by class XI students of SMA 1 Lilirilau, Soppeng district in speaking Indonesian skills. The formulation of the problem in this study is what are the problems faced by the 11th grade students of Lilirilau 1 Public High School in Soppeng Regency. This study uses a qualitative descriptive research design. Data collection techniques of this research are observation, questionnaire, and interview. The data analysis technique of this research is that researchers examine the data used for research. The results of the research obtained are there are several factors that influence the learning of Indonesian speaking skills in class XI Lilirilau 1 Public High School, Soppeng District. Influenced by regional or first language dialects, feeling of fear and shame when speaking in front of the class, feeling of lack of experience, feeling of lack of confidence, feeling nervous, indecisive, and stiff when they speak in front of the class, the frequency of students reading books about speaking skills in the library are still lacking, and family and general public environments are less supportive. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan problematika yang dihadapi siswa kelas XI SMA Negeri 1 Lilirilau kabupaten Soppeng dalam keterampilan berbicara bahasa Indonesia. Rumusan masalah dalam penelitian ini adalah problematika apa sajakah yang dihadapi siswa kelas XI SMA Negeri 1 Lilirilau Kabupaten Soppeng. Penelitian ini menggunakan desain penelitian kuantitatif. Teknik pengumpulan data penelitian ini adalah observasi, angket, dan wawancara. Teknik analisis data penelitian ini adalah peneliti memeriksa data yang dipergunakan untuk penelitian. Hasil penelitian yang diperoleh yaitu ada beberapa faktor yang memengaruhi pembelajaran keterampilan berbicara bahasa Indonesia siswa kelas XI SMA Negeri 1 Lilirilau Kabupaten Soppeng dipengaruhi oleh dialek daerah atau bahasa pertama, perasaan takut dan malu pada saat berbicara di depan kelas, adanya perasaan kurang pengalaman, perasaan kurang percaya diri, karena merasa gugup, bimbang, dan kaku setiap mereka berbicara di depan kelas, tingkat kekerapan siswa membaca buku mengenai keterampilan berbicara di perpustakaan masih kurang, dan lingkungan keluarga dan masyarakat umum yang kurang mendukung.

Adolescent ELLs Improve Their Academic English while Learning about the UN Online

This action research project aimed at evaluating and revising Actionthroughwords (ATW), an online course on language learning through content for high school English language learners. Our multifaceted purpose is to help English language learners in an English language arts class to enhance their academic English language and literacy, while learning online about the work of the UN for health and peace worldwide. A teacher and nineteen students in a public high school bilingual program acted as learner-consultants, with a shift of learners’ roles to one of authority and engagement. Using a mixed design, data came from questionnaires, classroom observation, and interviews with the teacher and eight of her students. All participants responded affirmatively to the ATW site and expressed appreciation not only for the content but also for focused activities to enhance vocabulary development and grammatical awareness. Results showed students’ view of the UN was somewhat positive to begin with and became more positive over time. Participants recommended revision of ATW to make content more accessible through scaffolding and first language support and to offer additional games and videos appropriate for teenagers’ interests and modes of learning. Differentiated instructional materials and strategies integrated with the school curriculum were also suggested for future implementation of the course.

Mobilizing for Some

Abstract. This study investigated the effects of politicians’ nonparticipatory and participatory Facebook posts on young people’s political efficacy – a key determinant of political participation. We employed an experimental design, using a sample of N = 125 high school students (15–20 years). Participants either saw a Facebook profile with no posts (control condition), nonparticipatory posts, or participatory posts. While nonparticipatory posts did not affect participants’ political efficacy, participatory posts exerted distinct effects. For those high in trait evaluations of the politician presented in the stimulus material or low in political cynicism, we found significant positive effects on external and collective efficacy. By contrast, for those low in trait evaluations or high in cynicism, we found significant negative effects on external and collective efficacy. We did not find any effects on internal efficacy. The importance of content-specific factors and individual predispositions in assessing the influence of social media use on participation is discussed.

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Learning English as a Foreign Language through Social Media: Perspectives from Hong Kong Adolescents

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With a view to better understanding how social media is perceived by young English learners in Hong Kong, this paper examines the EFL students’ perspectives on the use of social media for English language learning purposes. In a small-scale study conducted in May 2017, the author invited 30 Hong Kong students at the age of 10–15 to take part in a survey and respond to the questions of (1) how they perceive social media, (2) what social media platforms they most commonly use, and (3) how they use the social media as a learning tool for improving English, in particular English writing. Data collected from the study reveal that in most Hong Kong schools, the EFL teachers do regularly use social media as a tool to teach their English lessons. Most teenage EFL learners in our study were not certain whether online English might lead to a decline in English standards. They embraced social media as an easy and convenient way for learning and improving English. Based on the findings, this paper explores the possible approaches to learn English via digital literacy practices.

This research is a part of the “Digital Culture, the Humanities, and New Possibilities for Teaching and Research” project undertaken at the Research Institute for Digital Culture and Humanities, a research institute supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Reference no.: UGC/IDS16/14). The research has also received financial support from the Sunrise Charitable and Education Fund, Hong Kong (Reference no.: S/V/EL in U002 (1/2017)).

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Tso, A.Wb. (2019). Learning English as a Foreign Language through Social Media: Perspectives from Hong Kong Adolescents. In: Ma, W., Chan, W., Cheng, C. (eds) Shaping the Future of Education, Communication and Technology. Educational Communications and Technology Yearbook. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-6681-9_8

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C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay: Topics

C2 proficient (cpe) essay topic 1.

Shifting sands: behavioural change.

Nowadays, in some cultures there may often be confusion between generations about what is acceptable behaviour in certain situations. Older people sometimes complain, for example, about the real or imagined rudeness of others, such as in the use of electronic devices in public places. However, the younger generation do not regard electronic communication as intrusive, but rather as fundamental to their way of life. Only increased mutual understanding is likely to resolve potential conflict or confusion in any society. In this case, as in all others, it pays to be aware of other people’s points of view.

Follow my leader? Should we always aim to do what society expects of us? No, what society needs is individuality. Worrying about what other people think inhibits enthusiasm and creativity. Nothing new is ever achieved by conforming to expected social norms. This is not only true for society’s innovators: everybody needs a strong sense of their own worth as an individual. This is essential for psychological well-being and the ability to function effectively in one’s personal and professional life. Paying too much attention to society’s conventions can be counter-productive in these and other ways.

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C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 2

The Downside of Tourism Despite the importance of the tourism industry to local economies there are significant costs to being a popular holiday destination. Local cultures can suffer as the needs of the tourist are given priority. For example, local shops can be demolished to make way for larger retail developments. In addition, the negative effects on the environment are well documented. Areas suffering from scarce water, food and energy resources can see the situation deteriorate with the extra demand caused by an influx of tourists. There will often be a physical impact as well, with increases in local pollution or the effect on the eco-system of large-scale construction. More significantly, the generation of income for the local economy is often lower than envisaged. The majority of income can often go to multi-nationals such as airline companies and hotel chains.

Eco-Tourism Recent years have seen a growth in what is termed ‘eco-tourism’. The aim of eco-tourism is to unite conservation and communities through sustainable travel. So what are the key elements of eco-tourism? In addition to minimizing the impact of tourism on the environment, successful eco-tourism should also raise the awareness of cultural and environmental issues amongst the local host destination and the visiting tourist. Eco-tourism should be a positive experience for the local community as well as the tourist. Finally, eco-tourism should offer clear financial benefits to local people and to local conservation issues.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 3

Raising the Bar or School Sports The National Sports Academy is running a series of workshops aimed at encouraging more teenagers to get involved in sport. The workshops are for teachers and will look at how to promote the numerous benefits of physical exercise and team sports to school pupils. ‘Exercise helps to maintain a stable weight, strengthen bones and reduces the risk of stress-related illnesses.’ explained Tim Collins, the Academy Director. ‘Aside from health benefits taking part in competitive sports gives teenagers a chance to experience the highs and lows of a competition, as well as instilling discipline, responsibility and commitment – all valuable life skills.’

Sport Seen as Uncool teenagers are spending less time on physical exercise because they find it deeply ‘uncool’, according to a survey of teachers and pupils. The problem is most prevalent amongst older teenagers. Girls are uncomfortable about sharing sports classes with boys and avoid swimming lessons because of a fear that it will spoil their hairstyles. And both sexes were scathing in the survey about the unfashionable PE uniform that had to be worn. The choice of sports available was also too limited. Teachers said they would like to see codes for sports kits relaxed, single sex physical education classes and a wider range of activities to combat the decline in activity.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 4

Our Relationship with Food The British relationship with food has undergone a fundamental change over the past 50 years, and in quite a contradictory fashion. Meals were once made up of simple, local ingredients using recipes that had been followed by previous generations. Now food has become a sensory and cultural phenomenon. Food production and catering is a multi-million pound industry. Top chefs show us how to cook the most delicious 3-course meals and supermarkets provide all the ingredients we need. Yet at the same time, we are less willing to spend time cooking than was once the case and instead spend huge amounts on take-aways and ready-meals.

The Ready-Meal Industry Latest figures show that the UK ready-meal industry is experiencing continued growth despite the recent economic downturn. And the reason for this success? Time-poor consumers continue to want exotic, convenient, mealtime solutions whilst at the same time being cautious about over-spending on take-aways and trips to the restaurant. And the future looks even brighter for this industry with innovative and niche sectors opening up to cater for as wide a range of tastes as possible. And which meals are we eating? Italian remains the favourite cuisine closely followed by Indian and Chinese

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C2 proficient (cpe) essay topic 5.

Tackling Traffic Congestion Policy-makers employ a wide range of measures to tackle the problem of traffic congestion. Enforcement schemes such as setting strict speed limits on major roads and the use of congestion charges in city centres are two such examples as are vehicle exclusion zones or parking restrictions in busy pedestrian areas. However, it also makes sense to encourage motorists to become less reliant on their car. This can be achieved by making public transport more efficient and promoting the benefits of car-sharing with work colleagues, thus reducing weekly fuel bills. And the increasing number of cycle lanes on many roads is further evidence of how to win the hearts and minds of motorists in the fight against congestion.

The Joy of Motoring Recent research into the attitudes of motorists shows we are still more than happy to get behind the wheel. Despite rising fuel costs, insurance premiums and frequent traffic jams, 9 out of 10 of us still enjoy driving. Whether it’s visiting friends and relations, taking the family for a day out or even commuting to work, the car remains first choice for many people. Experts argue that unlike public transport, the car leaves us in charge of our own destiny, giving us the freedom to travel when and where we want. The car also gives us the opportunity to express ourselves. The kind of vehicle we drive tells the world something about who we are or what we aspire to be. Cars are not simply a means of transport but also something we wear.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 6

The Financial Costs of Stress Research carried out by the Health and Safety Council estimates that stress and mental illness continues to be neglected by many businesses, both small and large. And the economic impact of this is huge, costing employers around £26bn a year. Stress at work can lead to a lack of concentration, fatigue and low motivation, all of which will cost the company in terms of low productivity, customer satisfaction and the very reputation of the company itself. Employers are being urged to become more “emotionally intelligent” and to improve the way they deal with stress and mental illness.

Speak up about Stress Many people find it difficult to talk about their feelings, particularly if we’re feeling weak or vulnerable. However, when suffering from stress it’s vital you seek help. It’s important to feel you can talk honestly with a close friend, a loved one, a work colleague or doctor about what’s going on. Stress is easily diagnosed and there is plenty you can do to successfully treat and manage stress. One of the most effective of these is to share your feelings with those you trust. Remember that accepting help and support is not a sign of weakness. Close relationships are vital to helping you get through this tough time.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 7

THE EXCITEMENT OF ADVERTISING

Outdoor advertising, which is undergoing a transformation, has to attract, engage and persuade potential customers because it is the most important way of grabbing their attention. At the core of this transformation is digital screen media, which encompasses everything from giant screens to digital billboards. The technology is cheap and advertising agencies rave about the creative possibilities for advertisements that entertain, amuse, inform, make the environment brighter and enrich our world.

AN UNDESIRABLE BUSINESS

Advertising used to be straightforward. Posters were stuck up on anything from a bus shelter to a motorway hoarding, and many people considered this kind of advertising to be fairly dull, a harmless blot on the landscape and chose to ignore it. These people now regard digital advertising as a form of unwanted, creeping commercialisation which is attracting a buzz simply because it is new, and moreover, damages the environment and is completely unnecessary.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 8

Does memory have a future? A good memory is invaluable. The inability to make use of memory and past experience can be a severe limitation on how well we perform both mentally and physically. Nowadays, we rely on computers, mobiles and other electronic devices to store our most important information, which can be recalled at the touch of a button. However, some people are concerned that this reliance on electronic equipment may affect the development of our internal memory system in the future. It remains to be seen whether these concerns turn out to be true.

The role of memory We like to think of our memory as our record of the past, but all too often memories are influenced by imagination. It is risky, therefore, to regard memory as a source of knowledge, because we will never be able to verify the accuracy of a memory fully. Although memory is an unreliable source of knowledge about the past, its importance in self-identity is unquestionable. When a person suffers memory loss as a result of accident or illness, one of the most distressing consequences is likely to be a loss of self. Indeed, it can be argued that a person’s true identity resides in his or her collection of memories.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 9

Examinations are not fair. Making judgments about the ability of students based on examinations that take place just once or perhaps twice a year is simply not fair. So many students fail to show their true ability due to anxiety, stress and a number of other factors. Many students who do well in exams do so simply by cramming facts into their heads the week before the exam, to be forgotten by the following weekend. Surely assessment of the work done in class and at home throughout the school year would be a fairer system?

Classroom assessment is idealistic. It’s all very well to talk about teachers judging their students work in the classroom, and students working alone at home on their projects, but everyone knows that continuous assessment doesn’t work like that. Teachers are only human, and tend to be softer on their students than an examiner would be (or, in a worse scenario, harder on a student they don’t like). Parents or older siblingshelp students with the projects they have to do at home, even if it’s just coming up with ideas for them. Exams may not be fun, but at least we get to see what each individual student is capable of

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 10

Killing for nothing Under no circumstances should capital punishment be condoned. It is a barbaric form of punishment, which serves no useful purpose as it obviously does not act as a deterrent. In the USA, for example, the use of capital punishment increased greatly during the eighties and the nineties but with no corresponding effect on the crime rate. Another argument says that it effectively deals with people who are a danger to society. But in any case, they spend years, even decades, on death row while their appeals are used up, and might as well just be sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole.

Innocents die The system by which people are convicted is simply not as foolproof as some people would have us believe, and the odds against an innocent person being killled are just too high. While the risk of this happening remains a very real possibility, the death sentence is unacceptable. In this age of DNA evidence, many people in American prisons awaiting execution have been found to be innocent. The other problem is prejudice. Even if a person is found guilty and convicted of a crime, they are likely to get a worse sentence if they are from an ethnic minority, and  isproportionately large numbers of these people are executed every year in the States.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 11

Censorship – a necessary evil We are constantly being exposed to dangerous opinions and need to be protected from these, just as we need to protect our children from bad influences on television. This is even  more important in the age of the internet, when anyone can write whatever they want and upload it on a webpage. The voices of those who speak out against the establishment should also be silenced as they aim to undermine the stability of the state. Free speech should only be granted to those prepared to use it responsibly.

Freedom of speech is a human right Free speech uses the word ‘free’ for a reason, and any limitation on it means censorship. Censorship infringes on our civil and human rights and cannot be allowed in any form in a democratic country. Many governments use censorship as a way of silencing their detractors, thus robbing the ordinary citizen of the right to be informed. Censorship begins with a few words here and there, and ends in newspapers being closed down and voices of protest imprisoned. Under no circumstances, therefore, can censorship be condoned.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 12

Buy, buy, buy! The simple tragedy of waste is this: we are using up the earth’s irreplaceable natural resources, creating unnecessary products and packaging, in a mad rush for instantly gratifying consumption. Out-of-date mobile phones, sound systems, even cars are piling up in landfills all around the world. There was nothing wrong with the old model, except for its lack of flash,.Why can’t we choose a product that meets our needs and use it until it wears out? We have been conditioned to have needs that change as frequently as the seasons and satisfying these needs comes at a very high price, and not just the one on the price tag!

You can do something There are several simple ways in which you can act to halt the madness of needless consumption. As an individual, change our consumption habits to minimize your non-biodegradable waste and optimise your use of reusable packaging. This will require some sacrifices. As a member of a group, be active in drawing up a waste charter for your place of work or school. Educate others. As a consumer, punish companies that are wasteful and pollute by boycotting their products. This, above all, requires awareness, and the dedication to do your research.

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 13

Taking advantage of freedom

The freedom of the press is one of our most precious social principles, but this freedom is given to reporters and editors to allow them to report on matters of general public interest and concern and not as a means of generating newsprint by harassing ordinary citizens and celebrities. The intrusion of the press into people’s private lives in not legitimised by the fact that there are readers who want a certain kind of tabloid story, nor can it be justified by the simple argument that “the public has the right to know”. The modern press should not be allowed to generate stories by taking outrageous photographs and certainly cannot be trusted to write its own rule of conduct.

How free is free?

A great deal is said about free press and the freedom of speech. They are both cherished in our western value system. Yet just how free is the press? We may find out a lot of scandals about public figures, real and imaginary, but do we hear about what is really going on in the world? Do the people with the money, the really big fish, shake in their boots at the thought of their illicit business dealings being revealed? Not usually; after all, they own the press. It’s an important question to ask – who owns the press- because he is one who wields a great deal of power. We pity the citizens of backward countries that allow their rulers to own the press, but are we any better off really? Do we even know who is in control?

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 14

Paying for a Privilege Why couldn’t those who benefit from the better job prospects that studying at university gives them not be asked to pay for the service? People who get a higher education invariably get better paid jobs, so I don’t see why those who cannot or choose not to go to university should indirectly support those who do. A loan system whereby student loans would be gradually repaid after graduation not only seems a fairer system but might also encourage those that currently get to university not to take the opportunity for granted and make a bit more of their time there.

Who Should Pay for Valuable Skills

There are compelling reasons for offering free post-secondary education. Some of these reasons are ideological and spring from the concept that money should never be the deciding factor in a talented student’s decision to pursue a further education. It is to the advantage of the society as a whole if the brightest and best become highly educated specialists with valuable skills. Everyone benefits from a scientific advancement, an artistic masterpiece, or the steady hand of a surgeon. A side effect could be more selectivity in admissions to institutions of higher education, and a closer link between supply and demand for various skill in te society. But provided there is a fair evaluation system for the association of places, is this necessarily a bad thing?

C2 Proficient (CPE) Essay Topic 15

Throwing things away

Every week many of us throw away a huge amount of stuff, ranging from packaging for food and plastic bottles to old newspapers and junk mail. Fortunately some, though not all, of this can be recycled successfully and both governments and private citizens seem to be doing their best to ensure that this happens nowadays. We should be careful not to congratulate ourselves too soon, however, because whether enough is being done is highly debatable. For example, the vast numbers of plastic bags used, many of which are not biodegradable, damage the environment, most notably the oceans, where they endanger marine life.

Communications technology

It seems that nowadays we keep electronic products such as mobile phones for only a short time, because we are bombarded with highly effective advertising that persuades us that we need to discard our present model in favour of the latest, improved device. Our willingness to discard such products may also be a consequence of the dizzying pace of technological change. We can hardly be expected to be content to remain behind the times, and we naturally wish to keep up with the latest exciting features and developments in communications technologies.

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Home ⇛ international journal of multidisciplinary: applied business and education research ⇛ vol. 4 no. 9 (2023), social media exposure and grammar proficiency of junior high school students’: a correlational study.

Jennen Otibar | Vanna Egargo | Caryl Calvara | Karla Macion | Shiela Mae Abrugar | Alma Sonia Q Sanchez | Billy A Danday | Catherine Calzita

Social media has emerged as a contemporary form of media with diverse attributes and characteristics. It serves as a means of instruction, and the younger generation frequently engages with it for various social interactions and communication purposes. While social media offers features not limited to education and is readily accessible to students, it can also impact certain academic aspects through this new digital medium. This study investigated the association between social media exposure and grammar proficiency among junior high school students, specifically spelling and punctuation marks usage. The researchers employed a correlational design and collected quantitative data. Through, total population sampling method, students from Grades 7, 8, 9, and 10 in a laboratory school in Eastern Visayas were chosen. The questionnaire included a spelling and punctuation examination, and the results were analyze using statistical methods such as mean, percentage, standard deviation, Pearson correlation (r), and Eta – correlation. This study's findings indicate no significant relationship between the grammar proficiency of the respondents and their social media exposure, as there is a relatively low correlation and association between the time spent on social media and grammar proficiency test scores. However, the study also revealed a positive correlation between age and grammar proficiency, implying that the older the respondents, the higher their knowledge about correct spelling and punctuation marks usage. Furthermore, the study also suggests conducting further research to explore the relationship between other components of grammar competency and specific social media platforms, such as TikTok, which has the highest hours of exposure.

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Rudy Giuliani served Arizona indictment papers for election fraud scheme at 80th birthday party

F ormer New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was served a patriotic-themed birthday cake during his 80th birthday party in Palm Beach, Fla., on Friday night — then served with a notice of indictment related to an alleged scheme to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona.

Giuliani was indicted last month alongside 18 other allies of former President Donald Trump in connection with their unsuccessful bid to award the state’s 11 presidential electoral votes to Trump instead of Joe Biden, who went on to win the election.

All of the defendants had been legally served aside from Giuliani , but that changed Friday night, not long after he shared a post on X, taunting Arizona officials.

“If Arizona authorities can’t find me by tomorrow, they: 1. Must dismiss the indictment; 2. They must concede they can’t count votes,” he wrote.

The post, which has since been deleted, featured a photo of a grinning Giuliani surrounded by a group of people at what appeared to be his birthday celebrations. Gold and black balloons can be seen floating in the background.

Just one hour and 14 minutes later, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes confirmed authorities had finally located Giuliani after weeks of searching.

“The final defendant was served moments ago ,” she wrote on X at 11:20 p.m. “@RudyGiuliani nobody is above the law.”

According to several reports , the one-time attorney was enjoying his birthday bash  at the Palm Beach home of Caroline Wren — a GOP operative and adviser to Arizona Senate candidate Kari Lake — when he was served.

An unidentified party guest told CNN the celebration was interrupted late in the night by two agents from the Arizona attorney general’s office, who “stormed [Giuliani] on his way out.”

Many guests “were visibly upset” by the incident, the witness added.

While that moment was not part of the livestreamed celebrations, clips from the same night show the ex-mayor enjoying the festivities alongside the likes of Roger Stone and Steve Bannon, both of whom served as strategists for Trump.

At one point, Giuliani even belted out the Frank Sinatra hit “New York, New York,” as video shows.

In a post to X on Saturday afternoon, Giuliani denied his celebration was “ruined” by the party crashers, instead calling it an “incredible night.”

“It felt like a strategy session on how to save America!” he said.

Ted Goodman, a spokesman for Giuliani, echoed the sentiment, telling NBC News the former mayor remained in good spirits despite being served .

“The mayor was unfazed by the decision to try and embarrass him during his 80th birthday party,” Goodman said. “He enjoyed an incredible evening with hundreds of people who love him — from all walks of life — and we look forward to full vindication soon.”

Giuliani turns 80 on May 28.

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