Social Media Language Learning

Daily observations and recent scholarly traditions suggest that a certain amount of learning takes place beyond the confines of the individual mind.[1] Research has shown that language acquisition and learning is socially constructed and interactive in nature.[2][3] According to the theory of language socialization, language learning is interwoven with cultural interaction and "mediated by linguistic and other symbolic activity".[3] From this perspective, the use of technologies that facilitate communication and connection, particularly social media applications and programs, makes a lot of sense. Language learners are able to enhance their language skills due to the different avenues in which new social media have created.

Classroom

A range of social media can be used to facilitate language learning, including blogs, online role-playing games, fan fiction writing, and so on.

Outside the classroom

A growing body of research is documenting the ways in which primarily young people are learning languages via their social media, on their own, outside of formal language learning classes or programs. Social media studied include: online role-playing games, fan fiction writing, instant messaging, fan websites, virtual worlds, chat, and the like.

Online gaming

Many MMO (massively multiplayer online) games cross national and linguistic boundaries. They often have built-in chat functions and enable participants to chat with players from all over the world who speak various languages. This can provide players with the opportunity to learn a new language—at least at a basic level—so they can participate more fully in the game with the other players.[4] The social interaction these players engage in while playing the game helps with their understanding of the grammar constructions and conversational ways of the language they are using. In short, gamers may well be using a language they are learning much sooner than they otherwise might, given the highly contetxualised nature of the talk typically found within game-play situations and the text-based medium of interaction. Without this social interaction, many students may be less willing to practice their new skills which would enhance their abilities in the language they are learning.[5] Rankin, Morrison, Mckenzie, McNeal, Gooch and Shute found[6] found that English as a second Language (ESL) students were able to acquire more language skills through the social communication that they had with the native speakers of English.

Learning language from video games, it is argued, is a contextual process. Gamers playing a game that has text and audio in a language other than their own (e.g., an English-speaking player playing a Japanese game) can draw on the context of the game to help them understand what is being said or written within the game. Many video games use repetition in their commands and this enables the player to recognize these words and come to understand what they mean and represent over time.[7] Games transform the learning process from a passive task to one in which individuals engage actively in the experience of learning by focussing first on meaning. Computer games, researchers' argue, supply authentic environments for language learning, complete with ample opportunities for students to develop and test their emerging target language knowledge.[5]

It is important to note that not all people who play these MMOs or video games necessarily start out wanting to learn a new language. Individuals playing MMOs typically want to be able to maintain social relationships with people who speak another language.[8]

See also

References
  1. Salomon, Gavriel (1998). "Individual and social aspects of learning:Review of research in education". Review of Research in Education. Washington, D.C.: American Educational Research Association. 23: 1–24. doi:10.2307/1167286. JSTOR 1167286.
  2. McClanahan, Lorna (2014). "Training Using Technology in the Adult ESL Classroom". Journal of Adult Education. 43 (1): 22–27.
  3. Reinhardt, Jonathon; Zander, Victoria (2011). "Social Networking in an Intensive English Program Classroom: A Language Socialization Perspective". CALICO Journal. 28 (2): 326–344. doi:10.11139/cj.28.2.326-344. JSTOR calicojournal.28.2.326.
  4. Torne, Steven; Rebecca Black (2007). ". Language and literacy development in computer-mediated contexts and communities". Annual Review of Applied Linguistics. 27: 1–28. doi:10.1017/s0267190508070074.
  5. Rankin, Yolanda; Rachel Gold; Bruce Gooch (2006). "Evaluating Interactive Gaming as a Language Learning Tool". Proceedings of EuroGraphics. 25 (3).
  6. Rankin, Yolanda; Deidra Morrison; Mckenzie McNeal; Bruce Gooch; Marcus W. Shute (2009). "Time will tell: In-game social interactions that facilitate second language acquisition". Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Foundations of Digital Games: 161–168.
  7. deHaan, Jonathan William (2005). "Acquisition of japanese as a foreign language through a baseball video game". Foreign Language Annals. 38 (2): 278–282. doi:10.1111/j.1944-9720.2005.tb02492.x.
  8. Thorne, Steven (2008). "Transcultural communication in open Internet environments and massively multiplayer online games". Mediating Discourse. AILA Applied Linguistics Series. 3: 305–327. doi:10.1075/aals.3.17tho. ISBN 978-90-272-0519-3.
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  • Brown, H.D. 1994. Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Prentice Hall.
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  • Heinze, A. and C. Procter (2006). "Online Communication and Information Technology Education." Journal of Information Technology Education 5: 235–249. Free download available at: [2]
  • Josh Bersin (2 Nov 2004). The Blended Learning Handbook: Best Practices, Proven Methodologies, and Lessons Learned (excerpt), Pfeiffer Wiley. ISBN 0-7879-7296-7. Retrieved on 2006-12-26.
  • Martínez Agudo, Juan de Dios. "Hacia una enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras basada en el desarrollo de la interacción comunicativa".
  • Montijano, M.P. 2001. Claves didácticas para la enseñanza de la lengua extranjera. Ediciones Aljibe.
  • Nunan, David. 1996. El diseño de las tareas para la clase comunicativa. CUP
  • Nunan, David. (2005) Tasks of English Education: Asia-wide and Beyond. The Asian EFL Journal Vol 7 (3)
  • Richards, J. C. y Rodgers, T. S. 1998. Enfoques y métodos en la enseñanza de idiomas. CUPSocial Media Language Learning, at Idiomplus.com
  • William, N. y Burden, R.L. 1999. Psicología para profesores de idiomas. Enfoque del constructivismo social. CUP.
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