A Survey on the Intervention of Social Media in Second Language (English) Acquisition

K K Sunalini,P Venkata Ramana,Ch Jyostna Kumari

doi:10.13189/ujer.2020.082517

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyze how the learners utilize social media to acquire English language. The strategies they employ during the process of language acquisition are a combination of cognitive and meta-cognitive skills. It is an assumption that the social media like Whats App, Face book, Instagram and Twitter are meant for entertainment; however the present survey predicts that the second (English) language can be acquired through the intervention of social media. As long as the students are in the classroom, they take the instructions from language trainers where learning becomes a procedural practice. Once the students find their personal time at home, they browse social media for various reasons like entertainment, knowledge, information and so on. In the present study, the learners' strategies inside and outside the classroom are surveyed based on the mechanism developed by three language researchers namely, J. Michael O'Malley, Anna Uhl Chamot and Rebecca L Oxford. Their propositions are applied to a sample of 108 first Semester. Engineering graduates of Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation. The impact of social media on the students is examined by administering a questionnaire through Google forms. Language learning enhances if the students are allowed to operate their mobile phones in the campus. It is understood from the present investigation that language can be learnt implicitly and involuntarily through self -directed learning skills by using social media. The findings reflect that the receptive and productive language skills of the students are enhanced when they explore social media.

Highlights

Learners’ strategy can be defined as a plan of action which involves the application of tools and techniques
Michael O’Malley and Anna Uhl Chamot made a study on the cognitive skills in second language learning
They accounted for the nature and significance of learning strategies in planning more effective instructional practices. They had three goals; firstly on how instruction can be integrated with cognitive theory; secondly the need for a synthesis of research and theory in cognition with current views of second language acquisition; thirdly to respond to the need of second language teachers for guidance and instructions on how to capitalise the knowledge and skills of students in the classrooms and develop new strategies in learning processes

Summary

Introduction

Learners’ strategy can be defined as a plan of action which involves the application of tools and techniques. Michael O’Malley and Anna Uhl Chamot made a study on the cognitive skills in second language learning They accounted for the nature and significance of learning strategies in planning more effective instructional practices. They had three goals; firstly on how instruction can be integrated with cognitive theory; secondly the need for a synthesis of research and theory in cognition with current views of second language acquisition; thirdly to respond to the need of second language teachers for guidance and instructions on how to capitalise the knowledge and skills of students in the classrooms and develop new strategies in learning processes. According to Oxford (1990) the strategies of learners is denoted by specific actions who make their learning easy, fast, and enjoyable Their language acquisition is self-directed, effective and more compatible to new situations. The students evaluate their strategies and implement them in various language tasks they take up

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Conclusion