ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA APPLICATIONS TO LEARN AND IMPROVE ENGLISH LANGUAGE: A STUDY AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL IN SOUTH PUNJAB, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The current study shows how social media has positively affected learning and improving English language among second language learners. Social media, the gift of modern age, has proved to be one of the most important tools that has affected education in general and learning English in particular. The impact of social media on learning English cannot be denied or ignored. Students of the modern world are using various applications like WhatsApp, face book, Instagram, blogs, wikis, YouTube; twitter etc. as a matter of routine. This use of social media is consciously and unconsciously improving vocabulary, reading skill, listening skill, writing skill, lexical variation, communication skills, grammar usage etc. This thing surely leads to various teaching and learning reformations to maximize the process of learning. Pedagogical practices that use social media and modern gadgets as instructional technologies have brought about a considerable shift in learning environment. These gadgets increase automation, motivation and confidence. The learners can learn English language and even can rectify their mistakes without the help of tutor. A mix method approach has been used in the current study to examine the role of social media and social networking in learning and improving English language. A questionnaire was administered to investigate the role of social media in this respect. The Findings of the study confirmed the positive impact of social media on learning English language. On the basis of these findings, it is recommended that social media and gadgets must be incorporated in pedagogical practices to enhance the learning of English. Keywords: WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram, OALD-iSpeaker, Facebook, Wikes.