Utilizing Social Networking Sites for Reinforcing the Linguistic Competence of EFL Learners

Abstract

The unprecedented progress in digital appliances nowadays resulted in increasing people’s reliance on the use of technology, which facilitated construction of knowledge including the acquisition of languages (Thorne, 2010). Formal education has developed drastically and neither educators nor classroom input is perceived as the only source of information; unlimited resources exist for learners to construct knowledge (Benson, 2007). Online applications foster learners’ autonomy and independence and encourage them to practise the target language in authentic situations using different tools like Social Networking Sites (SNSs). Recent studies signal the positive impact of these applications on increasing learners’ motivation (Aydin, 2014), interaction and socialization (Ryberg & Christiansen, 2008), and pragmatic and linguistic proficiency (Blake, 1998). The more language learners have opportunities to use it interactively; the greater improvement in their multiliteracy and digital skills is (Chartrand, 2012). This study aims at investigating the extent to which undergraduate learners of English are able to benefit from digital facilities and SNSs to reinforce their linguistic competence and proficiency levels. Both quantitative and qualitative data are collected. They show the participants’ conceptions that SNSs improve their oral and communication skills; however, they could not benefit from them in promoting their writing techniques and grammar rules. They also signal that the participants have little awareness and poor knowledge on using SNSs for academic purposes that go beyond socialization limits. This study provides recommendations and implications from psycholinguistic, sociocultural, and ecological perspectives on how to use these digital platforms in the most optimal way.