Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition? Page 1

Can Social Networking

Websites Foster

Second Language

Acquisition?

by: Charo Uceda

Language was, is and always will be two

things, a) a way of communication andb) a carrier of culture. It is then of nosurprise that social networking websites arebecoming increasingly popular in learninglanguages.

In the topic of language learning we canspeak of the old way versus the new way oflearning. However, the old methodology oflearning does not mean that technology wasabsent, only that the technology used wasconsistent with what was available at theparticular time.

An example of the approach andmethodology using technology during the50’s was a method called the audio-lingual.This method came about with the advent ofrecord playing machines. As the yearsbrought us new inventions such as taperecorders, CDs/DVDs, overhead projectors,MP3s, iPods, and multi-function cellphones, among others, learning andspecifically language learning changeddramatically.

Parallel to invention, globalization hasaltered the list of necessary skills one mustdevelop in order to become a citizen withthe ability to make a significant contributionto today’s worldwide society.

In fact, Project TIME was a study conductedby the U.S. Department of EducationTechnology Innovation Challenge Grantwhich described that in order to respond totoday’s high demands in the world,education must be centered on meaningfullearning using technology, adding that thereare seven survival skills that need to beacquired by the new ‘net’ generation. Theseskills are as follows:

1) Critical Thinking and Problem Solving,2) Collaboration Across Networks andLeading and Influence, 3) Agility andAdaptability, 4) Initiative andEntrepreneurship, 5) Effective Oral andWritten Communication, 6) Accessing andAnalyzing Information and 7) Curiosity andImagination.

Furthermore, the use of technology foracademic purposes helps create learningcommunities by supporting exploration,

Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition? Page 2

collaboration, investigation, invention andcollective knowledge acquisition.

Until fairly recently, online education wasconceived and used as a myriad ofcorrespondence courses. That is now a thingof the past, giving way to the arrival of web-based audio/video, text and a plethora ofcollaboration tools, thus creating fertileground for students to be their ownknowledge gatekeepers and resulting in adualistic learning mode that providesindividually tailored education, while stillengaging group activity.

The advent of ‘Web 2.0’ has fostered theproliferation of sites dedicated to languagelearning, and it seems only logical that thistrend will increase exponentially in years tocome.

A particular site that offers a social networkinterface with a plethora of other servicesattached is called Lang-8.com, and it ispromoted as a free social network websiteconcentrated on the activity of journalwriting to support language acquisition.

Steps to register as a member are simpleenough as they only require an e-mail

account and a password, while the profilepage includes the usual data and has theability to upload a personal picture–all ofwhich is consistent with websites of thissort.

The page where journals can be uploadedare user-friendly, with useful additions suchas a dictionary, the ability to upload up tothree pictures and the chance to publishone’s journal. A most important feature isthe capability of this site to choose threedifferent profile settings: private, share orgroup view.

The service works on the notion that once ajournal is published, members that are nativespeakers of the language will review thejournal and will be able to post corrections,and leave notes or comments for the learner.In turn, the learner of the particular languageunderstands that he/she will return the favorby doing the same thing with other memberswho are learning the native’s language.

Another feature that is very helpful indeveloping practice conversation with nativespeakers is the option to connect throughSkype, which is a widely used free videoconferencing interface. Practicingconversation with native speakers is one ofthe most important tasks in second languageacquisition, an activity that exposes thelearner to authentic language, thus makingthese sites utterly beneficial in developinglanguage fluency.

In addition to this, the site also lends itself tocreate groups or invite friends that can becategorized in a specific way. In the case ofESL/EFL learning, it is important to practicewith natives that speak a certain dialect orhave a distinct accent. (e.g. British English,American English, Southern U.S. accent,etc.). Learning to identify varieties oflanguage, vocabulary words, idioms and

Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition? Page 3

colloquialisms provides the learners with anopportunity to not only learn to speak alanguage, but also gain acculturation, whichis another important asset when learninglanguages.

One of the biggest challenges in languageteaching is the practice conversation timethat one can offer the student, so thesewebsites bring needed support to anyteacher, especially when budget allocation ismore likely to be cut before it is increased.

One final feature that comes as a handy toolof technology within this site is the RSS,(Real Simple Syndication) icon. This linkallows the user to get a straight feed to thesite, thus saving time.

Even though all the features mentionedabove make this site a favorite for teachersand learners bitten by the technology bug, italso has weaknesses.

For example, one cannot blog, (web log).Blogging is one technology tool thatpromotes creation and development ofopinions, while at the same time it fostersstory-telling skills. All these activities areconducive to support vocabulary expansion,and communicative strategy skills.

One also would like to see this site addingthe ability to use IMS Messenger, which isanother popular video conferencinginterface, and in this way give the user moreflexibility.

However, researchers, scholars, high-techcompanies, entrepreneurs and technologyenthusiasts are in a heated debate. Some ofthem defend the position that technology,through the use of websites is effectiveenough to accomplish the goal of learningall by itself, while educators seem to takethe position that the activity of learningshould be a blended one.

Blended Learning is a rather new term basedon the combination of traditional, face-to-face class instruction with the integration oftechnology, thus striking a balance betweenthe benefits of guided instruction plus theaffordances of technology.

This new view of effective and meaningfullearning rests on the hypothesis that neitherthe computer, nor the World Wide Web areanywhere close to replacing instructors, butinstead that these elements should act inconcert with each other in order tomaximize the learning experience.

Unfortunately, the introduction andimplementation of blended learning couldalso prove negative if not handled carefullyand skillfully. An instructor with a lack ofexpertise in the technology chosen might useit to support old habits of instruction, or onthe other hand, the instructor might usetechnology to merely fill time and as aresult, give the impression of technologyintegration, while lacking proper academicobjectives and purposes.

Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition? Page 4

Whatever the current opinions are, in termsof best practices in teaching and learninglanguages, there is little disagreement aboutthe great potential of integrating technologyin the classroom, since it is a fact that theuse of it, in its many forms, can fostermotivation, collaboration and the ability tocreate autonomous learners. That is,individuals that are no longer limited by theknowledge imparted by their instructors mayinstead take ownership of their knowledgeand enter into a cycle of knowledgediscovery, consumption and distribution.

Laurillard, D. (2002). Rethinking

University Teaching: A

Conversational Framework for the

Effective Use of Learning

Technologies. London and New

York: Routledge.

Lohr, S. (2009, November 5). The

New York Times. Retrieved

November 5, 2009, from

Technology:

http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/

08/19/study-finds-that-online-

education-beats-the-classroom/

Sharma, P., & Barrett, B. (2009,

February). Review of Blended

Learning: Using Technology In

and Beyond the Language

Classroom. Retrieved November 6,

2009, from Language Learning &

Technology:

http://llt.msu.edu/vol13num1/revie

w3.pdf

Warschauer, M. (2002, May 2).

On-line Learning in Second

Language Classrooms: An

Ethnography Study. (M. W. Kern,

Ed.) Retrieved November 6, 2009,

from

http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num2/review

2/default.html