Views: 1,297
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 17. Number 1, March 2026 Pp. 175-191
Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Arts and Humanities
Al-Baha University
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
The integration of social media applications into English as a foreign language instruction has attracted increasing attention in educational settings. This study examines teachers’ perceptions of the use of social media applications in English language instruction at Saudi universities, focusing on instructional practices, perceived effects on students’ English learning and language skills, and challenges related to their integration. By foregrounding teachers’ perspectives through a quantitative lens, the study examines how instructional practices and institutional conditions shape the pedagogical use of social media in English language teaching. Adopting a descriptive quantitative survey design, data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 249 teachers of English as a foreign language lecturing at Saudi universities. The questionnaire gathered information on commonly used social media applications, teachers’ perceptions of their pedagogical value, and perceived instructional and institutional challenges. Quantitative descriptive statistical analyses, including frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations, were used to analyze the data. The findings indicate that teachers frequently use applications such as YouTube, WhatsApp, and Telegram as supplementary instructional tools and generally hold positive perceptions of their influence on students’ motivation, engagement, and development of key language skills, particularly vocabulary and speaking. Teachers also reported challenges related to classroom management, limited professional training, and the need for sustained institutional support. The study concludes that while social media applications offer valuable pedagogical opportunities for English language instruction, their effective integration depends on purposeful instructional design, active teacher mediation, and institutional readiness. The study provides empirical evidence to inform instructional practices, teacher education, and policy decisions in higher education contexts.
Alsalami, A. I. (2026). Integrating Social Media Applications into EFL Instruction: Teachers’ Perceptions, Practices and Challenges in Saudi Higher Education. Arab World English Journal, 17(1): 175-191
Abd, A., Salih, A., Mohammed, A., & Elsaid, E. (2018). Students’ attitudes toward the use of social media for learning purposes. Journal of Literature, Languages and Linguistics, 50, 1–9.
Alfadhel, A. M., Kassim, M. S. B., Ashaari, A. B., & Mahar, S. (2025). The impact of digital transformation readiness on strategic decision effectiveness in higher education institutions: Mediating role of technological infrastructure capability. International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 8(8), 184–190. https://doi.org/10.53894/ijirss.v8i8.10576
Alghamdi, A. (2022). Digital transformation within Saudi education system: 2020 and beyond. Educational Research, 6(8), 419–425. https://doi.org/10.26855/er.2022.08.014
Alghasab, M. B. (2025). The Use of Smartphone Apps for Informal Language Learning Among EFL Students: Focusing on Students’ Choices, Purposes, and Perceptions. Arab World English Journal, 16(4): 64-89. https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol16no4.4
Alharthi, M., Bown, A.,& Pullen, D. (2020). The Use of Social Media Platforms to Enhance Vocabulary Development in Learning a New Language: A Review of The Literature. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL (6). 318 -331. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call6.2
Al-Mubarak, A. A. (2016). Learning English as a second language through social media: Saudi Arabian tertiary context. International Journal of Linguistics, 8(6), 112–123. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijl.v8i6.10449
Al-Tamimi, M. F., Al-Khawaldeh, A. M., & Al-Jamal, D. A. (2018). The effect of using Facebook on improving English language writing skills and vocabulary enrichment among University of Jordan sophomore students. Journal of Education and Practice, 9(6), 90–101. https://doi.org/10.25255/jss.2018.7.3.187.214
Allam, M., & Elyas, T. (2016). Perceptions of using social media as an ELT tool among EFL teachers within the Saudi context. English Language Teaching, 9(7), 1–9. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/elt.v9n7p1
Alshehri, M. (2025), “Experiences and perceptions of Saudi EFL teachers on professional development in technology integration into teaching”. Saudi Journal of Language Studies, Vol. 5 No. 1 pp. 17–33, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/SJLS-09-2024-0058
Alsuraihi, A. K., Almaqati, A. S., Abughanim, S. A., & Jastaniah, N. A. (2016). Use of social media in education among medical students in Saudi Arabia. Korean Journal of Medical Education, 28(4), 343–354. https://doi.org/10.3946/kjme.2016.40
Alotaibi, M. S. (2023). Exploring the impact of using Instagram to develop Saudi EFL learners’ vocabulary. Journal of Corner of Education, Linguistics, and Literature, 2(4), 280–294. https://doi.org/10.54012/jcell.v2i4.141
Amin, Z., Mansoor, A., Hussain, S. R., & Hashmat, F. (2016). Impact of social media on students’ academic performance. International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 5(4), 22–29. Retrieved from https://www.ijbmi.org/papers/Vol(5)4/version-2/D050402022029.pdf
Anwas, E. O. M., Sugiarti, Y., Permatasari, A. D., Warsihna, J., Anas, Z., Alhapip, L., & Rivalina, R. (2020). Social media usage for enhancing English language skills. International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 14(7), 41–57. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v14i07.11552
Bayuong, P., Yunus, M. M., & Suliman, A. (2019). The use of social media among pupils in a rural primary school in Sarawak, Malaysia. Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews, 7, 1272–1279. https://doi.org/10.18510/hssr.2019.75166
Belal, A. (2014). Influence of digital social media on writing and speaking of tertiary-level students (Unpublished master’s thesis). BRAC University. https://hdl.handle.net/10361/5557
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210–230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x
Butler, B. S., & Matook, S. (2015). Social media and relationships. In R. Mansell & P. H. Ang (Eds.), The international encyclopedia of digital communication and society (pp. 1–12). Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118767771.wbiedcs097
Casey, G. (2013). Social media in the classroom: A simple yet complex hybrid environment for students. Journal of Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia, 22(1), 5–24.
Chelliah, K., Efendie, B., & Mohamad, N. (2015). Readiness of health care lecturers on interprofessional education (IPE). Advanced Science Letters, 21(7), 2501–2503. https://doi.org/10.1166/asl.2015.6323
Dabbagh, N., & Kitsantas, A. (2012). Personal learning environments, social media, and self-regulated learning: A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. The Internet and Higher Education, 15(1), 3–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.06.002
Eren, Ö. (2012). Students’ attitudes toward using social networking in foreign language classes: A Facebook example. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3(20), 288–294.
Essien, E. A. (2025). Impact of social media on students’ academic performance. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), 9(5), 1538–1549. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.905000122
Faizi, R., El Afia, A., & Chiheb, R. (2014). Social media: An optimal virtual environment for learning foreign languages. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, 9(5), 64–66. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v9i5.3911
Guo, X., & Lee, J. (2023). A systematic review of informal digital learning of English: An ecological systems theory perspective. System, 117, 103097. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103097
Hafour, M. F. (2022). The effects of MALL training on preservice and in-service EFL teachers’ perceptions and use of mobile technology. ReCALL, 34(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344022000015
Hamad, S. (2024). The influence of social media on students’ English proficiency: A study of university EFL teachers’ perspectives. Arts for Linguistic & Literary Studies, 6, 508–532. https://doi.org/10.53286/arts.v6i3.2082
Hamad, M. (2017). Using WhatsApp to enhance students’ learning of English language: Experience to share. Higher Education Studies, 7(4), 74–84. https://doi.org/10.5539/hes.v7n4p74
Halitoğlu, V., & Moralı, G. (2018). The contribution of social networks to teaching Turkish as a foreign language as viewed by Turkish language instructors. Hacettepe University Journal of Turkish as a Foreign Language Studies, 4, 103–117.
Henderson, M., Snyder, I., & Beale, D. (2013). Social media for collaborative learning: A review of school literature. Australian Educational Computing, 28(2), 1–15.
Jurković, V. (2019). Online informal learning of English through smartphones in Slovenia. System, 80, 27–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2018.10.007
Kao, P.-C., & Craigie, P. (2014). Effects of English usage on Facebook and personality traits on achievement of students learning English as a foreign language. Social Behavior and Personality: An International Journal, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2014.42.1.17
Karpinski, A. C., Kirschner, P. A., Ozer, I., Mellott, J. A., & Ochwo, P. (2013). An exploration of social networking site use, multitasking, and academic performance among United States and European university students. Computers in Human Behavior, 29, 1182–1192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.10.011
Khan, J., Yuen, K. H., Ng, B. H., Wong, J. W., Al-Dhalli, S., Elhassan, G. O., Chitneni, M., Mohammed, K., Hamid, J. A., Yusuf, E., & Fadli, M. (2011). Bioequivalence evaluation of two different controlled release matrix formulations of ketoprofen tablets in healthy Malaysian volunteers. Latin American Journal of Pharmacy (formerly Acta Farmacéutica Bonaerense), 30(10), 1991–1998.
Khan, M. L., Wohn, D. Y., & Ellison, N. B. (2014). Actual friends matter: An Internet skills perspective on teens’ informal academic collaboration on Facebook. Computers & Education, 79, 102–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2014.08.001
Khan, M. S., Ayaz, M., Khan, S., & Khan, M. (2016). Effect of social media on enhancement of English learning proficiency at university level in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. IASET: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2, 71–84.
Klimova, B., Pikhart, M., Polakova, P., Cerna, M., Yayilgan, S. Y., & Shaikh, S. (2023). A Systematic Review on the Use of Emerging Technologies in Teaching English as an Applied Language at the University Level. Systems, 11(1), 42. https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11010042
Lee, J. S., & Dressman, M. (2021). When informal digital learning of English meets formal instruction: Social media use and second language learning. System, 99, 102507.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102507
Lin, P.-C., Hou, H.-T., Wang, S.-M., & Chang, K.-E. (2013). Analyzing knowledge dimensions and cognitive processes of a project-based online discussion instructional activity using Facebook in an adult and continuing education course. Computers & Education, 60, 110–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.07.017
Liu, Y. (2010). Social media tools as a learning resource. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 3(1), 101–114. https://doi.org/10.18785/jetde.0301.08
Malisuwan, P., Na-Songkhla, J., & Sujiva, S. (2015). Self-reflection with critical friends and multisource feedback via online social media for students’ oral presentation and self-esteem. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 174, 1021–1025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.1247
Mao, J. (2014). Social media for learning: A mixed methods study on high school students’ technology affordances and perspectives. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 213–223. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.002
Mingle, J., & Adams, M. (2015). Social media network participation and academic performance in senior high schools in Ghana. Library Philosophy and Practice (E-Journal), Article 1286, 1–51.
Osharive, P. (2015). Social media and academic performance of students (Unpublished master’s thesis). University of Lagos.
Paul, J. A., Baker, H. M., & Cochran, J. D. (2012). Effect of online social networking on student academic performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 28, 2117–2127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.06.016
Sakkir, G. (2018). Interest and writing skills of university students using Facebook in writing classes at STKIP Muhammadiyah Rappang, Indonesia. Asian EFL Journal, 20, 41–50.
Sakkir, G., Qashas, R., & Kisman, S. (2016). Students’ perceptions of social media in writing classes at STKIP Muhammadiyah Rappang, Indonesia. International Journal of English Linguistics, 6(3), 170–175. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijel.v6n3p170
Shukor, S. S. (2014). Effects of Facebook collaborative writing groups on ESL undergraduates’ writing performance. International Journal of English Language Education, 2(2), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijele.v2i2.5868
Singer, N. (2024). Expanding Horizons: Harnessing Social Media Platforms to Teach English as a Second Language. Arab World English Journal, 15(1): 77-90. https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol15no1.6
Sirivedin, P., Soopunyo, W., Srisuantang, S., & Wongsothorn, A. (2018). Effects of Facebook usage on English learning behavior of Thai English teachers. Kasetsart Journal of Social Sciences, 39, 183–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kjss.2018.03.007
Suthiwartnarueput, T., & Wasanasomsithi, P. (2012). Effects of using Facebook as a medium for discussions of English grammar and writing of low-intermediate EFL students. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 9(2), 194–214
Syairofi, A., Suherdi, D., & Purnawarman, P. (2023). Using WhatsApp to support English language learning: A systematic review. Computer Assisted Language Learning Electronic Journal (CALL-EJ), 24(1), 305–337.
Tong, S. F., Mohamad, N., Tan, C., Efendie, B., Chelliah, K., & Gilbert, J. (2016). Transition from uniprofessional towards interprofessional education: The Malaysian experience of a pragmatic model. In J. Gilbert, S. F. Tong, & C. Tan (Eds.), Interprofessional education and practice in Malaysia. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53744-7_9
We Are Social Ltd. (2021). Digital 2021: Global overview report. https://wearesocial.com/digital-2021
Wohn, D. Y., Ellison, N. B., Khan, M. L., Fewins-Bliss, R., & Gray, R. (2013). The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students’ college aspirations: A social capital lens. Computers & Education, 63, 424–436. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.01.004
Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2013). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (9. bs.) [Qualitative research methods in the social sciences]. Seçkin Yayıncılık.
Zarate, M. (2025). Influence of digital social media platforms on tertiary students’ English writing skills. International Journal of Environmental Sciences, 11, 125–134. https://doi.org/10.64252/1tv32j71
Zhang, R., & Zou, D. (2022).Teacher-supported social media use for EFL learning: Perceptions, practices, and challenges. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 35(5–6), 1055–1080.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2020.1868529
Ahmed Ibrahim Alsalami is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics in the Department of Foreign Languages, Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Al-Baha University, Saudi Arabia. He earned his BA in English Language from King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, his MA in Applied Linguistics from the University of Newcastle, Australia, and his PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Western Sydney, Australia. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Applied College. His research interests include EFL, ESP, CDA, and sociolinguistics. ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0989-3752