Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Number 7. July 2021 Pp. 202-216
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call7.15
Pedagogical Effects of Social Media on Iraqi Kurd EFL learners
Rebaz Bahadeen Mohammed Nuri
Translation Techniques Department, Sulaimani Technical Institute, Sulaimani Polytechnic University,
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Awder Raza Aziz
Translation Techniques Department, Sulaimani Technical Institute, Sulaimani Polytechnic University,
Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
&
English Department, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Corresponding Author: awder.aziz@spu.edu.iq
Kochar Ali Saeed
English Department, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Shaiy Karwan Tofiq
English Department, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Soma Soran Ahmed
English Department, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq
Received: 5/5/2021 Accepted: 6/26/2021 Published: 7/26/2021
Abstract:
English language learners use social media platforms for improving their language skills through exchanging ideas, sharing their thoughts, and getting exposed to authentic language. The use of social media by learners might yield positive or adverse effects. This study, therefore, explores the pedagogical consequences of some social media platforms on Iraqi Kurd EFL learners. It Highlights the significant impacts of social media on learning English, vocabulary, and spelling. It explicitly attempts to discover how social media affects English language learning, word choices, and spelling for Kurd EFL learners. A questionnaire is used to randomly collect the study data from 96 Kurdish students studying English at various academic institutions. The data was organized and analyzed by SPSS. It was found that Kurd EFL learners use social media platforms extensively for numerous purposes, improving their English language skills being one of them. The results suggest that social media assists learners in learning and practising new vocabulary; However, it has a negative impact on the students spelling and academic writing skills. Kurd EFL learners use abbreviated forms and unnecessarily shortened forms under the influence of social media.
Keywords: English language learning, Kurd EFL learners, social media
Cite as: Nuri, R. B. M., Aziz, A. R., Saeed, K.A., Tofiq, S.K., & Ahmed, S. S. (2021). Pedagogical Effects of Social Media on Iraqi Kurd EFL learners.
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL (7) 202-216.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call7.15
References
Abdul Halik, A. F., & Rafeena, H. M. (2020). The Role of Social Media in Learning English as a Second Language: A Study Based on the Students of National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA), Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP), 10(7), 162–166. https://doi.org/10.29322/ijsrp.10.07.2020.p10321
Abdullah, Z. H. A. (2019). The Impacts of Social Media on Kurdish EFL Students’ English Language Proficiency. Journal of Tikrit University for Humanities, 27(5), 89–105.
Al-Jarrah, T. M., Al-Jarrah, J. M., Talafhah, R. H., & Mansor, N. (2019). The Role of Social Media in Development of English Language Writing Skill at School Level. International Journal of Academic Research in Progressive Education and Development, 8(1), 87–99. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarped/v8-i1/5537
Altam, S. (2020). Influence of social media on EFL Yemeni learners in Indian Universities during Covid-19 Pandemic. Linguistics and Culture Review, 4(1), 35–47.
Blake, R. (1998). The role of technology in second language learning. In H. Brynes (Ed.), Learning foreign and second languages: Perspectives in research and scholarship (pp. 209–237). New York: The Modern Language Association of America.
Cabrera, L. (2018). Impact of Social Media in English Language Learning: Utilizing S. W. O.T. Analysis. Lino S.
Cabrera Teacher I Palawan National School Schools Division of Puerto Princesa. 1–33. Available at https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327822150_IMPACT_OF_SOCIAL_MEDIA_IN_ENGLISH_LANGUAGE_
LEARNING_UTILIZING_SWOT_ANALYSIS/comments
Ferdig, R. E. (2007). Editorial: Examining social software in teacher education. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 15(1), 5–10.
Gaudeul, A., & Peroni, C. (2010). Reciprocal attention and norm of reciprocity in blogging networks. Economics Bulletin, 30(3), 2230–2248.
Ghouali, K., & Benmoussat, S. (2019). Investigating the Effect of Social Media on EFL Students’ Written Production: Case of Third-Year EFL Students at Tlemcen University, Algeria. Arab World English Journal, May 2019 Chlef University International Conference Proceedings. 24-39. DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/Chief1.3
Jia, P. (2021). A changed research landscape of youth’s obesogenic behaviours and environments in the post-COVID-19 era. Obesity Reviews, 22(S1), 1-4. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.13162
Johnson, J. (2021). Global digital population as of January 2021. Available at Statistica website: https://www.statista.com/statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/
Khan, I. U., Ayaz, M., & Faheem, M. (2016). The Role of Social Media in Development of English Language Vocabulary at University Level. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 6(11), 590–604. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v6-i11/2444
Lee, S. L. (2006). EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELECTRONIC LITERACY AND HERITAGE LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE. Language Learning & Technology, 10(2), 93–113. Retrieved from https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/44063/1/10_02_lee.pdf
Malbera, M. L., & Barcelona, C. (2015). Social Networking in Second Language Learning: Informal Online Interactions. Available at https://www.semanticscholar.org/
Namaziandost, E., & Mehdi, N. (2019). The Impact of Social Media on EFL learners’ speaking skill. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 6(3), 1–17.
Poramathikul, P., Arwedo, N., Abdulhakim, I., & Wattanaruwangkowit, P. (2020). The Influence of Using Social Media as a Learning Platform by Bilingual and Multilingual Learners on English Speaking Skills. English Language in Focus (ELIF), 2(2), 111-122. https://doi.org/10.24853/elif.2.2.111-122
Sathish, R., Manikandan, R., Silvia Priscila, S., Sara, B. V. J., & Mahaveerakannan, R. (2020). A report on the impact of information technology and social media on covid-19. Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Intelligent Sustainable Systems, ICISS 2020, 224–230. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICISS49785.2020.9316046
Slim, H., & Hafedh, M. (2019). Social media impact on language learning for specific purposes: A study in English for business administration. Teaching English with Technology, 19(1), 56–71.
Songxaba, S. L., & Sincuba, L. (2019). The effect of social media on English second language essay writing with special reference to WhatsApp. Reading and Writing (South Africa), 10(1), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.4102/rw.v10i1.179
Thorne, S. L. (2010). The ‘Intercultural Turn’ and Language Learning in the Crucible of New Media. In S. Guth & F. Helm (Eds.), Telecollaboration 2.0 for Language and Intercultural Learning (pp. 139–164). Bern: Peter Lang.
Ursachi, G., Horodnic, I. A., & Zait, A. (2015). How Reliable are Measurement Scales? External Factors with Indirect Influence on Reliability Estimators. Procedia Economics and Finance, 20, 679–686. https://doi.org/10.1016/s2212-5671(15)00123-9