Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number3.  September 2022                                  Pp.296-310
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no3.19

Full paper PDF 

The Use of Social Media Text-Based Exercises to Promote University Students’ Knowledge
of Non-Academic and Academic English Language

Chuanpit  Sriwichai
English Department, School of Liberal Arts
University of Phayao, Thailand
E-mail: chuanpit.sr@up.ac.th

Received:06/16/2022                      Accepted:08/22/2022                  Published: 09/24/2022

Abstract:
In this digital era, students tend to write more for non-academic purposes on social media platforms by using informal language.  Consequently, they become familiar with the informal writing style and use non-academic language in academic writing.  This research, therefore, aims to discover 1) what are the results of using the social media text-based exercises developed by the researchers in promoting university students’ knowledge of non-academic and academic English language, and 2) what are the students’ attitudes toward the use of social media text-based exercises. The instruments included four sets of social media text-based exercises, a pre-test, a post-test, and an open-ended questionnaire. Participants were 96 third-year English major students enrolling in the Academic Writing course, sections 1, 2, and 3 in the 1^st semester, the academic year 2021 of a university in Thailand.  The findings showed that the social media text-based exercises were effective in promoting the students’ knowledge of the non-academic and academic language.  Questionnaire respondents expressed great attitudes toward the exercises. They believed the materials enabled them to analyze and identify distinct features of the registers in non-academic and academic writing. Additionally, they mentioned that learning through the exercises was interesting, enjoyable, and understandable.  The study also provided suggestions for improving the exercises.
Keywords: Academic English language, non-academic English language, social media, social media text-based exercises

Cite as:  Sriwichai, C. (2022). The Use of Social Media Text-Based Exercises to Promote University Students’ Knowledge of Non-Academic and Academic English Language.  Arab World English Journal, 13 (3) 296-310.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no3.19

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