Can Social Networking
Websites Foster
Language was, is and always will be two
things, a) a way of communication and
b) a carrier of culture. It is then of no
surprise that social networking websites are
becoming increasingly popular in learning
languages.
In the topic of language learning we can
speak of the old way versus the new way of
learning. However, the old methodology of
learning does not mean that technology was
absent, only that the technology used was
consistent with what was available at the
particular time.
An example of the approach and
methodology using technology during the
50’s was a method called the audio-lingual.
This method came about with the advent of
record playing machines. As the years
brought us new inventions such as tape
recorders, CDs/DVDs, overhead projectors,
MP3s, iPods, and multi-function cell
phones, among others, learning and
specifically language learning changed
dramatically.
Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition?
Second Language
Acquisition?
by: Charo Uceda
Parallel to invention, globalization has
altered the list of necessary skills one must
develop in order to become a citizen with
the ability to make a significant contribution
to today’s worldwide society.
In fact, Project TIME was a study conducted
by the U.S. Department of Education
Technology Innovation Challenge Grant
which described that in order to respond to
today’s high demands in the world,
education must be centered on meaningful
learning using technology, adding that there
are seven survival skills that need to be
acquired by the new ‘net’ generation. These
skills are as follows:
1) Critical Thinking and Problem Solving,
2) Collaboration Across Networks and
Leading and Influence, 3) Agility and
Adaptability, 4) Initiative and
Entrepreneurship, 5) Effective Oral and
Written Communication, 6) Accessing and
Analyzing Information and 7) Curiosity and
Imagination.
Furthermore, the use of technology for
academic purposes helps create learning
communities by supporting exploration,
Page 1
collaboration, investigation, invention and
collective knowledge acquisition.
Until fairly recently, online education was
conceived and used as a myriad of
correspondence courses. That is now a thing
of the past, giving way to the arrival of web-
based audio/video, text and a plethora of
collaboration tools, thus creating fertile
ground for students to be their own
knowledge gatekeepers and resulting in a
dualistic learning mode that provides
individually tailored education, while still
engaging group activity.
The advent of ‘Web 2.0’ has fostered the
proliferation of sites dedicated to language
learning, and it seems only logical that this
trend will increase exponentially in years to
come.
A particular site that offers a social network
interface with a plethora of other services
attached is called Lang-8.com, and it is
promoted as a free social network website
concentrated on the activity of journal
writing to support language acquisition.
Steps to register as a member are simple
enough as they only require an e-mail
Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition?
account and a password, while the profile
page includes the usual data and has the
ability to upload a personal picture–all of
which is consistent with websites of this
sort.
The page where journals can be uploaded
are user-friendly, with useful additions such
as a dictionary, the ability to upload up to
three pictures and the chance to publish
one’s journal. A most important feature is
the capability of this site to choose three
different profile settings: private, share or
group view.
The service works on the notion that once a
journal is published, members that are native
speakers of the language will review the
journal and will be able to post corrections,
and leave notes or comments for the learner.
In turn, the learner of the particular language
understands that he/she will return the favor
by doing the same thing with other members
who are learning the native’s language.
Another feature that is very helpful in
developing practice conversation with native
speakers is the option to connect through
Skype, which is a widely used free video
conferencing interface. Practicing
conversation with native speakers is one of
the most important tasks in second language
acquisition, an activity that exposes the
learner to authentic language, thus making
these sites utterly beneficial in developing
language fluency.
In addition to this, the site also lends itself to
create groups or invite friends that can be
categorized in a specific way. In the case of
ESL/EFL learning, it is important to practice
with natives that speak a certain dialect or
have a distinct accent. (e.g. British English,
American English, Southern U.S. accent,
etc.). Learning to identify varieties of
language, vocabulary words, idioms and
Page 2
colloquialisms provides the learners with an
opportunity to not only learn to speak a
language, but also gain acculturation, which
is another important asset when learning
languages.
One of the biggest challenges in language
teaching is the practice conversation time
that one can offer the student, so these
websites bring needed support to any
teacher, especially when budget allocation is
more likely to be cut before it is increased.
One final feature that comes as a handy tool
of technology within this site is the RSS,
(Real Simple Syndication) icon. This link
allows the user to get a straight feed to the
site, thus saving time.
Even though all the features mentioned
above make this site a favorite for teachers
and learners bitten by the technology bug, it
also has weaknesses.
For example, one cannot blog, (web log).
Blogging is one technology tool that
promotes creation and development of
opinions, while at the same time it fosters
story-telling skills. All these activities are
conducive to support vocabulary expansion,
and communicative strategy skills.
Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition?
One also would like to see this site adding
the ability to use IMS Messenger, which is
another popular video conferencing
interface, and in this way give the user more
flexibility.
However, researchers, scholars, high-tech
companies, entrepreneurs and technology
enthusiasts are in a heated debate. Some of
them defend the position that technology,
through the use of websites is effective
enough to accomplish the goal of learning
all by itself, while educators seem to take
the position that the activity of learning
should be a blended one.
Blended Learning is a rather new term based
on the combination of traditional, face-to-
face class instruction with the integration of
technology, thus striking a balance between
the benefits of guided instruction plus the
affordances of technology.
This new view of effective and meaningful
learning rests on the hypothesis that neither
the computer, nor the World Wide Web are
anywhere close to replacing instructors, but
instead that these elements should act in
concert with each other in order to
maximize the learning experience.
Unfortunately, the introduction and
implementation of blended learning could
also prove negative if not handled carefully
and skillfully. An instructor with a lack of
expertise in the technology chosen might use
it to support old habits of instruction, or on
the other hand, the instructor might use
technology to merely fill time and as a
result, give the impression of technology
integration, while lacking proper academic
objectives and purposes.
Page 3

Whatever the current opinions are, in terms
of best practices in teaching and learning
languages, there is little disagreement about
the great potential of integrating technology
in the classroom, since it is a fact that the
use of it, in its many forms, can foster
motivation, collaboration and the ability to
create autonomous learners. That is,
individuals that are no longer limited by the
knowledge imparted by their instructors may
instead take ownership of their knowledge
and enter into a cycle of knowledge
discovery, consumption and distribution.
Can Social Networking Web sites Foster Second Language Acquisition?
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
Page 4