The Role of Social Media Platforms in Enhancing English Language Skills among EFL Undergraduate Students at Al-Alasmarya Islamic University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65405/52yrc843Keywords:
social media, listening skill, speaking skill, reading skill, writing skill, vocabulary, grammar, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, InstagramAbstract
This study examines the role of social media platforms in enhancing the English language skills of university students learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL). It focuses specifically on students' perceptions of improvements across six key areas: listening, speaking, reading, writing, vocabulary and grammar. The study employed a quantitative research approach, with data collected via a structured questionnaire distributed to 83 male and female students from various faculties at Al-Asmariya Islamic University.
The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic data, patterns of social media usage, and students' perceived improvements in their English language skills. Data were analyzed using SPSS, utilizing descriptive statistics—such as arithmetic means, percentages, and standard deviations—as well as inferential statistics, including the Chi-square test.
The results indicate that social media platforms generally have a positive impact on all English language skills. Vocabulary development ranked highest in terms of perceived improvement, followed by listening and speaking skills, while improvements in writing and grammar were relatively lower. Among the various platforms, YouTube emerged as the most influential for most skills—particularly listening and vocabulary—followed by TikTok, which was notably effective for listening and speaking. Meanwhile, text-based platforms, such as Facebook, proved more effective in supporting reading and writing skills. The study concluded that social media platforms serve as an effective and motivating supplementary tool for learning English, provided they are used purposefully. The findings underscore the importance of integrating these platforms into English language instruction in a structured manner to maximize their educational benefits.
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