The role of social media in developing tertiary-level learners’ English language skills

Social media is nowadays emerging worldwide as an integral part of the youth’s interactive English learning practices, and Bangladeshi tertiary-level students are no exception. This paper studies Jashore University of Science and Technology (JUST) students’ perspectives on the incorporation of social media in developing their basic language skills. It investigates the influence of different social media platforms and content on the students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency in English. This research used a mixed-method approach to collect and analyze data. The data were obtained from 100 undergraduate students of JUST through a structured questionnaire. The findings of this study revealed social media’s crucial role in the enhancement of the students’ English language skills. However, the respondents expressed their concerns about multiple challenges that they encountered. Social media’s effectiveness is curtailed by distraction and less structured guidance, as this study finds. This study also collected their suggestions on a better utilization of social media as an English language learning assistant. This study promotes the balanced incorporation of social media in the mainstream language learning and skills development environment. Social media’s inclusion alongside the existing traditional methods can ensure an inclusive and engaging learning experience for English language learners.