A. The Article
a. Title: Facebook in the Language Classroom: Promises and Possibilities
b. Journal: International Journal of Instructional and Distance Learning, Vol 6; No 1, January 2009
c. Author: Geraldine Blattner(Assistant
Professor at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. Her research
focuses on technology-enhanced foreign language learning and sociolinguistic
and pragmatic variation in French language in computer-mediated discourse) and Melissa Fiori (Assistant
Professor at Daemen College in Amherst, NY. Her research focuses on technology
and language learning with a particular interest in L2 Emergent Grammar)
B. Summary
The article is about the
potential of using social networking where it focused on Facebook, in helping young
generation to learn English language where the article highlighted its promises and
possibilities. This article is a library based research where selected
research topics are gathered in order to support its finding. In this article
it stated that by using social networking such as Facebook can helps the
learner of second language (L2) to improve their target language. This
article mention three factors; Computer Mediated Communication
&Social Network Communication, Pedagogical Practice: Community Building via
Facebook and Development of Socio-pragmatic competence via Facebook. Since
Facebook is part of student’s daily activity and some students spent a lot of
time online, it suggested that Facebook can be use as a tool, in helping
students learn second language. Students can build community in Facebook
and this help them feel belonging to a community and interact more with each other and
also building positive relation with teacher that boast their motivation in
learning L2. This article also mention that students can interact with the
native speaker where not only they practice their language but also learn how
the culture and language are interrelated . A lot of activity can be done online,
such as creating group, video interaction and using 'The Course'. It is also
flexible in term of time and place as well as low in coast. Facebook
has unique features that offer
constructive educational experiences while maintaining privacy and safety. The
potential of this social website is growing everyday with new applications being upgrade in the Facebook. This article provides starting
points for the engagement of further investigations in the abundantly promising
field of Facebook pedagogical and linguistic research.
C. Reaction
I agree with this article where Facebook can
gives promises and possibilities in the language classroom and it is an interesting article. Since this research is on library based research, I believe that this research has highlight main points that very beneficial to those who use social networking. I truly believe in
the use of Facebook in L2 learning because it has the capabilities in helping and be as one of effective medium in improving one’s language especially in the ESL classroom in Malaysia. Facebook also create
attraction towards kids and teenagers to get involved more with the target
language, since it is something familiar and almost common things for
people especially the x-generation. Facebook is fun and interactive to be use and
can be a tool to learn language. I use to
be skeptical and a little bit resistance to think that Facebook can be use in the classroom
however, after reading this article I realize the benefits that one can get
just using social networking such as Facebook is undeniable. Facebook
can help students in their language learning outside of the classroom, at their own
leisure and convenience and especially involved almost no cost at all. Using Facebook, it helps students to build
confident, feel belonging to a group of community in the cyber space and with variety backgrounds and not limited to Malaysian people only. It also allows
the student to interact with the native of the target language from different
age since it's a social network. This helps the students to enhance and
vary their socio-pragmatic in the L2 of their target language especially English. They also able to learn more about the native’s
speaker culture as well as aware of its relation with the L2. Sometimes indirectly,
students use the L2 whenever they use Facebook and this will help them to widen
their vocabulary and indirectly build self-confident. Although I do afraid that
students tend to use the improper language (also known as sms language or short
language) but the existence of teacher that they known as a ‘friend’ in the Facebook will guide them. As Vygotsky in the Sociocultural Theory has stated,
learning process involve through participation in cultural, environment, and
interactions through community. The true value of Facebook isn’t readily apparent
to a lot of people yet especially in the language classroom in Malaysia. However, I think a lot of people are starting
to catch on and see it as a valuable tool in teaching or learning L2 and hope that Facebook can be use as a tool of teaching in ESL classroom.
(716 words only)
D. Other
Blog that suggest on how to use Facebook in language learning classroom:
