Social Media’s Influence on Kuwaiti ELLs’ English Communication.

This study examines the role of social media platforms, such as Instagram and WhatsApp, in shaping English language use among English Language Learners (ELLs) in Kuwait. Ninety-two undergraduate students from the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training participated, providing survey data...

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Publicado en:Arab Journal for the Humanities Vol. 43; no. 172; pp. 267 - 295
Autores principales: AlBader, Yousuf B., Al-Qenaie, Shamlan D.
Formato: Artículo
Publicado: Kuwait University Autumn2025
Materias:
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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          AlBader, Yousuf B.
          Al-Qenaie, Shamlan D.
        affil:
          Associate Professor, English Department, College of Basic Education, The Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait.
          Associate Professor, Department of English Language and Literature, College of Arts, Kuwait University, Kuwait.
      su:
        Social media
        Second language acquisition
        Visual communication
        Cognitive ability
        Language ability
        Limited English-proficient students
        Teaching methods
        Sociolinguistics
        Kuwait (Kuwait)
      sug:
        subj:
          Kuwait (Kuwait)
          Social media
          Second language acquisition
          Visual communication
          Cognitive ability
          Language ability
          Limited English-proficient students
          Teaching methods
          Sociolinguistics
      keyword:
        digital language socialisation
        English Language Learners
        informal communication
        Kuwait
        social media and language learning
        التنشئة اللغوية الرقمية
        التواصل غير الرسمي
        دولة الكويت
        متعلمي اللغة الإنجليزية
        وسائل التواصل الاجتماعي وتعلم اللغة
      ab: This study examines the role of social media platforms, such as Instagram and WhatsApp, in shaping English language use among English Language Learners (ELLs) in Kuwait. Ninety-two undergraduate students from the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training participated, providing survey data on social media usage patterns and real language samples, analysed through descriptive statistics and thematic methods. Semistructured interviews with educators and students offered deeper insights into the perceived impact of these platforms on language development. Findings reveal frequent use of new vocabulary, abbreviations, and emojis, reflecting social media’s direct influence on informal communication styles and lexical innovation. The study highlights the multifaceted dimensions of this impact from linguistic and social perspectives, portraying social media as a dynamic platform for linguistic socialisation in line with theories that view language as an adaptive system responding to societal changes. However, despite the noticeable benefits of social media in fostering regular English practice, the widespread prevalence of informal linguistic patterns raises significant concerns regarding its potential impact on formal language skills and grammatical accuracy. In light of these findings, the study highlights the gap between informal and academic communication standards, emphasising the importance of integrating social media into directed educational contexts. Such integration aims to achieve an effective balance between informal linguistic innovations and observing formal language norms. Additionally, the study recommends adopting a more conscious pedagogical approach to enable students to maximize the benefits of social media while safeguarding the quality of their academic performance.
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      src: R
    language: English
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      custom: Copyright of Arab Journal for the Humanities is the property of Kuwait University, Academic Publication Council and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
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      holder: Kuwait University, Academic Publication Council
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          year: 2025
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