Social Media in English Learning and Teaching: A Duoethnography

Abstract

This article examines how social media affects English learning and teaching from the perspectives of two English teachers. By employing duoethnography, we engaged in collaborative conversations exploring each other’s biographies and life experiences in order to shed light on broader cultural, social, and educational issues (Sawyer & Norris, 2013). Through dialogues, we shared our personal stories on the impact of social media on learning and teaching English in two different first-language (L1) settings to enhance our understanding of the topic and connect our experiences to research. Based on these insights, we also proposed practical implications for second-language (L2) teaching. Data were collected from the recordings of face-to-face discussions, digital reflection notes, and recollections shared by the two authors. Three main themes emerged: (1) hesitancy on using social media, (2) Facebook as a prominent social media platform, and (3) learners’ attitudes and perceptions toward using social media in class. Based on these findings, practical implications for L2 teaching are discussed and we hope this duoethnography resonates with readers and generate further discussion for practitioners and researchers alike.