The Impact of Facebook Language Use on EFL Students ' Vocabulary Learning : The Case of Third Year Students at the Department of English at M'sila University

Abstract

Abstract

In a world leaded by technology, EFL students, in a try to acquire the necessary skills to cope with the 21st century living and learning requirements, are imposed to many of those technological inventions and websites; Facebook for specific, which became an inevitable influential part of their social and educational lives. Based on such reality, this research is a linguistic and pragmatic investigation of the impact of Facebook language use on EFL students ' vocabulary learning, throughout a descriptive research method. The subject matter of this research was third year LMD students at M'sila University. The study was consisted on three main research instruments; a questionnaire was designed for students, an interview was made with EFL teachers, in addition to an analysis of students ' Facebook chattroom conversation. The analysis revealed significant results. Facebook arena helps students develop their vocabulary knowledge, yet its language threatens their vocabulary correctness and appropriateness, in a way it discourages them to produce academic apprehensible language features in linguistic level nor in pragmatic one. Also, the results confirmed the research hypotheses. Accordingly, students are recommended to make careful engagement in Facebook activities, using formal and well structured language. Whereas, teachers are recommended to raise their students ' awareness towards the negative sides of Facebook language, and to be open-minded to the idea of using the website for educational purposes, since its addiction seems will never be reduced.