ERIC Number: EJ1168743
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1134-3478
EISSN: N/A
Mobile Instant Messaging: Whatsapp and Its Potential to Develop Oral Skills
Comunicar: Media Education Research Journal, v25 n50 p43-52 2017
This study investigates the benefits of Mobile Mediated Communication (MMC) to develop oral skills in second-language learners. A total of 80 Spanish students taking a B1 English course at the University of Almería were studied in this research. According to treatment type, subjects were divided in two groups, experimental and control. A "Whatsapp" group was created where 40 of these students participated in a daily interaction during six months. The samples collected in the application as well as a speaking were used to measure the students' degree of oral development and the type and triggers of the language related episodes (LRE) given rise to mobile chat-based oral interaction. This study focuses on such interaction and seeks to measure the students' degree of oral development through a mixed analysis approach. A temporal axis is used to measure the differences between the groups studied. Significant improvements in term of oral proficiency were observed in the experimental group and negotiations were the LRE most common throughout the activity. it is worth mention that Mobile learning offers an environment where learners can ubiquitously negotiate meaning, reflect and evaluate on their own performance through authentic interaction and feedback, constituting a powerful tool for developing second language proficiency.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Handheld Devices, Computer Oriented Programs, Computer Mediated Communication, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Language Skills, Speech Communication, Oral Language, Educational Technology, Electronic Learning, College Students, Experimental Groups, Control Groups, Interaction, Mixed Methods Research, Language Proficiency, Student Improvement, Instructional Effectiveness, Outcomes of Education, Language Tests, Speech Tests, Pretests Posttests, Pronunciation, Grammar, Vocabulary, Comprehension, Correlation
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Spain
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A