Innovation in Language Learning

Could Facebook profitably change the Language class? After all, Facebook brings about genuine communication and motivation for interaction both of which language teacher hope to develop in their class. What features of the Social Network could improve language and literature learning? My research attempted to answer this question and started in the fall of 2012 with a group of 6 graders.

Our Facebook page is called Reading is important (in Romanian, Cititul e important). The page was set by the students with the declared goal to let friends know about what they do during the language class.

In the beginning the page was simply a project presentation virtual segment. The results of the reading activities were snapped and uploaded in order to obtain likes. Progressively the page became  a factor of motivation: as the results are made public and likes can be counted, the projects need to be neatly done and presentations ought to be persuasive. Students become more and more autonomous: they are administrators of the page, they create their own online communication strategies which they later transfer in the class for common disciplinary or transdisciplinary learning.

A potentially boring activity like readings from canonic writers becomes a true communication adventure for the ”zappiens” teens. Since iconic illustration is relevant in the digital space, the students develop attractive posters to summarize the main points of their interpretation and they upload them on the page. The image is associated with clear, well developed text so that it should become meaningful for the visitors. The more creative the text and poster, the more visitors and likes! The more transdisciplinary the approach, more opportunities to be read and understood by friends.

After two years with Facebook for the language class my conclusion is that, if well adjusted to the learning goals, the social network is far from producing distraction to the students. On the contrary. It can trigger more responsibility for study as well as the development of communication competences in a genuine and beloved setting.