The Use of Social Media Platforms to Enhance Vocabulary Development in Learning a New Language: A Review of The Literature

Abstract

Social media platforms (SMPs) are widely used by many users worldwide in different fields, including business, politics, education, and personal enjoyment (Kapoor et al., 2018). However, the use of SMPs for English language vocabulary learning is still under-researched, particularly in a Saudi Arabian context. Alzahrani (2016) and Alqunayeer (2016) have underscored the scarcity of research exploring the use and effect of SMPs on Saudi learners’ vocabulary development, and as these platforms are highly favored in Saudi Arabia, the paucity of research makes the current study timely and pertinent. Furthermore, recent studies in Vietnam and Indonesia have recommended that further research should be conducted regarding the use of SMPs for English language vocabulary learning and indeed for learning English as a second language (Indari & Putri, 2018; Tran, 2016). This paper aims to review the research concerning the use of SMPs for vocabulary learning from 2014 to 2018. Out of 50 peer-reviewed articles, only 15 studies were relevant to SMPs and vocabulary learning. It has been recognized that SMPs are effective in improving learner engagement, motivation, and vocabulary development, suggesting that SMPs can be valuable tools and resources to facilitate learning. The authors have also proposed a definition for the term social media, as one has not been agreed upon in the educational literature, this is not surprising given that the social media phenomenon is still a new and rapidly evolving field of practice and study.

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Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Number 6. July 2020 Pp. 318 -331
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call6.21
The Use of Social Media Platforms to Enhance Vocabulary Development in Learning a
New Language: A Review of The Literature
Meshari Alharthi
School of Education, College of Arts, Law and Education
University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Andy Bown
School of Education, College of Arts, Law and Education
University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Darren Pullen
School of Education, College of Arts, Law and Education
University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Abstract
Social media platforms (SMPs) are widely used by many users worldwide in different fields,
including business, politics, education, and personal enjoyment (Kapoor et al., 2018). However,
the use of SMPs for English language vocabulary learning is still under-researched, particularly in
a Saudi Arabian context. Alzahrani (2016) and Alqunayeer (2016) have underscored the scarcity
of research exploring the use and effect of SMPs on Saudi learners’ vocabulary development, and
as these platforms are highly favored in Saudi Arabia, the paucity of research makes the current
study timely and pertinent. Furthermore, recent studies in Vietnam and Indonesia have
recommended that further research should be conducted regarding the use of SMPs for English
language vocabulary learning and indeed for learning English as a second language (Indari & Putri,
2018; Tran, 2016). This paper aims to review the research concerning the use of SMPs for
vocabulary learning from 2014 to 2018. Out of 50 peer-reviewed articles, only 15 studies were
relevant to SMPs and vocabulary learning. It has been recognized that SMPs are effective in
improving learner engagement, motivation, and vocabulary development, suggesting that SMPs
can be valuable tools and resources to facilitate learning. The authors have also proposed a
definition for the term social media, as one has not been agreed upon in the educational literature,
this is not surprising given that the social media phenomenon is still a new and rapidly evolving
field of practice and study.
Keywords: English language, learning, Saudi Arabia, social media, vocabulary.
Cite as: Alharthi, M., Bown, A.,& Pullen, D. (2020). The Use of Social Media Platforms to
Enhance Vocabulary Development in Learning a New Language: A Review of The Literature.
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL (6). 318 -331. .
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/call6.21

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Introduction
The English language is acknowledged as the lingua franca of languages, and within the
last decade, much attention has been paid to the use of social media platforms (SMPs) in language
learning, whether through computers or mobile devices such as mobile phones or tablets (Fewkes
& McCabe, 2012; Fischer, 2013; Jarvis & Achilleos, 2013). However, as the concept of social
media has only been around for the last few decades, it can be viewed from a historical perspective
to be a relatively new form of communication. As such, its impacts have yet to be adequately
evaluated, and many research gaps exist regarding its effects on language learning (Golonka,
Bowles, Frank, Richardson, & Freynik, 2014; Zourou, 2012).
As stated by Richards (2015), multiple studies have presented substantial evidence that
social media has become a favored learning environment for the learning of language skills,
especially for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) or English as a Second Language (ESL).
Richards’s (2015) work has been supported by Ma (2017), who indicates that how learners learn
an additional language may be affected by how they use social media. More recently, Puspa (2018)
found that vocabulary knowledge usage was enhanced using SMPs more than other forms of
technology such as CD-based or web-based learning platforms. In SMPs, English has become the
dominant language of programming; however, 80% of social media users do not speak English as
their first or primary language (Christison & Murray, 2014). Given that English is the lingua franca
of the internet, variance in English language usage increases, with English being no longer the
exclusive domain of native speakers. As such, cross-linguistic communication in SMPs provides
a casual or ad hoc learning context in which the conversational qualities of the English language
are being explored by EFL and ESL users.
It has been found that different SMPs have unique educational benefits and can be used as
tools for facilitating learning, provided they are used with appropriate guidance and support
(Connolly, 2011). The use of SMPs for education has become popular within the last decade
(Fewkes & McCabe, 2012; Fischer, 2013) because they are instrumental in knowledge sharing and
communication, due to their ubiquity and ease of use (Pavlik & McIntosh, 2018); thus, they may
also facilitate vocabulary learning (Schwartz et al., 2013). One significant characteristic of SMPs
and vocabulary learning which is of particular interest is how SMPs change the conditions for
language practices of linguistic repertoires which is due to the hybrid nature of the texts, which
fuses oral, written and spoken communication with other multiliteracy elements such as sound,
color, and symbols (Cole & Pullen, 2010). However, although social media’s potential for
enhancing the development of language skills has been widely studied, its use for vocabulary
learning is relatively under-researched or is not the primary focus of the research. To address this
gap, this paper reviewed the literature to investigate the potential role of SMPs in vocabulary
learning, focusing on EFL learners’ perceptions and practices.
Main Concepts
Vocabulary
It is widely claimed that vocabulary learning is one of the most crucial aspects of learning
a language (Nation, 2001; Schmitt, 2000; White & Kim, 2009). Vocabulary plays a decisive role
in developing reading and other language skills among non-native learners (Carlisle, Beeman,

Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Number 6. July 2020
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Davis, & Spharim, 1999). It is one of the fundamental components which connects reading,
writing, listening, and speaking; therefore, vocabulary learning helps learners master their
additional language and use it effectively in different contexts and scenarios (Grosseck &
Holotescu, 2008). This premise is supported by Wilkins (1972): “Without grammar very little can
be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed” (p. 111). Within second-language
learning, the success or failure of second-language acquisition (SLA) can be determined to some
extent by the processes of vocabulary learning (Gu, 2005; Nation & Newton, 2008).
It is also imperative to know that vocabulary learning is determined by the frequency of
use and exposure to various situations, scenarios, forms, and contexts (Nation, 1990; Schmitt,
2000). However, because by their very nature, SMPs offer users different reasons for use, ranging
from study through to work or pleasure, there is no general linguistic discourse, and the users’
purpose for using the SMPs and the social media platforms themselves offer differing contexts.
The differing contexts provided by SMPs allow learners to expand, confirm, experiment, and
develop their vocabulary (Takac, 2008) formally and factually through to a more colloquial
discourse. These different contexts, situations, and scenarios are more likely to be found in SMPs
than in traditional settings such as school environments (Alqunayeer, 2016; Lomicka & Lord,
2016), due to the lack of space and time limitations. These contexts will be defined, examined, and
their various aspects discussed in this paper.
EFL and ESL learners acquire vocabulary through different vocabulary learning strategies,
ranging from using visuals—“a picture is worth a thousand words”—through to labeling objects,
e.g., placing a label with the word “desk” on the actual desk. Several researchers have attempted
to categorize them, such as Gu and Johnson (1996), Schmitt (1997), and Nation (2001). The
taxonomy proposed by Gu and Johnson (1996) includes metacognitive, cognitive, memory, and
activation strategies, whereas Schmitt (1997) presented discovery and consolidation strategies.
These two strategies involve subsets of strategies: determination and social strategies under the
discovery category, and social, cognitive, memory, and metacognitive strategies under the
consolidation strategies (Schmitt, 1997). Finally, Nation (2001) proposed three main taxonomies:
planning, sources, and processes, each of which has different subsets.
Social Media
Defining social media is quite complex as the medium itself is still developing and evolving
rapidly. In the past, social media may have been limited to email and similar comunication forms,
whereas now it includes videotelephony and moving past that to avatars in virtual chat rooms and
virtual environments. Even though there is no agreed definition or concept of social media,
researchers have proposed differing definitions. Dewing (2010) and Kaplan and Haenlein (2010)
perceive social media as the groups of internet-based and mobile applications and services in
which users are engaged in online activities, such as creating content, joining communities,
exchanging information, and interacting with others. According to these authors, users can create
their profiles through which they can connect with others and send/receive instant messages
(Dewing, 2010; Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). Kaplan and Haenlein (2010) added that users could
also share and post information in different forms, such as text, audio, photos, videos, and links to

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other resources. These various forms might fulfill all learners’ needs and encourage them to
develop their language learning, including vocabulary, as they have different characteristics of
learning styles, such as being visual or auditory learners.
On the other hand, Burke (2013) described social media as the content uploaded by users
to social networking sites (SNSs), whether that includes videos, pictures, text, or other multimedia
formats. She added that SNSs involve being engaged in a community by creating relationships and
communicating with others. Cohn (2011) agreed with Burke’s definition, adding that social media
helps people connect, whereas SNSs enhance their connections.
Based on these definitions, and to avoid disagreements, the term social media platform
(SMP) is used in this paper to refer to any application or site that enables its users to create a
profile—whether public or private—through which they can interact, post, or view using any form
of media, including text, pictures, videos, live streaming, or links to any other resources. Likewise,
the term social media is used to refer to any forms of the content found on SMPs, as proposed by
Burke (2013). The following SMPs are discussed in order of their original launch dates: Facebook
(2004), Twitter (2006), Instagram (2010) and Snapchat (2011):
Facebook
Facebook allows its users to connect, interact, and build friendships with other users, who
can also get involved with various societies and communities and share resources and information
within user-created networks (Gonzales & Vodicka, 2010). Facebook was founded in 2004 by
Mark Zuckerberg, and there were about 2.23 billion monthly active users as of 30 June 2018
(Facebook, 2018). The number of Facebook users in Saudi Arabia is about 22 million (Global
Media Insight, 2018), which is about 66% of the Saudi population.
Twitter Twitter was founded by Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, Biz Stone, and Evan Williams in March
2006. Its users post and interact with messages called tweets, which were initially limited to 140
characters each but doubled to 280 characters in November 2017. Users can tweet different forms
of media, such as text, video recordings, pictures, links, and live videos. According to Twitter
(2018), there are approximately 336 million monthly active users. In Saudi Arabia, there are about
17 million users on Twitter (Global Media Insight, 2018), representing 51% of the population.
Instagram
Instagram is a platform that is used to share photos and videos. It was founded by Kevin
Systrom and Mike Krieger in October 2010 and then sold to Facebook in April 2012. The uploaded
photos and videos can be edited by different filters in the platform and labeled with various tags
and location information. The posts can be shared in public or only with pre-approved followers.
Instagram’s users can post, like others’ posts, follow others, and send private messages. There are
800 million monthly active users on Instagram worldwide (We Are Social & Hoottsuite, 2018).
However, in Saudi Arabia, there are about 18 million monthly active users (Global Media Insight,
2018), 54% of the total population.

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Snapchat
The Snapchat platform was founded in September 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy,
and Reggie Brown. Snapchat is only available as a smartphone application where users can upload
pictures and short videos lasting a maximum of 10 seconds. These are stored for 24 hours, and
then they become inaccessible. According to We Are Social and Hoottsuite (2018), there are 255
million users on Snapchat globally, and about 13 million users in Saudi Arabia (Global Media
Insight, 2018), which represents 39% of the population.
Social Media and Vocabulary Learning
For this literature review, several academic databases were explored (i.e., the University of
Tasmania Library, Google Scholar, ProQuest, and ERIC) using the following keywords in each
database, resulting in about 64 search entries: Vocabulary Learning, Vocabulary Acquisition,
Social Media, Social Networking, Social Network, Social Networks, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram, and Snapchat. Fifty academic articles were found; however, only 15 of these met the
inclusion criteria. The search was limited to items published from January 2014 to December 2018,
as the field of social media research is relatively new and is rapidly changing. Similarly, Golonka
et al. (2014) reviewed over 350 studies published up to 2012, but they did not find any studies on
the use of SMPs for language learning. However, the authors came across some related studies
(Blattner & Lomicka, 2012; Khany & Monfared, 2013; McDermott, 2013; Warschauer, 2002;
Zourou, 2012), and they are referred to in this section.
Regarding the exclusion criteria, articles on YouTube and WhatsApp were excluded for
many reasons, including their mechanisms and principal uses. For example, the primary purpose
of YouTube is to share videos rather than posting and uploading various forms of content.
Regarding WhatsApp, users must have a phone number to create an account and can only interact
with individual users whose phone numbers are saved, or with other users who are members of the
same WhatsApp group. Besides, unlike other SMPs (i.e., Twitter and Facebook), WhatsApp users
cannot search for other users’ profiles, locations, and posts, as user accounts are not public and
can only be accessed via phone number. Therefore, WhatsApp is considered more of an instant-
messaging application rather than an SNS. For a platform to qualify as an SNS, user profiles should
be the backbone of social media sharing (Boyd & Ellison, 2007).
In the last five years, several studies have been conducted on the use of various SMPs for
EFL and ESL vocabulary learning (Al-Tamimi, Al-Khawaldeh, Natsheh, & Harazneh, 2018; Al
Mubarak, 2017; Indari & Putri, 2018). Some researchers recognized the effectiveness of SMPs in
improving learner engagement and motivation (Blattner & Lomicka, 2012; Ventura & Martín-
Monje, 2016; Zourou, 2012). Ventura and Martín-Monje (2016) further found that the use of SMPs
has helped learners progress in their vocabulary learning. This evidence suggests that SMPs have
the potential to be valuable tools and resources for learning.
The platforms investigated include Facebook and Twitter, as well as social media in
general. The database searches revealed three studies regarding the use of Twitter for vocabulary
learning (see Table one), eight studies on Facebook (see Table two), and four studies on social

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media in general (see Table three). To the best of the present researcher’s knowledge, however,
there are no previous studies regarding the use of other SMPs to this effect, such as Snapchat and
Instagram.
Table 1.List of studies on the use of Twitter for vocabulary learning
No
.
Study
Year
Place
No. of
Participants
Age
Metho
d
1
ESP Vocabulary and Social
Networking: The Case of
Twitter
2015
Spain
75
20–27
years
Mixed
2
Learning Vocabulary via
Twitter
2014
Mexic
o
183
University
students
(adults)
Quan
3
The Impact of Teaching
Through Twitter on Students’
Vocabulary Learning
2016
Saudi
Arabi
a
160
University
students
(adults)
Quan
Table 2. List of studies on the use of Facebook for vocabulary learning
No.
Study
Year
Place
No. of
Participants
Age
Method
1
The Impact of Social Media on
Vocabulary Learning; Case
Study – Facebook
2014
Romania
127
University
students
(adults)
Quan
2
Enhancing Students’
Vocabulary Knowledge Using
the Facebook Environment
2016
Malaysia
33
University
students
(adults)
Mixed
3
Learning Specialized
Vocabulary Through Facebook
in a Massive Open Online
Course
2016
Spain
61
University
students
(adults)
Mixed
4
Self-Directed Vocabulary
Learning in Facebook: From
the Perspective of Social
Presence
(forthcoming)
2014
Taiwan
180
University
students
(adults)
Mixed

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5
The Effect of a Facebook
Game That Requires English
Vocabulary Knowledge on
Students’ English Vocabulary
Development
2015
Turkey
81
10–14
years
Quan
6
Training Learners to Use
Quizlet Vocabulary Activities
on Mobile Phones with
Facebook
2016
Vietnam
21
University
students
(adults)
Mixed
7
The Effect of Using Facebook
on Improving English
Language Writing Skills and
Vocabulary Enrichment
Among the University of
Jordan Sophomore Students
2018
Jordan
30
University
students
(adults)
Quan
8
Sudanese Students’
Perceptions of Using
Facebook for Vocabulary
Learning at University Level
2017
Sudan
85
University
students
(adults)
Quan
Table 3. List of studies on the use of SMPs for vocabulary learning
No.
Study
Year
Place
No. of
Participants
Age
Method
1
The Effect of Using Social
Media on the Students’
Vocabulary Achievement at
Tenth Grade
2018
Indonesia
75
14–16
years
Quan
2
Investigating the Impact of
Social Media on Improving
EFL Students’ Vocabulary
2016
Algeria
35
University
students
(adults)
Mixed
3
The Role of Social Media in
Development of English
Language Vocabulary at
University Level
2016
Pakistan
36
University
teachers
(adults)
Quan
4
Analysing the Potential of
Social Networking Sites on
EFL Learners’ Vocabulary
2015
Iran
100
University
students
(adults)
Quan

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Mastery: A Situated-learning
Approach
Sabater and Fleta (2015) presented a paper on using Twitter for learning specialized
vocabulary in the context of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). They examined students’
confidence and communication in using ESP vocabulary through a blended learning approach,
combining online digital media with conventional classroom methods, which included face-to-
face and online meetings. They found that students’ participation and communication in the
classroom and beyond were enhanced after using Twitter (Sabater & Fleta, 2015). Despite that,
there were no perceived positive effects with regard to vocabulary learning (Sabater & Fleta,
2015).
Alqunayeer (2016) conducted a study on the impact of teaching through Twitter on
students’ English vocabulary learning in a Saudi university. She divided 160 participants into two
groups: experimental and control, with 80 participants in each. The control group was taught in
the traditional method by using flashcards, pictures, hints, gestures, or simple explanations, and
the experimental group was taught by using the social media platform Twitter over eight weeks.
She found that the experimental group, which was taught vocabulary items through Twitter,
demonstrated significantly higher vocabulary knowledge than those in the control group. This was
measured by the results and analysis of a pre-test and a post-test for both groups. She also reported
that not only vocabulary improved but also writing and researching skills. Alqunayeer (2016)
concluded that since “integrating social networking sites is a new trend in Saudi Arabia,
researchers need to investigate the aptitude of Saudi students in using and integrating such
technology” (p. 42).
In contrast, another study conducted by Santana, Garcia-Santillan, and Pozos-Texon
(2014) in a Mexican university found that there was no significant difference in learning outcomes
between acquiring vocabulary via Twitter or via the traditional way inside a classroom. The
researchers argued that Twitter was not a particularly useful method for vocabulary learning,
because any new vocabulary contained in tweets was not brought to the learners’ attention and
therefore not interacted with. In other words, the learners were not exposed to these items
frequently enough to affect their language learning through interactions on Twitter. Santana
(2014), in her sole-authored paper on the same study, claimed that learners should be exposed to
more words every day to ensure that they will acquire them.
A study of the use of Facebook to improve students’ vocabulary knowledge found that
most of the learning occurred when the students interacted and socialized with fellow students and
other Facebook users, particularly those who were native speakers of the target language (Kabilan
& Zahar, 2016). The researchers argued that Facebook might be an effective learning tool, as it
can motivate students and increase their engagement, interaction, collaboration, and confidence.

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Tran (2016) similarly pointed out that Facebook had the potential to increase student participation
and engagement.
A study by Guvendir and Gezgin (2015) examined the effect of a Facebook game on
students’ vocabulary development, finding significantly positive outcomes. The same results were
found in a study conducted on the use of SMPs (i.e., via Facebook) for vocabulary learning among
schoolchildren (Indari & Putri, 2018). Tran (2016) also reports that “learners had a positive view
towards mobile learning and towards using social networking to support their learning” (p. 54).
In contrast, Monica-Ariana and Anamaria-Mirabela (2014), who limited their study to
Facebook use in Romania, found no significant differences between students who were exposed
to target vocabulary through Facebook and those who were not; however, they did find that
students who used Facebook were more engaged and motivated to learn. This absence of
improvements and developments in this study and other similar studies might be attributed to its
methods. The researchers in this study attempted to test the effectiveness of SMPs on vocabulary
learning in just a short period by employing pre-test and post-test designs where the participants’
voices were not emphasized and not taken into account comprehensively. While every situation is
unique and the participants’ perceptions and interpretations are significant and unique as well,
which constitute each transaction and situation, especially in education and social science research
(Pring, 2000). Therefore, methodological gaps have been revealed by reviewing these studies.
Among the researchers who studied SMPs in general, Bouhami (2016) concluded that
SMPs are helpful and effective in improving EFL students’ vocabulary knowledge. Similarly,
Khan, Ayaz, and Faheem (2016) found that SMPs play an influential role in vocabulary learning,
as the SMPs trigger learners’ interests and present vocabulary in different forms, including text,
pictures, video, and other online media.
Al-Tamimi et al. (2018) and Nikbakht and Boshrabadi (2015) highlighted that learners in
their experimental groups excelled in learning the target vocabulary compared to learners in their
control groups, concluding that SMPs play a decisive role in vocabulary learning. It is worth noting
that participants in these two studies were studying English at different proficiency levels.
Participants in Al-Tamimi et al.’s (2018) study were undertaking a Bachelor’s Degree majoring in
English, and in Nikbakht and Boshrabadi (2015), they were doing a Master’s Degree in Applied
Linguistics. Therefore, each cohort was studying English for different motivations and purposes,
but they yielded the same results toward utilizing SMPs for vocabulary learning.
Conclusion
This review of literature has shown that the use of SMPs for vocabulary learning is
comparatively under-researched, particularly in a Saudi Arabian context. The focus of most studies
is on the use of SMPs in controlled groups and classroom environments where the students are
invited to use those social media tools for language learning. This reveals a stark limitation, as the
students might have participated in the studies only in order to pass the course or please the
teacher/researcher. It is recommended that future research is conducted to fill these gaps in the

Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Special Issue on CALL Number 6. July 2020
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327
literature and research, where the researcher is an independent observer. It is also crucial to focus
on investigating and explaining EFL and ESL learners’ perceptions and practices, which are vital
in the use and application of SMPs in language learning (Khany & Monfared, 2013; Warschauer,
2002). Besides, most studies have not provided enough information about SMPs’ employment or
sufficient details and data about the experiments. This shows another constraint, which is the
absence of a thick description that is defined by Geertz (1973) as providing a rich, clear, complete,
and detailed description of the research.
Moreover, Davis (1995) reasoned that there should be three components of the thick
description: general, interpretive, and particular. The particular description refers to providing
representative data instances. Thus, the credibility and the transferability of these studies are
decreased due to their lack of a thick description (Brown & Rogers, 2002), which makes drawing
conclusions noticeably problematic.
This review of the literature on SMPs and language learning has highlighted a paucity of
studies that have considered why individuals are using SMPs for language learning and how SMPs
can be used for that learning. By highlighting these studies, this paper’s authors intend to research
how adult Saudi English language learners are using their current SMPs to acquire vocabulary.
This understanding may then enable others to understand that second language learning and
vocabulary learning may occur in formal and informal ways through the use of social media
platforms.
About the Authors:
Meshari Alharthi is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Tasmania. He received a bachelor’s
degree in the English language with a minor degree in Education from Taif University in Saudi
Arabia and an MA in TESOL and Applied Linguistics from the University of Salford in the UK.
He is interested in language learning and social media platforms. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-
9155-2131
Dr. Andy Bown is a Lecturer in Languages and TESOL at the University of Tasmania, Australia.
He has a Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics from Macquarie University, and his research interests
include second language reading and the use of technology in language learning.
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3735-7006
Dr. Darren Pullen is a lecturer at the University of Tasmania, where he teaches undergraduates
and graduate students in the disciplines of health science and technology. His research interest is
in the interactions of people and technology-humachine. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8033-614X
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