Learning English With a Social Networking Site: Exploring the Use of the Ning Site by Foreign Language Learners

Abstract

The present article describes the pilot study undertaken with students of English 5 (B+ level) at the University of Valencia, who incorporated a social-networking site for learning English outside class time. The tool selected was the Ning site, because it was group-centered and it further offered a variety of interesting tools – blogs, chats and discussion forums – that had potential for learning English. The results indicate that the use of Ning combined with face-to-face meetings favored communication and discussion in English and encouraged the students’ involvement and motivation to participate. The Ning members also met the goals intended for the tools selected and found other unintended uses and, therefore, they appropriated the tools and tailored them to their own needs. The results of this study have implications for teaching, as the Ning has been found to have a place within the English classroom to promote further practice in English.