Pre-service Language Teachers’ Use of Social Networking Sites for Language Learning: A Quantitative Investigation

This study examined pre-service language teachers’ attitudes towards social networking site (SNS) usefor language learning, their SNS practices for improving their target languages, and the relationshipbetween them. 279 English and German language teacher candidates participated in the surveysdesigned for the present study. The statistical analyses of the data revealed that pre-service languageteachers had positive perceptions towards SNS use for the purpose of language development and theytook advantage of SNSs to improve their target languages. It was also found that variables such asparticipants’ departments, years of study, and self-reported SNS literacies significantly affected theirattitudes towards SNS use and their SNS practices. Finally, the quantitative data obtained confirmed asignificant correlation between teacher candidates’ attitudes and their SNS practices for languagelearning in general and for particular skills. The results are discussed within the context of relevantscholarship, and the study is concluded with recommendations for future research.

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