The Impact of Facebook Comments on EFL Learners' Writing Skill & Language Teaching Case Study of Second Year Master Students of Linguistics

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to determine whether Facebook (FB) commenting can enhance one's ability to write in the English language. Thus, second-year master's students in linguistics at the Ibn Khaldoun University in Tiaret, Algeria, make up the study's sample. Where the researchers used a semi-structured questionnaire for 38 Master's students. Next, teachers participated in a semi-structured interview. Consequently, the findings indicate that students concur that the phenomenon of Facebook commenting has a detrimental impact on their writing because it has significantly reduced the use of standard language due to factors like excessive use of social media, distractions and reliance on abbreviations, acronyms, and emojis in typing, which can result in disregarding the importance of developing one's vocabulary and spelling. However, some professors and students acknowledged that, if used properly, Facebook holds great potential for enhancing students writing abilities, since Facebook is good at bridging time/space in a virtual setting. Moreover, the importance of this study is set to provide insightful analysis and feedback regarding the connection between Facebook and English writing skill and style.