{"id":61758,"date":"2022-02-22T05:41:26","date_gmt":"2022-02-22T10:41:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/world.edu\/?p=61758"},"modified":"2022-02-22T05:41:26","modified_gmt":"2022-02-22T10:41:26","slug":"want-to-learn-a-language-try-tiktok","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/want-to-learn-a-language-try-tiktok\/","title":{"rendered":"Want to learn a language? Try TikTok"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nSocial media are becoming an increasingly integral part of our everyday lives. We\u2019re spending more time on our phones, but this is mostly on\u00a0unproductive activities<\/a>, which can take a serious\u00a0toll on mental and physical well-being<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But what if we could make this time productive? For example, spen<\/p>\n

How do Australians use social media?<\/strong><\/h4>\n

In January 2021, almost\u00a080% of Australians<\/a>\u00a0were \u201cactive users\u201d of social media compared to 58% in 2015. Facebook remains the\u00a0most popular social media platform<\/a>. Others such as TikTok and Instagram are gaining a stronger foothold with younger audiences.<\/p>\n

At the end of 2021, TikTok even surpassed Google as the\u00a0world\u2019s most popular web domain<\/a>. This is not just in terms of social media but based on global internet traffic, which includes platforms hosted by Google such as Gmail and Google Maps. In Australia, TikTok is the\u00a0fastest-growing social media company<\/a>\u00a0and was the\u00a0second-most-downloaded app after Zoom<\/a>\u00a0in 2020.<\/p>\n

TikTok\u2019s success is largely due to the interactive and highly engaging nature of the audiovisual content that dominates its platform. Users often\u00a0spend hours scrolling<\/a>\u00a0through their feeds, and popular channels boast millions of followers.<\/p>\n

This upwards trend among young users \u2014 who visit social media platforms \u201cmultiple times a day<\/a>\u201d \u2014 has led Australian school\u00a0teachers to turn to TikTok<\/a>\u00a0to engage with students, particularly during COVID-19 lockdowns.<\/p>\n

Social media as an educational platform<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The role of social media as an emerging educational platform, particularly for foreign languages, deserves greater attention. In lieu of face-to-face lessons, private language\u00a0teachers have turned to platforms<\/a>\u00a0like TikTok and Instagram to attract and teach students.<\/p>\n

Language educators are harnessing the popularity and success of social media by creating content to help their followers improve their language skills. This is primarily done through short, interactive videos. These are designed to teach content in short chunks, an approach called \u201cmicrolearning<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n

Research indicates this is an effective tool for students and teachers alike. It breaks the lessons down so users can absorb it as part of an \u201ceveryday scroll\u201d. Content in this form is easier to engage with (from the learner\u2019s perspective) and more likely to be retained.<\/p>\n

For example, English students can watch short videos to\u00a0improve their vocabulary<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0practise the pronunciation of difficult words<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 or even\u00a0mimic simple conversations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Students studying Mandarin can learn some helpful phrases for\u00a0going to the hairdresser<\/a>; French students can practise\u00a0distinguishing between two similar sounds<\/a>; and people travelling to Italy can learn\u00a0how to order their first espresso<\/a>.
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