LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 16:11 November 2016
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
         N. Nadaraja Pillai, Ph.D.
         Renuga Devi, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Use of Whatsapp to Enhance Reading and Writing Skills at Undergraduate College Level

Maria Justina, M.Phil., Ph.D. Candidate

Abstract

Reading and writing are the two language skills on which most exams are based in order to assess the learners’ command over the English language. However, it has been observed that the syllabus prescribed at college level does not provide enough scope for the learners to practise these skills in the classroom. Learners from the regional medium find it very difficult to master these skills. This raises their anxiety level them and reduces their motivation. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop alternative teaching and learning strategies that can help the regional medium background learners work on their reading and writing skills in the target language, English. In such a scenario, social media such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter can be used to help the learners develop their skills as these social networking sites are very popular and can further motivate these learners to improve their reading and writing skills. The present study aims at identifying whether the use of social networking sites or applications can help motivate undergraduate college level L2 learners of English to use their reading and writing skills thus enhancing them (their skills) with reduced anxiety.

Keywords: Whatsapp, Reading and Writing Skills, Undergraduate College Level

Introduction

Reading and writing are the two language skills on which most exams are based in order to assess the learners’ command over the English language. However, it has been observed that the syllabus prescribed at college level does not provide sufficient scope for the learners to practise the skills in the class. Learners who have done their 12 years of schooling from a regional medium of instruction with very little exposure to English find it almost impossible to cope with the linguistic challenges they come across in an English medium college. Moreover, they are required to master the two skills apart from listening and speaking skills even in the job market which is the main goal behind teaching them the language at school and college levels. As a result, this difficult position leads to anxiety in the learners as they find themselves inadequately equipped and discourages them from using the skills that they possess which further reduces the chances of any improvement that the learner can achieve. Since anxiety, as Horwitz et al. (1986) state, can have a strong influence of foreign language learning, it is essential that the teacher implements suitable teaching strategies in order to eradicate the hindrance and help the learners learn and use the target language proficiently. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop teaching and learning strategies that can help the regional medium background learners work on their reading and writing skills in the target language.

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Maria Justina, M.Phil., Ph.D. Candidate
Department of English
Osmania University
Hyderabad - 500007
Telangana
India
mariajustina76@yahoo.co.in
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