Social media and L2 acquisition: a systematic review of digital affordance and learning outcomes

Abstract

Social media surrounds us nowadays, and everyone is exploiting it in a variety of ways. This review examines carefully the studies that have been conducted on the way that using social media can actually facilitate learning a second language (L2). We are referring to sites like Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, and even those particular applications intended for language exchange. The fascinating part is that such platforms provide new opportunities for learning a language. Opportunities such as opportunities to interact with real individuals, collaborate on projects, listen to the way native speakers sound, and receive feedback that is specifically for you. This review synthesizes twenty years of empirical research into social media impacts on second language (L2) development. Distinguishing between qualitative and quantitative research, it distills vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and writing ability learning across platforms. The review critically examines methods used to assess social media's contribution, touching on how it increases vocabulary learning, grammaticality, and communication. Important determiners of comprehension, speech, and writing are addressed, such as tempo, grammaticality, and style. The paper lays out the role of social media in L2 acquisition—whether it facilitates classical methods or instills challenges—presenting a vivid description of its impact. Social media enhances L2 acquisition, but there are few longitudinal studies and representative participant groups. Future research should fill these gaps to maximize the use of social media in language learning.