Abstract

WhatsApp is a powerful tool for L2 learning because of its capacity to promote interaction between teacher and student, as well as among students. Its use has also been shown to support ubiquitous learning. In an attempt to extend language learning beyond the classroom, this study reports on the use of instant messaging through WhatsApp by a group of EFL learners (n = 23) who were regularly sent optional language-learning tasks by their teacher during an intensive summer course. By the end of a five-week-period, 764 messages had been produced, which are explored through a qualitative analysis in the present study, with particular attention to changes of participation as a result of time. Most of the messages in the WhatsApp group were produced by the students in the context of the teacher-initiated tasks and through them students had the chance to practice the language as well as engage in real communication, even though student participation tended to decrease over time. The WhatsApp group was also used for informal communication among the students and with the teacher (a total of 289 off-task messages) which, in contrast to on-task messages, grew over time. The nature of the interactions also tended to be more spontaneous and symmetrical, at times with more of a presence of textese. Negotiation of form and content was scarce, but both on-task and off-task messages turned out to be equally productive in engaging students to use English beyond the walls of the classroom.

摘要

WhatsApp 是 L2 学习的强大工具，因为它能够促进师生之间以及学生之间的互动。它的使用也被证明可以支持无处不在的学习。为了将语言学习扩展到课堂之外，本研究报告了一组 EFL 学习者 (n = 23) 通过 WhatsApp 使用即时消息的情况，他们在暑期强化课程中定期收到老师发送的可选语言学习任务. 在为期五周的时间结束时，已经产生了 764 条消息，本研究通过定性分析对其进行了探索，特别关注参与随时间的变化。WhatsApp 群组中的大部分消息都是学生在教师发起的任务中产生的，通过这些消息，学生有机会练习语言并进行真正的交流，尽管学生的参与度会随着时间的推移而减少. WhatsApp 群组还用于学生之间以及与老师之间的非正式交流（总共 289 条任务外消息），与任务消息相比，这些消息随着时间的推移而增加。互动的性质也往往更加自发和对称，有时会出现更多的文本。形式和内容的协商很少，但事实证明，任务内和任务外的信息在吸引学生在课堂之外使用英语方面同样有效。