Applying the Facebook Social

Network in Supporting English

Speaking Skills for First-Year
Students at Vinh University
GROUP 4
1. Nguyễn Thị Hương Giang
2. Nguyễn Thị Lệ Hằng
3. Nguyễn Thi Hồng Hà
4. Nguyễn Lương Hải
5. Nguyễn Ánh Phương

SUPERVISOR: PHUNG NGUYEN QUYNH NGA

Overview
01. Introduction
02. Literature review
03. Methodology
04. Findings and discussion
05. Conclusion and implications

2
01
INTRODUCTION
 - In today's modern world, technology is
playing an important role in changing not only
the way we live but also the way we learn.

- Speaking—"the process of constructing and sharing

meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal symbols in
a variety of contexts" (Chaney, 1998)—is the most important.
- On Facebook, students can join community groups and discuss
with native English speakers or people with similar language
learning goals.

- In addition, Facebook's flexibility helps students carry out learning

activities anytime, anywhere, without being bound by time or space.
Using Facebook to support English -
speaking skills is not really effective
at Vinh University.

=> This study aims at investigating the methods provided for first-
year students to optimize the Facebook application to improve their
English speaking skills.
 Aim of study
o Exploring the potential of use Facebook as a supplementary
tool to support the development of English - speaking skills
among first-year students at Vinh University
o Investigating the impact of Facebook on students' English -
speaking proficiency and identify strategies to optimize the
effectiveness of this social network for language learning.
 Research Questions

To what extent will the use of Facebook affect the development of

1 English speaking skills of first-year students at Vinh University?

2 How can first-year students at Vinh University optimize the

effectiveness of Facebook on their English speaking learning process?
02
Literature
review
 2.1 Definition of Facebook Social Network

o Facebook Social Network is a large online social network founded

by Mark Zuckerberg in 2004. It allows users to create personal
profiles, share content, find friends, and interact with each other
through messages, comments, and likes.

o Facebook provides the opportunity to connect the world and build

social relationships online through features like news feeds, groups,
business pages, events, and more.
2.2 Prior studies related to
Facebook Social Network in
Supporting English Speaking

2.2.1 In the world

 1. Impact of using Facebook on improving English communication skills-The case of implementing the
English language course as a model at Al-Quds Open University(Dweikat, K. (2016). )
• Experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in vocabulary acquisition, exam question
familiarity, and active engagement with language materials.
• Facebook facilitated meaningful interactions, strengthening language skills and fostering camaraderie
among peers.
2. The Investigation of Behavior and Attitude on Facebook Usage in English for Communication Course
and the Students’ Needs for Speaking Tasks. In English Language and Literature International
Conference (ELLiC) Proceedings (Kamsa-ard, T. (2018, July).
Research
• Participants perceived closed Facebook groups as beneficial for speaking tasks.
related • Study primarily focused on students' satisfaction and behavior, lacking a comprehensive evaluation of
language proficiency and fluency.

3. Using Social Network Sites for Language Learning and Video Conferencing Technology to Improve
English Speaking Skills: A Case Study of Thai Undergraduate Students. LEARN Journal: Language
Education and Acquisition Research Network (Nilayon, N., & Brahmakasikara, L. (2018).
• Significant improvements in speaking competencies observed.
• Challenges included technical issues and time constraints that could potentially hinder online language
learning practices.
 Limitations
- Studies are from different years, and technology evolves rapidly,
affecting the relevance and effectiveness of using Facebook for
language learning.

- The research has mainly focused on language learners but has not
researched first-year students.
 2.2.2
In Viet Nam
 1. ‘Using Facebook in blended learning in Vietnamese undergraduate
students’( Huong, D.T.T. et al. (2019))

Facebook's improved students’ English skills and motivation when they

used it as a learning tool, showing its benefits for communication,
collaboration.
Related
research

2. Vietnamese undergraduates’ attitudes towards the use of Facebook for

English language teaching and learning’ (Thao, P.T.K (2021))

Positive attitudes of Vietnamese undergraduate students towards using

Facebook in English language teaching and learning.
 3. Moving beyond four walls and forming a learning community for
speaking practice under the auspices of Facebook’(Duong, Q.P. and
Pham, T.N. (2021) )

Related
research A study on 10 participants showed Facebook as a useful tool for EFL speaking practice,
but had limitations such as limited generalizability and lack of exploration on negative
effects and challenges. It suggests using Facebook for speaking practice among first-
year undergraduates in Vinh University as a practical way to integrate the social media
platform into speaking practice in Vietnam .
 Limitations

- These studies mainly focus on the advantages of Facebook in ELT instead of

exploring the possible negative effects or challenges of that.

- Limited generalizability due to a focus on English-major participants.

- Limited the amount of time participants spent using Facebook to be able to

accurately measure the effectiveness of using this application to support speaking
skills.
03
METHODOLOGY
3.1. Research Participants
51 first-year students of Vinh After filtering the data by removing
University were invited to duplicate and illogical statements,
participate in an online survey. there were 10 usable responses for
analysis.

For the interviews, four students were randomly

selected from those who completed the survey.
 3.2 Research Design
- The research design for this study applied a mixed-methods approach, combining both
quantitative and qualitative methodologies.
- A sequential application of these two methods is employed.

QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE

Follow up with Interpretation

of entire
Questionnaires Interviews analysis
 3.3 Research Instruments
Note Description

Questionnaires 51 - 4 categories ( 15 statements)

participants 1. Background Information
2. Students' attitudes toward using Facebook to
support speaking skills (3 items)
3. The effectiveness that students perceive when
using Facebook to support speaking skills (3
items)
4. Student satisfaction when using Facebook to
support speaking skills (3 items)

Interviews 4 students - Interview via zoom

- 10-15 minutes/person
 3.4. Data Collection Procedures

Created a pilot survey ● Sent it to 51 first-year ● Conducted interviews

using Google Forms students using a Google with four different
Forms survey through
students.Conversations
=> Distributed the Zalo and Messenger
survey to first-year with 15 questions asking are recorded through
students. about the participant's Zoom meetings.
English-speaking skills. ● Each interview lasted
approximately 15
minutes.
 3.5. Data Analysis
The data analysis for this mixed-methods research, using questionnaires
and interviews.
Quantitative Analysis (Questionnaires):
• Use of figures and tables to analyze the
data collected from the questionnaires
• Meticulous calculation of various
factors to provide a detailed
understanding
• Representation of data through
percentages
Qualitative Analysis (Interviews):
• Mention of qualitative data collection
through semi-structured interviews
• Random selection of four students
from survey respondents
• Use of Zoom application for
interviews, recording interviews in
MP4 video format
 04
Findings &
Conclusion
Research Question 1 :To what extent will the use of Facebook affect the
development of English - speaking skills of first-year students at Vinh
University?
2%
2%

33%

63%

15 – 30 minutes 30 – 45 minutes 45 – 60 minutes Over 60 minutes

Figure 1: Time spent using Facebook to support students' speaking practice every day
INTERVIEW RESULTS RESEARCH QUESTIONS 1

All participants in interview use Facebook as a valuable platform

for enhancing their speaking abilities in English.

The positive attitudes expressed by these individuals emphasize

the convenience, informal nature, and rich audio-visual content on
Facebook, which collectively contribute to a more enjoyable and
effective language learning experience.
 Discussion
The findings of the study reveal that a substantial majority of first-year
students at Vinh University actively employ Facebook to enhance their
English - speaking skills, indicating a positive attitude toward integrating
social media into language learning.

The perceived effectiveness of Facebook, particularly in

improving vocabulary and fluency, suggests that its interactive
nature plays a significant role in fostering language development.
Research question 2: How can first-year students at Vinh University
optimize the effectiveness of Facebook on their English - speaking
learning process?

Table 1: Purpose of using these Facebook

Factor Number of responses
Responses Percent
Vocabulary 33 64,7%
Pronunciation 26 51%
Grammar 17 33,3%
Fluency 27 52,9%
Other 3 5,9%
 Table 2: Student satisfaction with the elements of the application
Factors Very Dissatisfaction Neutral Satisfied Very satisfied
dissatisfied

Interface 3.92% 3.92% 29.4% 47.07% 15.69%

Lesson content 1.9% 3.92% 21.59% 54.9% 17.69%

Learning path 1.9% 11.85% 39.2% 37.25% 9.8%

Frequent 3.92% 9.8% 39.21% 37.27% 9.8%

reminders

Cost 3.92% 9.8% 23.52% 43.16% 19.6%

 Table 3: Difficulties of students when using Facebook in English-
speaking practice

Form Responses
Number of responses Percent
Cost 6 13.7%
The appearance of advertisements
29 64.7%

Poor network connection 5 11.8%

Social media app errors 3 9.8%

Figure 2 : How students' scores speaking changed when using Facebook in
English-speaking practice
 INTERVIEW RESULTS RESEARCH
QUESTIONS
The interviewers 2 aspects including their own improvement, evaluating
mentioned three
their future applications and plans

Interviewee 1 Interviewee 2
“I felt more confident in my
“About the score, it
pronunciation and that
also increases over
application also helped me
time".
cultivate grammar”

Interviewee 3
They have improvement after learning
from Facebook, reflected in increased
confidence in communication, improved
listening comprehension, and expanded
vocabulary
Interviewee 4
They watched videos, practiced
speaking, recorded speaking exercises,
posted them in groups for feedback, or
shared them on their pages to track
progress.
 Discussion
Positive Feedback and Improvements:
• Students' application of Facebook receives positive feedback for enhancing English
speaking skills.
• Notably, students reported significant improvements in their speaking skills.

Satisfaction with Features:

• Students express overall satisfaction with the features of the Facebook application.

Inherent Challenges in Language Learning:

• The research highlights the inherent challenge for language learners in choosing
applications that meet specific needs (e.g., vocabulary, pronunciation, fluency, or
grammar).
 Discussion
Benefits of Facebook for Language Learning:

• Participants emphasize the positive impact of Facebook on speech skills.

• Features such as social networking are cited for sending sentences and essays.
• Free communication with English speakers is highlighted as a valuable aspect.

Interactive Nature of Facebook:

• The platform's interactive nature is stressed, including correction by friends for
grammar and pronunciation.

Perceived Efficacy in Language Learning:

• The interactive features contribute to the perceived efficacy of Facebook in
supporting language learning.
05
CONCLUSION &
IMPLICATIONS
 Conclusion
● The development of technology has innovated the learning methods of most
students at Vinh University.
● The current study is an attempt made to help first-year students at Vinh
University understand more about the effects of using Facebook on learning
speaking skills.
● This finding also shows how long students have been using Facebook and how
much time they spend learning to speak through Facebook . However, most
students did not use these platforms consistently
● With a high satisfaction index about the Facebook features, students admit that
their speaking skills have improved quite clearly on many factors
● To achieve the goal, self-study ability is mandatory for students because when
using Facebook, users often see advertisements and many unrelated content
that distract students
 Implications
For teachers
● Use Facebook to foster a learning
community of collaborative and
speaking-practicing students.
● Integrate relevant Facebook content in
lessons can give students more
exposure to real-world language use.
For students
● Utilize Facebook for informal and low-
pressure speaking practice.
● Join in authentic conversations and
cultural exchanges, fostering a global
perspective through Facebook
THANK YOU !