Analysing the Potential of Social Networking Sites on EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Mastery: A Situated-learning Approach

To what extent is the appearance of Social Networking Sites (SNSs), from the increased use of technology-supported online interactions, influencing EFL learners’ vocabulary learning process?  Answering this question is the main objective of the present study. Without a doubt, with the advent of computer-mediated learning technologies, today’s students have been provided with more adjustable approaches in foreign language learning. Accordingly, the present study aimed at exploring the educational benefits of using Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as Facebook in the development of Iranian EFL learners’ vocabulary knowledge. Following a pretest-posttest design, the participants of experimental and control groups, who were 100 EFL learners from Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan (Isfahan), Iran, were compared regarding the level of their vocabulary knowledge. The findings pointed to the positive role of SNSs, as an instructional tool, in enhancing students’ level of second language (L2) lexical knowledge by allowing the retention of new words in an interactional environment. Finally, as a post hoc analysis, a questionnaire was administered to the participants of experimental group so as to gauge their opinions towards the effectiveness of using such SNSs in the process of L2 vocabulary learning.