The intersection of social media and language education has introduced new paradigms for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) instruction, particularly in contexts like Iran where access to authentic English interaction is limited. This mixed-methods study investigates the impact of social media platforms on the development of Iranian EFL learners’ language skills. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory (Vygotsky, 1978) and Connectivism (Siemens, 2005), the study examines how tools like Instagram, Telegram, YouTube, and WhatsApp facilitate skill integration, learner autonomy, and communicative competence. A sample of 120 intermediate Iranian EFL learners was divided into control and experimental groups across three institutes in Tehran and Isfahan. Over a 12-week period, the experimental group engaged in curriculum-aligned social media tasks, while the control group followed traditional instruction. Data were collected through standardized language tests, questionnaires, interviews, social media usage logs, and focus groups. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests and ANCOVA; qualitative data underwent thematic analysis using MAXQDA. Findings reveal significant improvements in integrated language skills among the experimental group, alongside heightened learner motivation, autonomy, and digital literacy. This paper offers pedagogical implications for curriculum designers, teacher training, and technology-enhanced language learning in EFL contexts.
Khademi et al. (Thu,) studied this question.