Application of social network Instagrams in teaching foreign language

Abstract. The article is devoted to the problems of applying social networks in the learning a foreign language, as well as the impact of using the Instagram platform in solving problems related to language learning. The characteristic functions and features of the Instagram application are analyzed and it is concluded that the use of social networks creates favorable conditions and increases the motivation of students to learn a foreign language. In addition, the author gives a fragment of a study conducted among learners of the ninth grade. The study was conducted by the questionnaire method. A separate block is considering the possibility of applying posts and hashtags in improving and developing all language skills.

Аннотация. Статья посвящена проблемам использования социальных сетей на среднем этапе изучения иностранного языка, а также влияние использования Инстаграм платформы в решении проблем, связанных с обучением языка.  Проанализированы характерные функции и особенности Инстаграм приложения; сделан вывод, что использование социальных сетей создает благоприятные условия и повышает мотивацию учащихся в изучении иностранного языка. Кроме того, автор приводит фрагмент исследования, проведенного среди учеников девятого класса. Изучение проводилось методом анкетирования. Отдельным блоком рассматривается возможность применения постов и хештегов в улучшении и развитии всех языковых навыков.

Keywords: Internet; service; application; Instagram platform; social networks; hashtag.

Ключевые слова: Интернет; сервис; Инстаграм платформа; социальные сети; приложение; хештег.

The current century is characterized by the value of information in the life of any person and there is a constant movement of information in the world. Today, the Internet includes many services that permit maintaining contact between people, and increasingly attracts users of the education sector. The reasons for its renown are the lack of time limits, financial savings, and the possibility to manage information and control it. The term “social network” was introduced by D. Barnes in 1954; initially the field of application of this term was sociology [1, p. 13]. Later, this concept begins to be used in other spheres. Social networks are defined differently, and V. M. Sazanov understands social networks as a means of mass communication and knowledge transfer [2]. But nowadays, modern services not only allow communicating, exchanging text and graphic details, but can also be considered as an educational platform, accessible to a significant number of users to expand their horizons and deepen knowledge in a particular area. In addition, the work of foreign researchers, with a focus on the benefits of using social networks in educational practice, is also devoted to issues of training on social networks. The work of F.Tiryakioglu and F. Erzurum [3] traces the history of the use of social networks, provides statistics on the most popular social networks in the world. In the context of training, the authors examine in detail the social network Facebook. R. Blair and T.M. Serafini [4] also describe the benefits of applying social platforms in education to increase persons' interest. Researchers characterize blogs, social networks Twitter and Instagram, the system "Pinterest" and some other popular sites.

It must be recognized that each student is a unique person, and each person has his own interests. Therefore, since the Instagram service is interesting to numerous people, it can be used to enhance their own attention and motivation of learning a foreign language. In particular, Instagram has a wide range of functions, such as the ability to publish educational materials, including texts, images, video and audio recordings; maintaining contact with the audience through personal messages; receiving feedback from course participants in the form of comments under publications, etc., which can be successfully applied in training. For foreign language teachers, the Instagram platform offers a wide range of activities from testing knowledge of communication with the authors of modern teaching aids to joint online lessons with native speakers. Tutors have the possibility to participate in various competitions, conferences, projects, both independently and together with children. Furthermore, educators themselves can organize projects of several levels, maintain correspondence with colleagues from the countries of the language being studied, publish articles, develop lessons and events, present their experience and share it with colleagues.

What is Instagram?

According to Wikipedia, Instagram is a free application allowing taking photos and videos, apply filters to them, and distribute them through service and a number of other social networks. Instagram development began in San Francisco when Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger decided to reorient their Burbn project to mobile photography. The app appeared on the Apple App Store on October 6, 2010 [5]. Thus, Instagram is one of the most well-known applications in the world.

The methodological potential of the platform is determined by the following factors:

1. Instagram is very famous among schoolchildren and students, and is a natural medium for them to communicate, so learning a language is perceived not as a difficult and unpleasant duty, but as entertainment.

2. The interface provide of downloading content of various formats: images, videos, sound files, as well as discuss them in the comments or private messages. When working with this kind of English-language multi-format content, the skills of all types of speech activity develop: reading, listening, writing while working on the network, and speaking during the subsequent oral discussion of films and audio books in classroom classes.

Accordingly, this innovation can be used in lessons related to countries, cities, sights; students are told various interesting things and phenomena about a country, opening the cultural window to another world.

The advantages of Instagram as an educational platform:

- ability to publish various types of training materials, including images, video and audio recordings, text information;

- convenience of keeping students connected with each other and with the teacher using personal messages and comments under publications;

- possibility to view training videos and complete tasks an unlimited number of times;

The disadvantages of the social network Instagram as a training service:

- in most cases, Instagram is perceived by users as a platform for entertainment and leisure activities, and not as an educational platform;

- restriction on the size of text that can be written under publications (however, this drawback can be compensated for by the function of commenting on posts);

- dependence on the availability of an Internet connection.

Applying the Instagram application in English lessons based on my own experience.

In the first semester of the school year, a study was conducted on the basis of school-gymnasium №22 in grade 9 “A”, the purpose of which was to find out what types of ICT students are interested in and how, they could use the capabilities of modern Internet technologies in their educational activities. A survey was conducted, as a result of which it became known that students of grade 9 “A” are active users of the Internet. The vast majority (84%) often visit the Internet, use different social networks, but have never before thought about the possibilities of using Internet technologies in lessons. So, a special educational page on Instagram was created. All classmates were encouraged to subscribe to the page and monitor page updates. Several projects were also developed, one of them, for example, the creation of a collage on the theme “My favorite holiday”. In addition, a special hashtag system was developed by which can track the materials published by community members.

The advantages of this work:

• performing such tasks does not take much effort and time;
• the teacher has the opportunity to ask additional questions and evaluate the work as accurately as possible;
• probability to work distantly, for example, at home during illness.

In conclusion, the study, part of which is presented in this article, testifies to the efficiency of the applying of social networks in the practice of teaching students a foreign language, since their use contributes to the implementation of a personal-activity approach, the principle of individuality, and an increasing in motivation to learn a foreign language.