Investigating the Impact of Social Media Applications on Promoting EFL Learners' Oral Communication Skills: A Case Study of Saudi Universities

Abstract

Social media platforms exert a substantial influence on the improvement of learners' spoken communication abilities. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of incorporating social media platforms on enhancing the development of oral communication abilities among English as Foreign Language (EFL) learners enrolled in the English Department at Qassim University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This study aims to examine the correlation between the utilization of social media applications and the enhancement of oral communication abilities among EFL learners, to determine the impact of social media on oral communication skills. The present study employed a descriptive-analytical methodology to explore the effects of utilizing social media applications on enhancing students' proficiency in oral communication abilities. To get adequate data for this study, a survey was conducted among a sample of 40 participants. The purpose of the questionnaire is to gather data regarding the learners' perspectives on their attitudes toward utilizing social media as a means of enhancing their oral communication abilities. The questionnaire comprises a total of ten items. The survey instrument employed in this study utilizes a close-ended question format, wherein participants are instructed to select the most suitable response option by marking it. The Likert Scale questionnaire was utilized to gather statistical data. The results of the study indicated that the utilization of social media platforms among EFL learners majoring in English at universities in Saudi Arabia yielded favorable results, leading to improvements in their spoken communication abilities.