Twitter for enhancing EFL Saudi tertiary students writing skills : an exploratory study

الملخص EN

The emergence of Web 2.0 technology has received considerable attention in different fields.

Web 2.0 technologies are claimed to be a promising platform for enhancing English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching and learning.

Thus, researchers and educators have made many efforts to find potential ways to improve EFL writing skills through utilizing such technologies, including Twitter, a microblogging system that is prized for its widespread use among the new generation of students all over the world.

It is argued that Twitter may enhance EFL writing skills and can provide students with opportunities to practice writing in a pressure free environment.

However, it has not received the deserved attention in EFL contexts.

Therefore, this study investigated 97 EFL tertiary teachers' perceptions of the utility of Twitter in teaching writing.

Data were collected via an online survey-based questionnaire.

The online survey was circulated via email and WhatsApp to many EFL tertiary teachers.

Data obtained through the questionnaire were descriptively analyzed.

The study results revealed a positive perspective among EFL tertiary teachers regarding using Twitter in teaching and specifically in writing.

The results provided more insights into and understanding of the utility of Twitter in enhancing EFL writing.

These efforts are expected to serve as a starting point for implementing such a technology for language teaching in other university EFL courses or any other similar universities.

The study concluded with recommendations for teacher-educators and teachers on how to develop EFL tertiary writing through using Web 2.0 technology.

The study also includes some recommendation for future studies.