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Running head: EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM

Effects of Social Media on Writing Skills in the Classroom

Following American Psychological Association’s Format

Emily Shaver

Georgia State University

“Our grammar is deteriorating because of social media; or isn’t this really part of the

evolutionary language process?” Language has evolved over time, developing changes in

grammar. There is also differences of grammar in the English language depending on where

a person lives. For instance, there are differences in American English and British English

Grammar. Grammar, is something we like to think of as a universally stable concept, but in fact,

it is not. Over time, grammar has evolved as our world changes and new writing

pedagogy forms. In recent years, social media has been a changing and global factor that has

affected grammar and writing skills.

Social Media can undeniably have a positive or negative effect on writing skills and

grammar, depending on the individual and his or her schema of grammar. If a person has

exemplary prior knowledge of grammar then social media will reinforce grammar skills as

it can be used as a tool to analyze and correct poor grammar. However, if a person has poor

writing skills and grammar schema, then social media can contribute to perpetuate poor grammar

usage. In this paper, I will support a conclusion that will outline my stance that there are both

positive and negative effects on writing skills posed by social media and that these effects vary

circumstantially and on an individual basis. Therefore, I take no stance whether social media

positively or negatively effects writing skills in the classroom, because it can do both.

Furthermore, I do not think whether or not there is a positive or negative effect on writing skills

from social media should have bearing on the decision whether to incorporate social media in

the classroom. Ultimately, our world is changing through social media and I believe it is better to
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utilize this resource rather than ignoring it.

Students of all ages are saliently being driven to social networks. Utilizing this social

network tool to its advantage has been considered and noted by several researchers. Pascopella

and Richardson (2009), discuss how students are doing a great deal of writing on social

networks. According to Richardson and Pascopella (2009), it has almost been forty years since

the teaching of writing in schools has had a major shift. It may be with the invention of

Facebook, YouTube, blogs and wikis that the new writing pedagogy is upon us and is redirecting

our writing of today (Richardson and Pascopella, 2009). The transferring of a new writing

pedagogy is a scary idea for district administrators and many others (Richardson and Pascopella,

2009). Transferring to a new writing pedagogy is unfamiliar and unknown, but research shows

that numerous students are utilizing social media sites to do a great deal of writing (Richardson

and Pascopella, 2009). However, this writing is outside the norms of traditional writing and is

not with-standing teachers’ expectations (Richardson and Pascopella, 2009).

Richardson and Pascopella (2009), discuss many learning space examples where

students are writing and how this positively effects their writing skills. The ePals Global

community is one of many “learning space examples” (Richardson and Pascopella, 2009). EPals

Learning Space, is a virtual workspace where educators can create project based learning in an

environment where students can collaborate with peers (Richardson and, Pascopella 2009).

Teaching students in this kind of environment focuses on the fundamental question schools are

asking; “how do we teach students to thrive in these online social spaces since the nature of

writing is changing?” (Richardson and Pascopella, 2009).

“The changing of writing” is underscored by the National Council of Teachers of

English, which published “new literacies” for the readers and writers of the 21st century
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM

(Richardson and Pascopella, 2009). These “new literacies” share reading and writing information

for global access and build student relationships among peers to work in a collaborative way

(Richardson and Pascopella,2009). From a pedagogical standpoint, I think it is important for

students to collaborate, critique and analyze their writing skills. Social Media can allow for

students to work together which can enrich their writing skills in a fun and interactive way.

When students are able to connect through social media to enhance their writing skills, they

are connected in a way that they feel is relatable to their own world. Facebook is a website that

has particularly gained a significant amount of attention and research yields its potential to

enhance writing skills.

Even though Facebook receives positive and negative criticism, it is unarguable that

“Facebook continues to grow as a powerful resource for information” (Pilgrim and Beldsoe,

2011). Facebook is a potential tool for educators to help students, particularly in regards to

literacy and writing skills.

Pilgrim and Bledsoe (2011), advise educators who are teaching reading and writing skills

to like the RR (Reading Rockets) page. RR is different from other professional organizations in

that it targets parents as well as educators, in order to provide children with resources on how to

read, which ultimately affect their writing skills (Reading Rockets, 2008). Educators

understanding how to work with, instead of against these social media tools, is the key to

enhancing students writing skills.

Facebook is a powerful social media tool that has been researched in regards to

enhancing the development of writing skills for students. Fife (2010), discusses how teachers

incorporate articles in the classroom about Facebook use, including Facebook profiles. Fife
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM

(2010), explains that teachers using Facebook as an example for literacy practices, including

writing skills, reflect Facebook as a pedagogical tool, rather than an addicting network tool. Fife

(2010), explains that social network sites are often viewed as a non-academic literacy practice

and utilizing them to encourage students to reflect critically on their daily routines by analyzing a

variety of texts can inform teachers about their students’ digital literacy and writing skills.

According to Fife (2010), the attraction of Facebook is ambiguous to many people who are over

the age of thirty- five, including college faculty. However, I have noticed a shift of this in the last

couple of years, which makes me think that older age groups are starting to see the various

benefits of using Facebook.

Students continue to report that they spend significant amounts of time on Facebook,

ranging from one to several hours a day (Fife, 2010). Literacy and writing practices that do not

meet the requirement of traditional academic writing, like Facebook, can be seen as threatening by

teachers since students are sneaking to check their Facebook instead of being involved in

classroom discussions (Fife, 2010). This common thought process emphasizes King and

O’Brien’s characterization of the dichotomy of teachers perception between literacy and non

literacy discussions and activities (King and O’Brien, 2002). This dichotomy discusses how teachers

perceive Facebook and other social media as “time off task” and not relatable to what they are

teaching. However, (Fife, 2010) believes teachers are unaware of the students’ enthusiasm and

the relatable factor that Facebook projects. Teachers can learn to understand how these perceived

non literacy activities on the site can be utilized to complement students learning of rhetorical

analysis in order to analyze writing skills.

In my education courses, I have learned that teachers tend to teach the same way because

it is more comfortable than adapting to the environment around them and using a style best for
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
their students. I relate this “comfortable approach” to the use of social media in the classroom.

People in general, have trouble adapting to the unknown even if the potential of change is greater

than something that is clearly not working. It is apparent that students need help with their

writing skills as I have heard this statement by several teachers. If there is an apparent problem

posed by a consensus than it only seems fitting that new teaching styles should be applied. If it is

consensus that most children are on Facebook then it would be a disservice to the students to not

try to incorporate this as a pedagogical tool in the classroom.

In a study discussed by Fife (2010), a student remarked that Facebook profiles can share

detailed life events about a person and for some that is the closest they will experience to an

autobiography. I recently had a discussion with my brother on how I feel Facebook makes us feel

famous and important. When there is an update in our lives we will update our status,

similar to how a famous person releases a public statement. Facebook is such a powerful tool

that people will constantly look for things in life in order make status updates. The constant

updates on Facebook allows people to be more reflective while using writing skills. These

autobiography types of writing- which according to students in the study, are often accurate

reflections of a person’s thought process and can be utilized by others who are curious to

electronically research a person before befriending them (Fife, 2010) Students also report that

this gives them time to decide whether or not they would want a face-to face friendship with the

person (Fifie, 2010). These statements make me think how I am guilty of looking

at a person’s status update and saying to myself, “this person does not understand the usage of

grammar.” I do not understand why some people will type more letters than necessary to misuse

a word such as the use of, “to and too,” or using “you’re” when they clearly should have used the

possessive “your.” I understand when peoples misuse grammar for convenience as I am guilty
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
of doing this, but I do not understand when people write more than they are suppose to,

just to misuse the word.

Some students confess that they friend people to spy on them and view what they are

writing (Fife, 2010) I think this can enhance writing skills in its own way because we may be

more critical of certain people based on previous social encounters and therefore will be more

inclined to critique writing skills. This illustrates that those who already have a good foundation

of grammar can utilize Facebook and other social media sites to perpetuate and practice their

knowledge of grammar skills. However, if social media sites are not used in a classroom, then it

may not give the opportunity to let students who are weaker in grammar analyze writing skills in

a different way.

Blogging has proven to be an effective social media tool for students. Pickworth (2011),

explains the opportunities offered to adolescent boys through blog research conducted under the

International Boys’ Schools Council. Pickworth (2011) explains that it is through blogging, that

these boys convey their points of view on literature to world- wide viewers and this expands their

drive to write in a more confident way. Blogging allows for students to write in a way that is

relatable to the era they have grown up in and in which they are accustomed. Also, blogging

allows the opportunity to keep an electronic diary of the events the student experiences. This is

an excellent way for students to keep track of their writing so that they can assess their

improvement over time.

Social media offers an advantage to people in comparison to writing with pen and

paper. Social Media offers the advantage of being accessed from multiple location which
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improves the possibility of writing being misplaced or lost. Social Media can help improve

writing skills because it allows students to access their writing in a more efficient way and allows

them to better track their writing overtime and in one place.

There is an apparent textual language that has developed with the progression of social

media. This language is clashing inside the classroom because it is not meeting teachers

expectations of traditional writing norms. Kirkland (2008), believes that by taking an approach to

closely examine literacy on social network sites, such as MySpace, teachers will gain entry into a

new textual world that yields misperceptions about students writing skills and focuses on

ideas about literacy and its evolved processes in today’s world. This statement alludes to the fact

that if something is not efficiently working then we have to ask ourselves the essential question

of, “Is it time to adapt to the new writing that social media brings forth, or are we only willing to

compromise and bring in certain components? I think this question will be addressed

considerably in the future.

It is difficult to accurately assess whether grammar and writing skills are affected in a

positive or negative manner when many school systems are banning the usage of these sites

inside the classroom. According to Ahn (2011), research suggest that students learn to view

academics from different angles using social media and teachers should welcome this tool into

their classrooms (Ito et al., 2009; Jenkins, 2006). However, most school districts deny access to

social network sites (Ito et. al, 2009). Therefore, it is difficult to assess whether or not

introducing this tool would be beneficial in the classroom.

Social media is used largely with teenagers but it is not used as a pedagogical tool due to

these sites being prohibited by school systems (Bridges, 2012). Bridges (2012), explains that the
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
first time students usually interact with their teachers using social media sites is in higher

education, when librarians can set up social media regarding literacy instruction. If teachers

cannot incorporate social media in the classrooms where they can supervise students’

interactions on the site, then how can one really say whether social media has had a positive or

negative effect on writing skills in the classroom?

It is understandable that there are certain guidelines school systems have to adhere to and

social sites can pose complications to these guidelines. Teachers cannot control what is posted on

social media sites, which poses the issue of the limitation of research on the effects of social

media on writing skills. If there is a way the school systems can monitor students posts by

blocking inappropriate language or coming up with a mock Facebook within the class, then, I

think it would be beneficial to see more results regarding social media and the effect it has on

writing skills in the classroom.

There are negative effects of social media on writing skills, but in researching this topic,

it was difficult to find many sources that clearly stated and showed the negative effects brought

about by social media on writing skills. According to Rosen (2012), social media sites, such as

Facebook, tend to encourage the rejection of emotions and true feelings. Grammar and writing

skills are not carefully considered when written on social media as opposed to when we write

with pen and paper. On social media sites we tend to be more concerned with our appearance,

rather than focusing on the detail and accuracy of writing skills. This poses a problem in that

students may have difficulty distinguishing between lack of proper grammar usage on a social

network site and what is expected of them academically, regarding their writing skills.

In regards to people being concerned with their appearance on social media sites; we

have to consider what that means for each individual. Some people may be concerned with
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
looking like they are not trying too hard and purposefully use grammar in an incorrect way.

Some people on the other hand, may be concerned about sounding intelligent when writing posts

on social media sites. Therefore, I think Rosen’s research is highly generalized and is a loaded

assumption that all people using social media sites are concerned with their appearance and not

with their writing skills. I know that I will check my status update probably more than I should

before I post it. I want to make sure that I use proper grammar and that it makes sense to the

reader. However, I know that some people will purposefully spend time not using proper

grammar on social media sites. The reader that assesses grammar does not always know the

writer’s intention and may just automatically write that person off as having poor grammar skills.

With the advancement of technology, everything we do seems faster. Modern phone

companies focus on control of communication which is based on speed and efficiency (Rosen,

2012). The usage of cell phones has changed social media from the aspect that we can access

our social media sites anywhere, at any time. Sprint calls itself the “Now Network” promising

that you can talk to friends with no limits and browse the internet without limitations (Rosen,

2012). In an AT&T commercial, two men sit in a coffee shop and send emails back and forth

without communicating verbally with each other. I think this scenario can pose two different

standpoints. One can argue that social media stifles pensive thought which can affect writing

skills and grammar. On the other hand, one can argue that because social media allows us to

conveniently write to one another, that this can increase writing skills.

Larocque (2011), who is an author of a book on writing skills, reflects on words that are

overused and misused from her friends on Facebook. Larocque (2011), discusses how her friends

posts comments on the use of nouns as verbs. Laroque (2011) makes the argument that social

media is negatively effecting grammar skills in the classroom. Students are observing the lack of
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
vocabulary and improper usage of words on Facebook and may confuse their usage of these

words in the classroom. I can also see from pedagogical standpoint how misuse of grammar on a

social media website can affect English language learners (ELL), who do not speak English as

their first language. Learning a new language can be difficult and it can pose a problem for

students if they are being exposed to errors in writing but are not aware of the misuse. Because

most school systems do not allow the use of social media sites in the classroom, a teacher cannot

intervene to acknowledge errors and more than likely the ELL’s parent cannot help them

evaluate these errors either.

In conclusion, the effect of social media on writing skills has grey matter. It is not a

black and white situation on whether or not students writing skills are positively or negatively

affected from social media. The effect of social media on writing skills varies from each

individual. As discussed in the beginning of this paper, if a student has excellent grammar skills,

then a social media site is not going to affect the student’s grammar skills; if anything it will

make them possess stronger writing skills. If a student has poor grammar skills, a social media

site is not going to make their writing skills any worse; it may just assist in perpetuating the poor

grammar skills. An ELL’s grammar skills can be affected negatively by social media but one can

argue that anything can affect an ELL’s grammar abilities as they are going to have less aptitude

in the language. However, if social media is incorporated in the classroom the teacher can assist

in helping ELL and all students recognize grammatical errors through a tool in which they are

constantly exposed.

Most school systems ban the usage of social media sites in the classroom. This makes it

very difficult to assess whether or not social media will benefit students writing skills if it is used

in the classroom. Not only is it hard to assess negative and positive effects of social media on
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM
writing skills because it varies from individual but extensive research has not fully been executed

inside the classroom. I think future research in this area will be imperative as our world is

changing with social media. The decision to separate social media from the classroom or

incorporate it will most likely be continuously addressed in the future. Language and grammar

has evolved overtime to form to the way it is today. Therefore, I believe that in the future there

will be compromises made to grammar and writing skills which will incorporate the use of social

media language.
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EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON WRITING SKILLS IN THE CLASSROOM

References

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development: Current theories and controversies. Journal of the American Society For

Information Science &Technology, 62(8), 1435-1445.

Bridges, L. M. (2012). Librarian as professor of social media literacy. Journal of Library

Innovation, 3(1), 48-65.

Fife, J. (2010). Using Facebook to teach rhetorical analysis. Pedagogy, 10(3), 555-1.

Ito, M., Baumer, S., Bittanti, M., boyd, d., Cody, R., & Herr-Stephenson, B.

(2009). Hanging out, messing around, and geeking out: Kids living and

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King, J. R. & O’Brien,D.G.(2002). “Adolescents’ Multiliteracies and their

teachers’ needs to know: Toward a digital détente.” In Adolescents and Literacies in

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Pascopella, A., & Richardson, W. (2009). The New writing Pedagogy. District Administration,

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