SOCIAL MEDIA'S INFLUENCE ON ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING: EXPLORING FEMALE TEACHERS' CREED AND COGNITION

Abstract

This study investigates the creed and cognition of female English as Second Language (ESL) teachers' perceptions of impact of social media on students’ English vocabulary acquisition and literacy skill development in the context of the undergraduate education in Sialkot, Pakistan. A qualitative exploratory design was employed. Data were collected through structured interviews with nine female ESL teachers. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software, applying Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework, and interpreted over Technology-Mediated Learning (TML) lens. Teachers reported that social media platforms, especially Facebook, WhatsApp, and TED Talks, enhanced students’ vocabulary and engagement with reading and writing. Still, concerns included overuse of informal language & lack of content curation. Female teachers served as digital gatekeepers, balancing technology integration with the cultural sensitivity. The study emphasizes need for structured digital literacy training for English as second language teachers and informed integration of social media into language curricula to maximize the educational benefits. This research fills a gap by offering localized, gender-sensitive insights from female educators in a conservative setting, highlighting their unique mediating role in technology-enhanced ESL education.