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Learning a language with social networks: challenges and strategies for the 21st century.  Self-directed language learning has changed as a result of the use of digital technology, and there are now countless online tools and spaces with great learning potential. In 2001, a framework for assessing communicative competence in foreign languages was created: the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which places particular emphasis on “using a language for independent communication” (Mc Dermott., 2013). Information technologies, particularly social networks, have recently had an impact on the daily lives of everyone in general and the academic community in particular (Slim & Hafedh, 2019). It is due to their numerous formats, which allow people to interact in a variety of ways, including blogs, social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, microblogs such as Twitter, wikis such as Wikipedia, video podcasts, and photo-sharing applications such as Snapchat. Apps such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp have significantly increased social engagement and information sharing in communities of learners and teachers. Learning a language with social media can be easy. Students are motivated by the use of educational technology because it promotes independent learning, engagement and cooperation, and can easily adapt to multiple learning styles. Language acquisition is essentially social and interactive, hence this strategy enhances learning. Social networks bring dynamic satisfaction to language learning. And when something does not seem like a laborious task, we tend to try a little harder while appearing to try a little less. You can interact with others, both native speakers and other students who are learning the same language as you. Plus, consider the fact that you can complete this task entirely from home! Electronic devices and social networks provide learners with the opportunity to engage in collaborative learning and give them the option to share resources with their peers (Gikas & Grant, 2013). The use of social networks and mobile devices has advantages and disadvantages, with the advantages being primarily found in the ease of access to course materials, videos, and the transfer of lesson plans, among other things. In general, students believe that social networks and mobile devices are the most accessible and affordable means of learning about current topics. Studies in Western countries have revealed that the use of online social networks for collaborative learning significantly affects students’ academic success and satisfaction (Zhu, 2012). According to the study by Dhanya (2016) and Namaziandost and Nasri (2019), students can improve their language skills through the variety of opportunities provided by social networks. In addition, social networks allow learners to engage in relevant and continuous dialogue on these social networking sites, which the researchers found improves language production and reduces anxiety. Because of their multimodal, multilingual, and multipurpose nature, today’s online resources and sites present learners with an almost overwhelming variety of options (Gomez-Parra, M. E., & Huertas-abril, 2020). In order to use the online resources that best suit their needs in this situation, whether in terms of level or ability, autonomous language learners must acquire a number of new skills. Digital competence, knowing how to learn, motivation, responsibility and tenacity are some of the skills that are undoubtedly important. However, turning these online materials into practical and beneficial language learning environments is a challenging task, especially when learners are completely independent (as in the case of language learning through free access websites or OER). To solve this, the autonomous learner must be digitally literate and must develop strategies for using social networks to increase their autonomy. Learning a language with social networks: tips and strategies​ The following tips and strategies that a self-directed learner can adopt when learning a language with social networks: Facebook YouTube Twitter Change the language in your phone settings Facebook It is an excellent environment to connect and interact with language learners if you are dedicated to getting to know them. In addition, there are multilingual general language learner groups available. You can find several groups to choose from in almost any language if you use the Facebook search box to search for language study groups. The purpose is to socialize in learning. As an English expression goes, which we translate into English: “It doesn’t matter where you hang your hat as long as you meet your new acquaintances.” Youtube For language learners, YouTube is a real treasure trove of social media. Use hashtags associated with the language you want to study to make the most of what’s on offer. These channels can be useful, for example, if you’re learning German. Looking for recommendations on where to get French videos? You’re also covered here. Not to worry! Twitter Reading tweets on Twitter in another language can be entertaining and useful for learning. There is no need to overthink things, and the appeal of casually exchanging information is present. The language learning app and program Duolingo also has a Twitter account. They share amusing tidbits about numerous languages. Change the language in your phone settings Most of us operate our phones quite intuitively and can quickly choose from several alternatives (Khan, 2022). Change the language of your device to the one you want to study. It’s simple: select [your target language] in Settings > General > Language & Region > Device Language. Even if it can be a bit more complicated, you can still use your phone in a different language if you have a fundamental understanding of how it works. Finally, to learn a language with social networks, don’t be shy. Participate in discussions by joining these channels. It’s not always simple, but keep in mind that you will probably never meet these people in person, and even if you do, they are probably too busy worrying about others’ impressions of them to worry about whether you make a mistake! Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or ask questions. You are all learning together, and the person who is correcting your mistake once made a mistake that is identical to the one you are correcting now. Remember that and enjoy

Anxiety during language learning has been extensively researched and numerous elements have been identified as possible causes. It has been established that anxiety in a foreign language classroom, whether physical or virtual, is distinct from other types of anxiety and that it negatively affects both proficiency and the rate of language acquisition. Language anxiety” when learning a foreign language can stem from a variety of factors; some of these include the learner, the teacher, the instructional approach or the methodology. Low self-esteem, false assumptions about language learning, unfavorable encounters with the foreign language or culture, or the overall language learning experience can be sources of anxiety (Russell, 2020). Language anxiety is “a distinct complex of self-perceptions, beliefs, feelings, and behaviors related to language learning that arises from the uniqueness of the language learning process” (Horwitz, Horwitz, & Cope; 1986). Remember that learning a language in a naturalistic setting, such as by immersion while traveling or residing abroad, is not related to the type of anxiety associated with language learning in a traditional or online classroom. A student who self-studies a foreign language online, on the other hand, may have an advantage in that they do not have to struggle with communication apprehension as is evident in physical classrooms. However, they suffer from test anxiety “the tendency to view with alarm the consequences of inadequate performance in an evaluative situation” (Sarason, 1984, p. 214). Some students are not good candidates for online language learning, especially those who lack the drive and/or self-discipline necessary to take ownership of their own learning. In addition, online learners must allocate sufficient time to complete the course on time, ask for help when needed, and be willing to learn despite being emotionally and physically isolated from their peers (Russell & Murphy-Judy, 2020; White, 2010). Some students with high levels of language anxiety may decide to enroll in an online course because they want the comfort of anonymity and the assurance that they will not have to participate as much in speaking exercises or contact with other students (Pichette, 2009). As a result, learners may experience anxiety related to both the language and the use of educational technologies used to communicate in the target language. However, online language learners are generally required to interact with other learners and their instructor, if applicable, in the target language using audio and video tools. More precisely, to enhance their learning and reduce their language anxiety, learners must find a way to engage in synchronous conversations with a native speaker.   Strategies for Overcoming Foreign Language Anxiety Fear of negative evaluation, test anxiety, and communication apprehension are the most common influencing factors among self-directed learners with respect to foreign language learning. Language learners who have low self-esteem, negative internal dialogue, or a general lack of confidence in their language skills may be more prone to anxiety (Almekhlafy, 2020). The use of techniques including mindfulness exercises, cognitive behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques have been shown to help language learners overcome their anxieties and progress more quickly. The following strategies can be employed to overcome language anxiety or fear when learning a foreign language: Focus on the real goal: communication: Speaking perfectly is not the goal of learning a foreign language. Apart from the ridiculous amount of pressure it puts on you, expecting you to speak without making mistakes isn’t very reasonable either. Therefore, it is vital to concentrate solely on communicating, but you need to know enough words to do this, so develop your vocabulary. To do this, use dictionaries with pronunciation and audio that you can imitate and make sure you are familiar with the most typical nouns and verbs in your target language. It will be beneficial to commit to acquiring a specific number of common nouns and verbs, for example, seven per week or one per day, and then it is advisable to speak with native speakers as often as possible to practice your new vocabulary. Shift your emphasis from speaking accurately to communicating and you will feel the tension melt away, and most likely make fewer mistakes! Set achievable goals: If your perfectionism makes you aim for the unattainable, you won’t make much progress in your language learning. Making sure your language learning goals are reasonable and achievable will help you avoid feeling worse when you can’t meet them. Language perfectionism and language anxiety feed each other. Here are some examples of typical unattainable language learning goals and their realistic equivalents: Unrealistic: Even though I’m just starting out, I’ll speak perfectly if I practice and study hard. Realistic: I cannot hope to avoid using mutilated terminology. To become fluent, I must go through many phases of fluency. What I can do is track how many mistakes I make while striving to make fewer.  Transform unproductive ideas: You may be familiar with the term “cognitive distortion,” which refers to incorrect, irrational, negative thought processes that lead us to believe we are less than. For example, you might go to a party and say, “The people there won’t like me,” even though you have no idea how they will react to you. Also, how could complete strangers have an opinion about you? Now is the time to identify the cognitive distortions that impede your achievement in learning a language. We may catch ourselves in the act if we can identify what they are. Some of the most common cognitive distortions related to language learning are: Should: “By now, I should be fluent”. Personalization: “Because of my foreign accent, the cashier was very mean to me.” Filtered: “I just spoke with perfect grammar and excellent fluency, but the one word I mispronounced is all that matters.” Generalization: “I’d better give up since a native speaker couldn’t understand me when I tried to speak Italian years ago.” Control fallacies: my life is so busy with work and family that I will never get the chance to learn French, so I can’t help it if it’s bad.  Language anxiety is unpleasant, but

Do you know the term Open Educational Resources, also known by its acronym OER? It refers to learning, teaching and research materials in any format or medium that are in the public domain or that are protected by copyright and published under an open license, allowing free access, reuse, repurposing, adaptation and redistribution by others. Its literal translation in English would be Open Educational Resources (UNESCO, 2022). According to the article published on the Learning Foreign Languages Online (LFLO) blog, Open Educational Resources (OER) grants users rights that are normally only granted to authors and publishers due to an open license, including the freedom to modify the original work and the ability to distribute derivatives for free. The OER movement began as a global grassroots phenomenon in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, when educators aspired to develop intellectual content that would be accessible to Internet audiences (Blyth, 2017). As an alternative to traditional textbooks and expensive web-based learning resources, Open Educational Resources in language learning have recently attracted the attention of language educators, curriculum developers, and academics. OER provide access to controlled language practice, self-learning, engagement and learning satisfaction, among other advantages for language learners. In addition, these resources can support cutting-edge teaching strategies that address constructivist and interactionist theories of second language acquisition (Scott & Cherrez, 2022). Open Educational Resources are a unique tool to foster learning and information sharing, which are necessary to establish inclusive knowledge societies and meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The OERs, or Open Educational Resources, revolution The Open Educational Resources (OERs) movement/revolution, open or open education, is based on a set of ideas shared by a remarkably wide range of scholars, including the belief that knowledge should be free and open for use and reuse, that collaboration should be easier rather than harder, that individuals should be recognized for their contributions to education and research, and that concepts and ideas are linked in unexpected and surprising ways rather than in the straightforward linear ways presented in most textbooks. Open education promises to radically change the way writers, teachers, and students communicate around the world (Baraniuk, 2007, p. 229). This open education revolution has led to the emergence of “open content,” a term used to refer to any published digital content that can be freely used. Open content, in terms of pedagogy, comes with open access and open source. Open access refers to material that is made publicly available on the Internet without specific permission to edit it. Open source content, on the other hand, allows users to reuse and repurpose content to create original creations. To cope with the rising costs, OER advocates focused on creating and disseminating free resources for the first ten years of the movement. However, the movement has begun to focus on empirical research to determine the effect of OER on student learning, including foreign language (LE) learning, in its second decade. In addition, open educators are beginning to investigate various methods for integrating OER into mainstream education. In summary, the open education movement has four main objectives: (a) to democratize education and thus expand the “knowledge ecosystem”, (b) to reduce the high prices of pedagogical materials, (c) to accelerate the production of materials, and (d) allow students and teachers to modify materials to make them more appropriate to the particular circumstances of their communities (Blyth, 2012). Here we present some suggestions and reputable OER repositories (ROER) for foreign language learners who are new to OER and find it difficult to recognize credible resources among the plethora of OER: How to become an informal language learner: learners should be exposed to the target language as much as possible while learning a foreign language. When learning occurs in non-immersive environments where the target language is not used, it is extremely important to remember this. In addition, learning a language involves much more than learning its grammar and vocabulary; as a result, pragmatic and sociocultural elements should be included in the language learning curriculum and learners should choose to learn through resources that facilitate their language learning. How to navigate and locate OER? The Internet is undoubtedly awash with resources for LE learners. For starters, learners can choose CC Search CC Search Portal (creativecommons.org) where learners can find open content in different formats: images, music, text, and videos. In addition to OER Commons (OER Commons) there is another OER public digital library. Accredited ROERs can also be joined: some well-known ROERs for foreign language learners are the following (Perifanou, M. and Economides, 2021): COERLL: The Center for Open Educational Resources and Language Learning creates and disseminates language OER in the following languages: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Czech, English, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, K’iche’, Malayalam, Nahuatl, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, Sanskrit, Spanish, Tamil, Turkish, Urdu and Yoruba. It sponsors initiatives for language OER and teacher professional development, plans events for open language education, publishes textbooks, and does much more. Supports the Language OER Network (LOERN), a network of ambassadors, creators, reviewers and teachers of open educational resources. MERLOT: multimedia educational resource for online learning and teaching offering peer-reviewed online teaching and learning materials. Over 3000 world language resources are listed, including animations, quizzes, exercises and practices, e-portfolios, online courses, journal articles, presentations, simulations and tutorials. The following languages have OER available: Less Taught Languages, Multilingual Resources. Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Arabic, Chinese, ESL or EFL, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Russian, Spanish and more. Support Language OER Network (LOERN), a network of ambassadors, creators, reviewers and teachers of open educational resources. OpenLearn: the UK’s supported Open University offers more than 1,000 free courses in eight different subject areas. Courses also include interactive activities, quizzes, audios and movies. The learner can access and download a free participation statement after successful completion of a free course to use with a digital badge (if the course offers one). Most courses have reviews and a Creative Commons (CC) license. There are 67 language e-books and 79 language courses (44 introductory,

Because of its interest and relation to language learning we share in our blog this article by Kelsea Mucherino, Erasmus coordinator of Eurospeak, one of the partners participating in Learning Foreign Languages Online (LFLO), originally published on the project’s website. Learning languages online: how to learn a language without access to a native speaker How can we learn to communicate without interacting? By Kelsea Mucherino  In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a widespread loss of jobs across Europe, leading thousands of people to seek employment. This has led to a massive increase in the number of people who have decided to undertake the daunting task of improving their foreign language skills by learning languages online. This is backed up by evidence from Google, between the start of the pandemic and now: “Language learning with YouTube” has increased by 750%. “Language learning solutions” by 450%. “Better language learning tools” by 300%. “Learning languages with Netflix” by 250%. By now, many people have realized that having a foreign language up your sleeve can be a competitive advantage when applying for jobs, and it also opens up the possibility of working remotely (or even face-to-face, eventually) around the world. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people have tried to do so while there were restrictions and they were glued to the screens of their electronic devices. Unfortunately, learning languages online, knowing how to communicate in a foreign language without human interaction, is very difficult. Even with all the time and motivation in the world, it is not an easy task to learn a foreign language without being immersed in the language or having access to native speakers to practice the skills. Even if you memorize a lot of vocabulary words and grammar rules, it will not be enough to be able to communicate in a foreign language. Language learning is interactive in nature, but what do we do when the “interaction” piece is missing? Fortunately, it is quite possible to hone communication skills even without being in the presence of someone with whom you can practice. Even if you are currently taking foreign language classes, you may find it especially difficult to put into practice what you have learned outside of class. Below is an activity you can do on your own to develop communication skills in a foreign language using the resources available to you. Before you start practicing languages online, it is important to keep in mind that successful communication requires a different part of your brain than the one that stores knowledge of grammar and vocabulary and therefore requires you to use different “study” techniques while learning. We strongly recommend supplementing communicative learning with concrete and explicit grammar exercises to help you gain accuracy in speaking, but the following method is designed to help you access the part of your brain that deals with contextual learning rather than the part where memorization (vocabulary and grammar rules) are stored. With this method, we encourage you to focus more on phrases and multi-word units rather than individual words to get an overall “feel” for the language. This will help you develop something known as native-like selection, or the ability to choose the most “natural” sounding way to say a sentence. Research has confirmed that watching TV and movies in the target language at least compensates to some extent for the lack of “authentic input”. Thus you can provide a context for learning the social functions of a language. Applying the following learning methodology is therefore a fun and effective way to gain exposure to the target language while increasing your repertoire of vocabulary and phrases that you can understand and use while interacting in the future. Methodology for learning languages online Start by identifying an interesting movie or series that comes directly from the target language community. It is imperative that the movie or series you choose is an authentic source, i.e. made by native speakers of the target language, so that you have a native source of input for learning. Make sure that subtitles are available in both your language and the target language. Note: We suggest doing this exercise using a series with episodes between 20 and 30 minutes long, but if you are brave and want a challenge, you can try a full-length movie or longer TV episodes. Now, the next step depends on your language level. If you are a beginner, start by watching an episode or a movie with subtitles in your native language first. You should be able to understand what is going on in the story before you try to concentrate on learning the language. Get a general idea of the plot and try to pay attention to what words and phrases are used in what situations. If you are an upper-intermediate or advanced learner, you can skip this step if you feel comfortable enough and go directly to the next step. Once you have an understanding of the story of what you are trying to watch, you can begin to focus on the language. Switch the subtitles to the target language and watch the same episode or movie again. This time, you will have prior knowledge of the plot, which will allow you to focus your attention on the target language itself.You should be able to recognize words and phrases in the target language that you remember from your last viewing. As a very basic example, if you watched a movie about a cat, but didn’t know the word “cat” you should be able to easily recognize the word now when “cat” is referred to in the episode.Note: Don’t worry if you still don’t understand much of what is being said, as this is common: simply being exposed to the language and knowing what is happening in the story is part of the learning journey. Re-watch the episode with subtitles in your native language and in the target language as many times as necessary; this will be different

How to learn languages online: connecting languages and cultures on one platform Learning languages is the desire of many people around the world. However, for various reasons, it is something that most of them do not do. Therefore, as a solution, the Learning Foreign Languages Online (LFLO) platform provides everyone with free resources and tools to facilitate the purpose of learning languages. To spread the word about the platform, we organized an event at Idiomas Carlos V Seville with Spanish students of different nationalities enrolled in the School, Spanish students of German enrolled in the International Mobility Program ‘Vamos Europa’, and Italian Erasmus+ students who were visiting our city. The event took place on April 20 at Carlos V’s facilities and was attended by students of different nationalities who are learning German, Spanish and English. The students were able to practice the languages they are learning, have fun, test their skills and interact and get to know each other with other language students of the school. The event was also attended by some of the teachers of Carlos V Languages, who were very happy to see their students in action, putting into practice what they have learned in class and using a tool to support their studies. The project website includes a free resource bank for students to support their language studies. This resource bank has been developed by five partners from different European countries: Eurospeak Language Schools from the United Kingdom; Instytut Nowych Technologii from Poland; Innovation Hive from Greece; Ustanova za obrazovanje odraslih Maksima from Croatia; and the Carlos V Language School as the Spanish representative. The LFLO project seeks to facilitate the strengthening of skills in the learning of Spanish, English, Italian, German, French, Croatian and Polish languages and to learn languages online. Students can find different resources that will help them improve and deepen their skills whether they are beginners (Level A1) or advanced (Level C1). In addition, learners can also find tips on how to take advantage of these resources which contain exercises on grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, reading, listening, writing and speaking. During the day the three groups of participants underwent different language tests to practice their knowledge and improve communication between them, some of them with difficulty, but always with good humor and the occasional “challenge” between groups. Finally, the event ended with a raffle of Idiomas Carlos V t-shirts, caps and backpacks, which further enlivened the good atmosphere that prevailed throughout the day. This is shown in the picture with which we closed the day, full of smiles after a day in which everyone was able to experience how to learn languages online.