Using Instagram for language learning

Abstract

As a corpus of multimodal microblogs, Instagram is a useful language learning tool. The app abounds with authentic L2 content and allows for language learning outside of the classroom. This report proposes systematic methods for learners to cultivate multilingualism on Instagram. The multimodal literacy techniques I outline cater to Instagram posts as a specific genre, and I use example posts in a variety of languages to illustrate different learning processes, relying on multiliteracies pedagogy as a theoretical lens. My discussion also makes use of Instagram’s hashtag and geotag search functions as well as its automatic translation feature to demonstrate ways of finding L2 content and critically assessing machine translation output. This report is intended both for L2 learners who want to advance language goals using social media and for specialists in postsecondary language teaching, research, and program direction who are interested in Instagram’s offerings as a mobile-assisted language learning (MALL) resource. Language educators can use the ideas I present as groundwork for introducing students to MALL and multimodal literacy simultaneously. From there, educators can either create in-class activities with pedagogical scaffolding or encourage students to work independently with Instagram outside the classroom.