Memes to Foster L2 Speaking and Writing

Abstract

Memes are the new social media language and they increasingly exercise their potency of effecting intense discourses among younger audience. In this dimension, they are seen as interesting resources of communication that can promote L2 learning. English Language Acquisition (ELA) has always been a challenge for vernacular-medium Indian students. The study took 177 student participants (with vernacular-medium background) pursuing UG programmes that had English as the medium of instruction. The research objective was to bring out the significance of employing memes to bridge the gap the learners find on their way to manage all their courses in English language. This empirical, questionnaire-based-survey addressed the research objectives: Explication of the notion of employing memes as informal materials; Demonstration of the use of memes for the development of L2 competencies; and Analysis of Learners’ perceptions/attitudes towards the use of memes in Second Language Acquisition (SLA). It revealed the areas that had seen significant improvement in speaking, writing, grammar, and vocabulary.