Abstract:

The European Commission Funded Project Language Learning and Social Media: 6 key dialogs was organized around a series of working papers covering different topics related to language learning and social media such as social inclusion, multilingualism, development of language resources, among others.

This poster presentation will focus on the activities concerning working package 8, which dealt with language learning and teaching in formal and non formal contexts through ICT. The first activity conducted in this working package was a transversal study on language learning practices, some supported by ICT. The aim of the project was to gain a better understanding of the strategies developed, the tools and resources these learners use and the kind of social synergies that support language learning amongst young people with fewer opportunities.

We also conducted two competitions, one for language learners and the other for language teachers. The competition "Social media in informal language learning and use: Video project - Interviewing adult learners" was launched from January to August 2012. This competition aimed at exploring how learners in the Web 2.0 era use social media for language learning in daily life outside formal learning contexts. After uploading the interviews on LS6 vimeo channel, we awarded the individual who shared the best practice. The language teachers’ competition was launched between February and July 2011. The aim of this competition was to identify, valorize and award language teaching initiatives with social networking technologies that take place in classroom settings. Ten best practices were identified and published as a brochure, and the best practice was awarded.

Websites:
http://www.elearningeuropa.info/languagelearning
http://twitter.com/languages_web2
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/language-learning-and-social- media/25/67/550
http://www.mendeley.com/groups/542561/language-learning-social- media/papers/
http://vimeo.com/ls6network

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.