Testing the Effectiveness of Integrating Tiktok in English Speaking Classes

Testing the Effectiveness of Integrating Tiktok in English Speaking Classes

 Rasyiqah Batrisya Md Zolkapli^1*, Sri Fitriaty Mohd Kenali² , Amir Lukman Abd Rahman³, Nurul Farhanah Abdul Hadi⁴, Hairul Azhar Mohamad⁵, Muhamad Izzat Rahim⁶, Nurul Aishah Khairuddin⁷

^1,2,4,6Centre of Foundation Studies, University Technology MARA, Cadangan Selangor, Kampus Dengkil, Selangor, Malaysia

^3,5Akademi Pengajian Bahasa, University Technology MARA, Kampus Shah Alam, Malaysia

⁷Centre for Foundation Studies in Science, University Malaya, Malaysia

*Corresponding Author

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.907000373

Received: 30 June 2025; Accepted: 09 July 2025; Published: 18 August 2025

ABSTRACT

Recent studies have shown that TikTok has emerged as a preferred platform for language learning among students, owing to its highly engaging and interactive features. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of integrating TikTok in English speaking classes among university students. To gauge its efficiency, TikTok was used as a platform for conducting an assessment in English speaking classes. A sample of 1200 students from a public university in Malaysia was involved in this study, comprising 600 students from Cohort I and 600 students from Cohort II. The latter cohort had TikTok integrated into their speaking assessment, while the former cohort did not utilise TikTok. A paired-sample t-test was conducted to compare students’ English language performance from these two cohorts. The results revealed a significant difference in students’ performance between the two cohorts, indicating that students’ English language performance improved significantly in Cohort II compared to Cohort I. It was observed that students who had TikTok integrated into their speaking assessment achieved higher scores than students who did not utilise TikTok. Hence, the detailed method employed in this study can serve as a viable option for language educators seeking to enhance their students’ English language proficiency. The method can be utilised as an alternative approach to enhance students’ academic achievements, complementing the findings that emphasise TikTok’s potential as an effective educational tool.

Keywords: English language learning, speaking skills, speaking assessment, social media, TikTok

INTRODUCTION

Background of Study

Social media refers to online platforms and digital technologies that facilitate the creation, sharing, and exchange of user-generated content and information (Delello et al., 2015). These platforms enable individuals to interact, communicate, and engage with others in virtual communities (Bingham & Conner, 2010). As the technology industry has grown rapidly in recent years, the number of young adults using these social platforms has rapidly increased. TikTok, being one of these community platforms, provides an inventive outlet for users to express their viewpoints, showcase their skills and talents, and connect with people. Most TikTok users are students who have created popular culture and trends whilst developing a unique community through short videos challenges and trends (Wulandari et al., 2022).

Akin to the rapid change of trends on social media, the number of TikTok content creators, mainly known as TikTokers, who provide entertainment in a range of genres and topics such as cooking, beauty and cosmetics, sports, and dance has also increased in Malaysia (Seto, 2021). In 2022, Malaysia had an estimated 14 million TikTok users, indicating the platform’s vast reach when supported by strategic content and targeted audiences (Statista, 2023). Statista (2023) further reported that the number of users is projected to grow to 21 million by 2027.

Apart from that, TikTok is observed to play a fundamental role in influencing young adults’ preferences, way of thinking, knowledge, and consumer behaviour. It can also enhance their creativity, confidence, social skills, and motivation (Hao et al., 2022). TikTok is generally favoured among Malaysian youth for educational use, as students use the platform to create and upload short videos which emphasise their understanding of subject matters that range from mathematics and science to literature and history. Educators have also integrated and used the platform as an instrument in lesson plans to help engage with students while simultaneously offering them a more enjoyable learning experience. Although some critics insist that using TikTok interferes with traditional learning approaches, its rise in popularity indicates its prospects of becoming a beneficial educational resource (Liu, 2023).

Statement of Problem

English language learning has undergone a significant transformation with the advancement of technology and the extensive use of social media platforms. The use of social media, specifically TikTok, in language learning was reported to have positive impacts on students’ motivation, engagement, and language skills. For example, Bsharat and Hamarsha (2023) claimed that using TikTok as a tool in the classroom has boosted students’ level of motivation through higher engagement in class activities. Yang (2020) also highlighted that due to the simplicity and accessibility of TikTok, students are more likely to find interest in improving their language skills through social media platforms. Apart from that, students can watch short videos produced by English teachers on interesting learning materials via TikTok to enhance their vocabulary and grammar, which will eventually improve their English reading and writing skills (Md Yunus et al., 2019). According to Khlaif and Salha (2021), optimising TikTok for the creation and dissemination of innovative learning content can facilitate nano-learning principles, making it easier to create high-quality e-learning content.

Nonetheless, several challenges in utilising TikTok should be taken seriously as this could hinder students’ learning experience. Since TikTok is a social media platform that is widely used among students, but which contains other content that is not for learning purposes, this may lead to the inability to concentrate due to distractions from other videos (Lin et al., 2022). This would lead to delayed study time and a lack of attention when learning. In addition, learning through TikTok has limited contextualisation, as these bite-sized videos can affect the students’ understanding of the full meaning and cultural nuances behind the language used. Consequently, this may lead to more misunderstandings and misinterpretations (Duan, 2023) and compromise the students’ language accuracy. Students may encounter informal language, slang, abbreviations, and unconventional grammar structures, which may hinder their understanding and acquisition of proper linguistic patterns. Studies have reported that students employed informal contractions such as “gimme”, “gonna”, and “ain’t” in their academic writing, which should only be acceptable in informal writing and speeches (Babanoğlu, 2017; Rahmat & Zainal, 2020).

Furthermore, Hu and Du (2022) disclosed that TikTok has no profound effect on language learning, as the students are less motivated to learn other English skills, even though their extrinsic motivation to speak English increased. This was further supported by Herwanto (2022) and Lin et al. (2022), who noted that over-reliance on visual and aural input may neglect essential skills, such as reading comprehension and written expression. As a result, students’ proficiency in these language components (i.e., reading and writing components) may be negatively affected. Despite claims that TikTok is solely suitable for enhancing students’ speaking skills, there is limited evidence to support this assertion. This signifies the importance of investigating the effectiveness of integrating TikTok into English speaking classes to determine its impact on facilitating language acquisition.

Notably, the novelty of the present study lies in its focus on using TikTok as an assessment platform, rather than merely a learning or teaching platform. By shifting the focus to assessment, this study aims to explore how the use of TikTok may influence students’ performance, particularly in an English-speaking task.

Objective of the Study and Research Questions

The present research seeks to address the following research questions:

• RQ1: How do the students perform in their English language assessment?
• RQ2: How does the use of TikTok affect students’ performance in the English language?

LITERATURE REVIEW

The Use of Social Media in Learning

With the ever-changing landscape of social media platforms, educators are now using them to engage with their students and other online community members who share the same interests. Greenhow and Lewin (2016) highlighted that the introduction of social media in education has integrated formal and informal learning through various attributes such as communicating, collaborating, and publishing. They further claimed that integrating social media into teaching and learning can produce a positive cognitive, social, and emotional impact on the students. Another study by Raut and Patil (2016) also claimed that integrating such platforms can improve students’ abilities, such as improving their interaction, encouraging information and resource sharing, honing their critical thinking skills, and enhancing their digital literacies. This has led to increased interest among educators in using social media in learning, as it can enhance formal learning by creating a more entertaining environment that is enjoyable for both students and teachers. As posited by Lampropoulos et al. (2021), with proper infrastructure, relevant strategies, good security measures, and positive teacher responses, social media can be used as an effective educational tool that improves the overall quality of education.

Despite the many contributing factors on how social media improves the quality of the education system, there are certain drawbacks to using social media in learning. Hence, it is important to consider the potential negative effects before integrating it into learning. According to Anderson (2019), social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and TikTok provide users with a pool of information and thoughts from other users. However, as argued by Shargh and Topal (2023), the downside to this is that it could lead to opinion addiction. This could result in a skewed perception of information, ultimately impeding critical thinking and hindering thorough discussions among students. The ‘value’ provided by such opinions is also often biased, inconsistent, and irrelevant, making it an unreliable source of information to be included in any academic writing or discussion (Shargh & Topal, 2023). Failure to differentiate between information that is acceptable and not can result in poor academic writing, compromising the quality and credibility of the work.

Other than that, due to students’ diverse backgrounds, there is a lack of unanimous acceptance on the integration of social media platforms into learning environments. This discrepancy stems from individual preferences and varying perceptions held by students towards these platforms (Dumford & Miller, 2018; Raut & Patil, 2016). Several studies have observed that due to differences in digital literacy levels among students, some may intellectually utilise social media platforms responsibly while others may misuse them (Shargh & Topal, 2023; Anderson, 2019; Taylor et al., 2012). For example, some students inadvertently plagiarise information from websites without being aware of the existence of plagiarism detection software. The lack of familiarity with such tools can lead to unintentional plagiarism, where students unknowingly include content without proper citation. Additionally, social media platforms, including Twitter, have witnessed the emergence of various artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, Bing AI and Chatsonic. With their capabilities to generate content and provide instant responses, these platforms can inadvertently contribute to an environment that encourages academic dishonesty (Lampropoulos et al., 2021). The ease and accessibility of such features may undermine students’ motivation to engage in thorough research, critical thinking, and original writing, which poses a challenge to the integrity of academic endeavours.

Raut and Patil (2016) supported the claims above as they felt that social media has greatly increased students’ laziness by making them addicted and distracted from learning. For instance, students tend to be on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for long hours compared to their time on educational websites. Dumford and Miller (2018) also agreed that students may find it challenging to balance their attention between studying and engaging with social media since the distractions caused by social media can hinder their focus and concentration, leading to decreased productivity and retention of information. Hence, they suggested minimising the use of social media during study sessions to optimise the learning processes and lessen its negative effects. However, a more recent study by Perez et al. (2023) challenged this view by highlighting that, theoretically, there are abundant opportunities available for both teachers and students if social media is used as a teaching and learning tool. Hence, there is a need to investigate the extent to which social media can be used as a tool for learning in hopes that it will provide more valuable insights into the benefits of integrating social media into learning.

Exploring TikTok as a Tool in Teaching and Language Learning

The rise of technology has created major social network changes with the unexpected rise of TikTok, especially among the younger generation. TikTok became one of the most popular platforms among young audiences worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 (Vázquez-Herrero et al., 2021). The unexpected rise of TikTok led most organisations and institutions to be on the platform and utilise the short video format to appeal to users’ emotional dimension. This is done by incorporating music, dance, humour, challenges, trends, and many more in their videos. In the educational field, specifically, TikTok has become a platform where most language educators utilise the platform to upload their educational content. An example of this is that of an English teacher from SMK Long Ghafar 2, Kota Bharu, Kelantan named Ahmad Shahrul Azhan Ibrahim, popularly known on TikTok as @sir_asai, who uploaded videos of his students pronouncing English words wrongly and correctly. The aim is to educate his audience on the correct pronunciation of certain English words by utilising entertaining sound effects, wordings to help the viewers to participate, and hilarious interaction with the students (Alias, 2023).

The convenience of the TikTok format also provides better audience engagement and caters to the younger audience. This target audience, the majority of whom have access to mobile devices, finds the vertical screen view of TikTok videos suitable and appealing (Zhang et al., 2022). The format aligns with their preferences and habits, enabling them to consume the content easily and actively participate in the platform’s interactive features. Duan (2023) further explained that the short videos of language lessons make learning more convenient as they reduce the formality associated with traditional classroom settings. By presenting language lessons in a less serious and rigid manner, TikTok videos encourage a more relaxed and informal learning environment. This approach may help alleviate perceived pressure and promote a more enjoyable and engaging learning experience for students. Consequently, this has led many educational institutions to begin online programmes or trends using TikTok due to its convenience and engaging approach.

The teaching and learning of the English language have also undergone significant restructuring due to the rapid development of technology, particularly with the emergence of social media platforms such as TikTok. TikTok is commonly used as a language learning tool, specifically in improving students’ listening, reading, and speaking skills. Xiuwen and Razali (2021) explained that the TikTok format, where users can produce short videos, brings more educational value towards the field of English as a foreign language (EFL) as it can further improve students’ oral English communication competence and boost their confidence through the support they receive online. Additionally, it is also reported that in English as a second language (ESL), the intervention of TikTok has significantly improved students’ listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. For example, in a study by Anumanthan and Hashim (2022), forty-five (45) Year 5 students were selected to investigate the impact of incorporating TikTok videos in a lesson on regular verbs taught by school teachers. To measure the effectiveness of the intervention, the participants underwent a pre-test and a post-test before and after the treatment. It was found that the students improved their writing skills by being able to construct a sentence using regular verbs. They also enjoyed the lessons when TikTok was involved, which resulted in a keen interest in creating educational content using the platform in the future. These findings further reflect the significance of TikTok in language learning. Therefore, it is essential for educators to consider incorporating TikTok into their teaching repertoire, as its features can help create more engaging and relevant language learning experiences for students.

TikTok as an Assessment Platform in Language Learning

Beyond its general use in teaching and language learning, TikTok has also shown specific potential as an  assessment platform in language learning. Studies have reported that with the integration of TikTok, students are more cautious about the content they upload due to two major considerations, which are the ability to produce better quality TikTok content and awareness of the public’s perspectives towards their content. This is supported by a study from Rahmawati et al. (2023), who looked at students’ improvement in their English-speaking skills when using TikTok as a specific treatment.  It was concluded that when the task or the assessment requires the use of social media, students are more cautious to avoid academic punishment and digital punishment from the public. Several other studies, such as those from De Lyn et al. (2021) and Kazemian et al. (2021), both highlighted that heightened visibility can also prompt heightened self-consciousness, compelling students to strive for excellence in their spoken language proficiency. This suggests that TikTok holds potential as an effective assessment platform, as the public nature of the content may encourage students to be more motivated and attentive to delivering their best during assessments.

This is further supported by Hongsa et al. (2023), who found that using TikTok as a platform for students to upload speech video clips as part of their assessment led to notable improvements in both their speaking skills and self-confidence. The platform encouraged students to articulate their thoughts more independently, as it places them in the role of content creators, which gives them ownership over how they express their ideas. The time limitations imposed by TikTok also required students to put in extra effort in their speech to produce content that was both concise and impactful. Similarly, Herlisya and Wiratno (2022) also reported that the short video format of TikTok encourages students to produce content that is engaging and informative. Unlike traditional classroom tasks, where instructions and structures are often rigid, creating a TikTok video allows students greater creative freedom while still requiring them to make deliberate decisions about what to say, how to say it, and how to visually present their message within a limited timeframe.

Another example is by Suprihatin and Kurniawan (2023) who explored the use of TikTok as an alternative formative assessment platform to enhance language skills. Their study shows that TikTok can support more active and flexible ways of assessing students in language learning. TikTok’s user-friendly interface supports seamless content sharing and feedback exchange between students and teachers. Furthermore, it promotes self-assessment, peer assessment, and collaborative learning, thereby fostering a more inclusive and participatory learning environment. The process of creating and refining content on the platform offers students multiple opportunities for self-evaluation, which encourages ‘internal’ feedback and greater self-awareness. As Rahmawati et al. (2023) observed, this iterative process often motivates students to revise and improve their videos until they are confident that their work meets audience expectations.

However, these studies (Hongsa et al., 2023; Suprihatin & Kurniawan, 2023) have also met certain challenges, particularly among students who lacked confidence in their speaking proficiency and were therefore reluctant to share their videos publicly. It was reported that the public nature of the platform was seen to create unnecessary pressure, as some students feared negative judgment or criticism from a wider audience, which in turn affected their willingness to participate fully. In response to this and considering the growing evidence that the younger generation now shows significant improvement in learning through TikTok, Adnan et al., (2021) emphasized the need for a more structured and strategic implementation of the platform by educational institutions and policymakers. Therefore, the present study aims to gauge the effectiveness of using TikTok as an assessment platform in students’ language learning with the hope that the findings will offer valuable insights into the platform’s potential impact on enhancing students’ English language performance.

METHOD

This research employed a quantitative methodology in which the video assessment scores were systematically recorded and analysed. TikTok was integrated into the assessment of the targeted group of students to assess its potential efficacy in enhancing students’ speaking skills.

Participants

The participants of this study were 1200 students from a public university in Malaysia. The participants were divided into two cohorts: Cohort 1, which comprised 600 students from Semester 2021/2022, and Cohort 2, which comprised 600 students from Semester 2022/2023. All participants were enrolled in the foundation program and had taken a prerequisite English course (i.e., English Course 1) to prepare them for the assessment. To ensure that a representative sample was obtained from Cohorts 1 and 2, 24 classes from each cohort were randomly selected to be included in the study. The differences between these two cohorts are listed in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Differences between Cohort 1 and Cohort 2

Research Instrument

Social Responsibility Assessment

The research instrument selected was the Social Responsibility Assessment in English Course 2. English Course 2 is a course taken by the students during the final semester of their one-year foundation programme. This course focuses on enhancing students’ language proficiency in various situations by utilising diverse materials to support their expression of opinions.

Note that, although the current paper focuses on speaking assessment, the course integrates reading, speaking, and writing skills to promote balanced language development. This integration ensures that while students are trained to express their thoughts verbally, they also develop competence in reading comprehension and written communication.

One of the assessments included in the syllabus is Social Responsibility, which aims to foster students’ participation in social service projects. Before preparing for their assessment, students taking this course have undergone lessons in various subtopics aimed at enhancing their speaking skills. These subtopics encompass:

Table 2: Description of Subtopics

Hence, to test the effectiveness of integrating TikTok into English language learning, this social media platform was integrated within this assessment and implemented as part of a new academic programme called “Social Responsibility with TikTok”.

Social Responsibility with TikTok

Social Responsibility with TikTok is an academic programme that serves as a collaboration between the university and TikTok. This academic programme was included in English Course 2 as part of the Social Responsibility assessment to test the effectiveness of integrating TikTok into English language learning. The details are shown in Table 3 below.

Table 3: The Description of the “Social Responsibility with TikTok”

Data Collection Procedure

a. Cohort 1

Students from Cohort 1 were briefed on the format of the Social Responsibility assessment as part of their syllabus in English Course 2. The students were informed of the requirements of the social responsibility activity that they will conduct and the format of the video submission. Students were given a total of eight weeks to conduct and record the activity. Their video was then evaluated by their class lecturer based on (i) Content, (ii) Organisation, and (iii) Language. The scores were recorded on a spreadsheet. The mode of study for this cohort was Open and Distance Learning (ODL), hence the students had no specific format on how to conduct the Social Responsibility Assessment.

b. Cohort 2

Students from Cohort 2 were also briefed with a comprehensive overview of the “Social Responsibility with TikTok” academic programme. Students were informed of the requirements and guidelines for producing a TikTok video as a part of their assessment in English Course 2. A total of eight weeks was allocated for them to prepare and create their TikTok videos. Similar to the previous cohort, this time frame allowed the students to plan, gather resources, prepare their script, record, and edit their videos according to the given guidelines. The TikTok videos created by the students were then evaluated by both external evaluators and internal evaluators (i.e., class lecturers). External evaluators were invited to participate in the study to ensure the reliability of the scores awarded to each student’s TikTok video. The evaluation was based on (i) Content, (ii) Organisation, and (iii) Language. The average scores that students received were recorded on a spreadsheet. The speaking components that were evaluated in the TikTok videos are as shown in Table 4 below:

Table 4: The Description of the Speaking Component Evaluated in “Social Responsibility with TikTok”

This project evaluates students’ speaking skills in the context of their use of conversation strategies in social interactions, their ability to present ideas orally in academic and non-academic settings and their ability to use suitable language functions. Nevertheless, this project’s limitation is its focus more on students’ social interaction and social responsibility aspects. Hence, the evaluation of the speaking components is not comprehensive. Therefore, future research could explore this area further.

To address ethical concerns regarding student privacy and exposure on social media platforms, this academic programme incorporates specific safeguards to ensure responsible participation. Students are required to follow the university’s dress code, rules, and policies when producing content, and all videos must be reviewed and approved by the class lecturer before posting. Students may only reveal their student ID numbers, not their names or other personal information to protect their identities.

Data Analysis

The scores from each cohort were transferred into SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) to be analysed. The scores were calculated separately and presented in the form of a table. Next, a paired-sample t-test was performed to assess and compare the mean scores of these two cohorts. It was necessary to compare the p-value to the significance level α = 0.05 to determine whether the difference between these two cohorts was statistically significant. A significance level of 0.05 implies a 5% risk of concluding that a difference exists when there is no actual difference. The analysis was also presented in tables to get a clear view of the effectiveness of the proposed assessment.

RESULTS

Findings for Students’ English Language Performance

This section presents data to answer Research Question 1: “How do the students perform in their English language assessment?” The data was analysed using descriptive statistics to identify the students’ English language performance in the English language assessment (i.e., Social Responsibility Assessment and Social Responsibility with TikTok) with and without the integration of TikTok.

The Mean Score for Cohort 1

Table 5 shows that the mean score achieved by students from Cohort 1 was 6.37, with 5.00 as the minimum score achieved and 8.50 as the maximum score achieved.

Table 5: The Mean Score of Cohort 1’s English Language Performance

The Mean Score for Cohort 2

Based on Table 6, it was found that the mean score achieved by students from Cohort 2 was 7.79, with 5.75 as the minimum score achieved and 9.50 as the maximum score achieved. It can be concluded from the above findings that students from Cohort 2 scored better than students from Cohort 1.

Table 6: The Mean Score of Cohort 2’s English Language Performance

The Differences between the Mean Scores of Cohorts 1 and Cohort 2

This section presents data to answer Research Question 2: “How does the use of TikTok affect students’ performance in the English language?” To determine if there is a significant difference in the mean scores between Cohort 1 and Cohort 2, the data was analysed using SPSS for paired sample t-test. The results are presented separately in the tables below.

A paired sample t-test was performed to compare the mean scores between Cohort 1 and Cohort 2. Based on Table 7, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores between Cohort 1 (M = 6.3667, SD = .842) and Cohort 2 (M: 7.7863, SD = .88806); t(599) = -33.347, p = .001.

Table 7: Paired Samples Statistics

Table 8 shows that the p-value is .001, which is less than the significance level (p < 0.05); hence, the decision was to reject the null hypothesis. This indicated that there was a significant difference between the English language performance of students who used TikTok as a supplementary tool in their language project compared to those who did not use the platform.

Table 8: Paired Sample Tests

Table 9 below shows the effect size of the paired sample t-test using Cohen’s d. The value shows that the average mean score of Cohort 1 was 1.04275 standard deviations greater than the average mean score of Cohort 1. This indicates that the proposed assessment had a large effect size on the population.

Table 9: Effect Sample Size Using Cohen’s d

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

Based on the analysis, it was observed that students who had TikTok integrated into their assessment achieved higher scores than students who did not utilise TikTok. The differences in English language performance between these two groups were found to be substantial, highlighting a significant advantage associated with integrating TikTok into the assessment. The findings suggest that incorporating TikTok can positively impact students’ English language performance. The interactive and visually engaging nature of TikTok videos’ format may have contributed to this increased student performance, as suggested by Xiuwen and Razali (2021) and Ratnawati et al. (2023). Furthermore, TikTok’s widespread popularity among students may have fostered a sense of familiarity and comfort to actively explore and practice the English language, which enhances their overall learning experience. As cited by Vázquez-Herrero et al. (2021), TikTok has gained immense popularity among the younger generations, making the platform more suitable to be incorporated into students’ learning. Other than that, the language assessment’s ‘less serious and ‘less rigid’ approach may allow students to exhibit increased confidence, engagement and motivation when preparing for them. As posed by Duan (2023), the informal approach contributes to improved language fluency, communication skills, and overall language proficiency.

With regards to speaking skills, students who integrated TikTok into their language performance demonstrated improved performance compared to those who did not. This enhancement may stem from the motivation derived from the awareness that their video is accessible to a broader audience. This aligns with the findings of Rahmawati et al. (2023), De Lyn et al. (2021) and Kazemian et al. (2021), emphasizing that the visibility to a wider audience serves as a motivational factor. Rahmawati et al. (2023) also highlighted that exposure to a larger audience encourages students to strive for their best in their spoken language abilities. However, this heightened visibility can also evoke a sense of self-consciousness, especially if students perceive shortcomings in areas such as vocabulary, fluency or pronunciation. Consequently, in instances where students managed to identify areas that they need to improve in their speaking skills, TikTok provides them with the opportunity to rerecord and continue refining their performance. This is consistent with Suprihatin and Kurniawan’s (2023) findings, which also highlighted TikTok’s role in supporting self-assessment and encouraging students to improve through repeated practice. Similarly, the opportunity for self-evaluation, increased motivation from public visibility, and the ability to revise and improve their content may have collectively contributed to the enhanced speaking performance observed in the present study.

The findings in this study provide strong evidence of TikTok’s potential as an effective assessment platform in English language learning, offering innovative ways to enhance students’ learning outcomes and engagement. However, as suggested by Adnan et al., (2021), further research is warranted to explore the specific mechanisms through which TikTok could influence language acquisition among students. This is because, in the present study, the proposed assessment only focuses on speaking skills without addressing other language skills such as writing, reading and listening. The rubrics should also be more specific in that they encompass relevant speaking components: pronunciation, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.  Future research can also focus on understanding the impact of TikTok on long-term language proficiency and investigating the sustainability of the positive effects on students. In addition, exploring the potential challenges and limitations associated with TikTok would also contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of its implications in language learning. In conclusion, TikTok holds promise as an innovative and engaging tool in English language learning. Thus, by exploring its pedagogical implications and conducting further research, educators can maximise the potential of TikTok to create effective and dynamic language learning experiences for students.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researchers want to thank the students and lecturers for volunteering to participate in this study.

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