Role of Social Media in Enhancing English Language Proficiency Among Students: Case Study at a Public University in Pahang

Role of Social Media in Enhancing English Language Proficiency Among Students: Case Study at a Public University in Pahang

Arifi Ridzuan¹, Nurhazwani Abd Halim^2*

¹Faculty of Business and Management, Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang

²Academy of Language Studies, Universiti Teknologi MARA Pahang

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.908000134

Received: 26 July 2025; Accepted: 03 August 2025; Published: 01 September 2025

ABSTRACT

This study examines the role of social media in enhancing English language proficiency among bachelor’s degree students from one public university in Pahang, Malaysia. The objective of this study is to examine the role of social media in enhancing English language proficiency among students and to study the relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency. This study investigates the impact of platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook on students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as these platforms are increasingly utilized for educational purposes. Using a correlational research design, data were collected from 196 students through a structured questionnaire. A probability sampling technique was used. The results were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 29. The findings indicate that social media offers unique opportunities for immersive and interactive language learning by providing authentic contexts, user-generated content, and informal communication practices. The study underlines the potential of social media as a complementary tool to traditional language education, advocating for strategic frameworks that harness its benefits while addressing its limitations. These findings offer valuable insights for educators, policymakers, and researchers aiming to optimize social media as a resource for language learning in higher education. This study will help students and the public gain a better understanding of the true role of social media. It emphasizes that social media is not only for entertainment but can also be a valuable tool for learning and education.

Keywords-Social Media, English Proficiency, Education

INTRODUCTION

Degree students in the Faculty of Business and Management at one public university in Pahang, Malaysia, study business-related courses, such as management, marketing, and finance. As part of their studies, students are required to take the English Language Communication (ELC) subject to enhance their English skills, which are essential for their future careers. Students are also required to sit for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), as it is a graduation requirement and it assesses their proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Both the ELC subject and the MUET test support students in improving their English language skills for professional settings. Furthermore, English, as an international language, plays a significant role in our lives today.

In the modern era, social media has become a major part of everyday life. Students use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to connect with friends, share ideas, and learn new things. With the growth of social media, it is important to understand how it might assist students in improving their English proficiency. Social media is a widely used medium, not only for sharing information but also for enhancing knowledge (Ayu, 2020). It provides a platform for students to practise reading, writing, listening, and even speaking in English. They can watch videos, read posts, or interact with people from different countries, gaining insights on how English is used in real-life contexts. This can help them learn new vocabulary, improve their grammar, and become more confident in the language. A study by Khan (2016) revealed that social media platforms provide a foundational and sustainable approach to improving English vocabulary and overall language ability.

According to H. Susanty (2017), not all students are interested in learning English; some of them are not interested because the way teachers teach them is not interesting. The factors that influence students’ difficulty in speaking might come from the students themselves or from the media, learning, teaching methods, and teaching material when they learn English (Mandasari B., 2018). Therefore, students with limited English proficiency may struggle to comprehend lectures delivered, especially if the content involves complex concepts or technical terms. This can lead to gaps in knowledge, reduced ability, and a lack of interest in participating in class discussions. According to Mandasari B. (2016), the reality is that both at the school and college levels, the teachers or lecturers deliver material using the boring lecture method. It makes students not interested in the material provided by the teachers.

In addition, according to Ayu (2020), students often make mistakes in composing their writing, so the idea of the text is not well delivered. According to Kleckner (2021), globally, dissatisfaction with the communication and writing skills of university undergraduates and graduates in both academic and professional settings has been a persistent issue. Besides, according to Tan (2015), employers actively seek candidates who possess not only technical proficiency but also nontechnical skills, such as organizational judgement and adept communication and writing, teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking abilities.

According to Al-Sobhi (2018), five factors that hinder students from speaking include a lack of exposure to language, a lack of motivation, students’ anxiety and lack of confidence, limited knowledge of English, and inefficient teaching methodology. Therefore, a student’s academic performance might drop because of this lack of motivation and engagement, particularly in subjects that require good English understanding. Hence, there is a need to explore how social media can be used to enhance students’ English proficiency. Thus, the research objectives for this study are as follows.

RO1:   To study the role of social media in enhancing English language proficiency among students.

RO2:   To study the relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency.

LITERATURE REVIEW

In the 21st century, technology has advanced rapidly, bringing significant changes to education. E-learning, which involves studying through the internet or using electronic devices, has made learning more interactive, flexible, and accessible. As supported by Palacious Hidalgo (2020), technology has become increasingly prevalent in language education, as evidenced by dedicated subfields such as computer-assisted language learning, mobile-assisted language learning, and technology-enhanced language learning.

Furthermore, in addition to the wealth of technologies investigated, studies have demonstrated positive student perceptions and impacts on language learning, enhancing motivation, engagement, and confidence, as well as producing positive outcomes in both receptive skills in vocabulary, grammar, listening, reading, and productive skills of speaking and writing (Lim, 2021).

In addition, in educational settings, utilizing technology can help students improve their academic performance (Mandasari, 2020). Moreover, the widespread and real-world use of technology encourages active, flexible, efficient, personalized, and motivating learning processes that cater to individual learners’ abilities, preferences, and learning styles (Palacious Hidalgo, 2020).

Fig1: Conceptual Framework on the relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency.

Social Media

Social media is a type of new online media that people use around the world, from children to adults, making it a significant part of everyday life (Dewi, 2022). These platforms serve as tools that bridge the gap between individuals, regardless of distance or background. According to Azmi (2021), social media allows users to create and share content, as well as to connect and collaborate with others easily. Additionally, social media includes web and mobile-based technologies that people use mainly for communication (Hanim, 2021).

Social media has become an essential part of life, including in education (Ariantini et al., 2021). It helps make learning easier, especially for students studying English (Rachma, 2021). This is because students can become more independent in their education. According to Rachma (2021), using social media, students can learn independently and become more creative and self-reliant. This statement has also been supported by Ariantini et al. (2021), who said they can practice their English skills by accessing learning materials, sharing content, and engaging in group discussions using the platform.

Furthermore, the existence of many social media platforms also makes it easier for students to learn directly or indirectly in their daily lives, as told by Abdullah et al. (2022) in his article, which agrees that the usage of social media platforms to learn English indicates the level of students’ ability to utilize technology for academic purposes. Dewi (2022) also said that it allows students to learn anywhere, anytime, with no restrictions, and many learners use these platforms to stay connected with their peers, making it an important tool for supporting education. Hassan et al. (2021) found that social media platforms can help learners of English to achieve collaborative learning, independent learning, flexible learning, as well as competence in using technology for learning purposes. Teachers also play an important role in motivating students to use any formal or informal means to become fluent in English. Abdullah et al. (2022), in their article, agrees that instructors and administrators need to be flexible with their students’ needs regarding social media informal learning. This is because, according to Abdullah et al. (2022), this flexibility requires teachers to have the ability to motivate students to achieve the designed learning objectives.

1) TikTok:  Hanim (2021) explained that TikTok is one of the most popular apps in the world, with hundreds of millions of users, many of whom are children and teenagers, using it to upload, watch, and browse lip-sync videos and memes. TikTok is a social media platform owned by ByteDance, which focuses on sharing short videos, including dance, lip-syncing, comedy, and talent, with durations ranging from as short as 3 seconds to as long as 10 minutes. Similarly, Xiuwen and Abu Bakar (2021) pointed out that TikTok was the most downloaded application in July 2020 and has become one of the most popular social networking platforms, particularly among young people, enabling them to share videos lasting between 60 seconds and three minutes. Adding to this, Al-Maroof (2021) described TikTok as a modern technology that stands out due to its short time limits and fast access to the latest information, making it distinct from platforms offering longer videos.

The use of TikTok as an English learning tool makes learning English fun, easier to understand, and the duration of the videos is short. According to Mei & Aziz, (2022), students claim that the entertaining and engaging videos that can be found on TikTok can draw their attention and make the process of learning English more fun. This will cause students to like and understand short videos about English learning better. Students believe that studying English with TikTok is an easily achievable endeavor because just a limited number of cognitive resources are required to understand the material presented in each individual instructional video (Mei & Aziz, 2022). However, there are also some disadvantages to using TikTok in learning English. This is because Mei & Aziz (2022) stated that in their previous research, using TikTok as a tool for English learning may be distracting owing to the number of entertaining videos and the fact that not all videos on TikTok are linked to English learning. This will cause their attention to be easily distracted from watching other videos besides English language learning videos. This has also been supported by Mei & Aziz (2022), who said that the varied content of the short videos that can be found on TikTok, which includes both content that students enjoy and content that they do not enjoy, can serve as a diversion for students while they are watching English learning videos.

On the other hand, Bernard (2021) also agreed by saying that regarding the TikTok features, students can learn multiple new vocabulary through captions and subtitles provided in the videos, even if they only watch them for a short time. Furthermore, Venalindaa & Armanda (2023) said in their previous research that the result of their research suggests this can be taken into consideration for teachers/instructors to use the TikTok application as an additional tool or media for learning English, if they are aware of and realize how to implement the TikTok application properly in the learning sessions.

2) Instagram: With the development of dynamic technology and the character of students who like sophisticated things, Instagram presents a fun alternative and attracts students’ interest in learning English because it is also supported by pictures that can trigger students to learn and know more about English (Pratiwi, 2020). Additionally, the caption feature on Instagram promotes students’ motivation to write in English (Prasetyawati, 2020). Furthermore, according to Wulandari (2019), Instagram’s feature for uploading short videos and recorded content motivates students to speak in English. Since social media combines pictures, videos, and captions as its main features, Instagram has been argued to promote students’ overall English proficiency (Alshabeb, 2018). Moreover, Instagram’s captions are claimed to be useful prompts for improving students’ reading and writing skills (Al Arif, 2019).

In contrast, videos watched and shared on Instagram are considered beneficial for enhancing students’ listening and speaking skills (Suswati, 2019). In this regard, the consumption and production of videos and captions on Instagram can promote students’ grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling (Prasetyawati, 2020).  As a result, as one of the most visited social media platforms globally, Instagram seemed to appeal to students’ motivation to learn, promoting their language productions (Akayoğlu, 2020). Most importantly, the production of captions, pictures, and videos to be uploaded to the students’ Instagram accounts is argued to have triggered creative thinking, along with critical captioning and commenting (Al Arif, 2019). Consequently, according to Badri (2017), creative and critical thinking are one of Instagram’s most important benefits for students.

3) Facebook: According to Qassrawi et al. (2023), Facebook is regarded as one of the influential social networking sites. Its accessibility and interactive features make it an effective platform for fostering collaborative learning, educational content, and engaging students in innovative ways. As a result, it has been argued that the use of social networking sites, such as Facebook, is likely to lead younger generations of students to readily embrace e-learning in formal education (Christina Giannikas, 2020).

Even though Facebook, which is now widespread among the public, was not created for academic purposes, many academics have adapted to the new environment and use it in their professional lives. For Ramdani & Widodo (2019), Facebook promotes English learning engagement because students feel at ease with this social media. On the other hand, (Qassrawi et al., 2023) mentioned that Facebook is described as a technological tool that creates an efficient educational context and can positively affect students’ learning and academic performance.

However, despite these advantages, some argue that Facebook’s informal nature may limit its effectiveness as an educational tool. For instance, Flanigan and Kim (2021) suggest that the social aspects of Facebook may lead to distractions, reducing students’ focus on academic content. Nonetheless, Ngussa et al. (2021) highlights that Facebook is one of the most popular social networking tools among university-aged youths, and its popularity has suited it for educational purposes.

Students’ English Proficienc

Currently, the use of English as an international language has increased significantly in many occupations around the world. This is because English is a global language that facilitates interaction and communication (Mandasari, 2021). Consequently, English is becoming increasingly important in today’s globalized world, so mastery of the English language is essential (Gustanti, 2021). In this context, Ariastuti (2022) defines English language proficiency as a person’s ability to use the English language. Moreover, English proficiency is an important skill for university students, especially in a globalized world where English is often the medium for education. As highlighted by Pustika (2021), English is a key subject in the educational system. Furthermore, English is widely utilized in many parts of human life, and many people acquire it to keep up with worldwide improvements in areas such as education, technology, tourism, health, and economics (Pustika, 2021).

In addition, English proficiency not only improves academic performance but also increases career opportunities. English is also a requirement to graduate or find a job because English is used in almost every part of life. From daily activities to professional industries, many national companies need applicants to have it as one of their qualifications (Damayanti, 2020). Recent studies have focused on applying social media to improve students’ general learning skills, media literacy, learning performance, and motivation (Ma’azi, 2018). Furthermore, specific to English learning, social media has been argued to support students’ English proficiency by enhancing their multiliteracies, intercultural awareness, and critical thinking, while also promoting more authentic, independent, and self-regulated learning experiences (Listiani, 2021). In addition, various studies have argued the benefits of using social media to improve students’ performance in English skills, as well as their vocabulary, grammar, and spelling (Listiani, 2021).

1) Social Media Enhancing in Students’ Learning:  social media is one of the most popular platforms and is often used by many people to get information to make it easier to communicate online (Al-Arif, 2019). Apart from being an online communication tool, as stated by Ariantini et al. (2021), the use of social media in language learning includes understanding of grammar, practicing students’ pronunciation and spelling, and increasing students’ motivation to learn English. According to (Wang & Li, 2024), social media has become an essential tool in enhancing learning experiences among students by providing easy access to resources and fostering collaboration. Due to the rapid development of technology in the field of global education and the high technological proficiency of Generation Z, the Malaysian Ministry of Education took the initiative to draw up a strategic plan to increase the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in education (Hudin & Hudin, 2020). Introducing social media into our lives has brought advantages and disadvantages in many areas (Panchanathan & Raj, 2022). An educational advantage of social media has also been demonstrated in a study that showed students’ academic performance can increase when they practice cooperative learning using social media (Hussain & Rahim, 2022).

Additionally, social media facilitates its users in learning English, such as practicing online conversations, and practicing the target language without the help of a teacher. The important influence of social media in English learning is not only in improving vocabulary comprehension, but social media also has an important role in the four language skills, namely reading, listening, writing, and speaking (Yadav, 2021). Applications that can commonly be utilized to learn English are such as Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. Besides, students can also use various types of applications available to improve their speaking skills.

Furthermore, as mentioned by (Malik & Asnur, 2019), many students think that using social media can improve their skills in English learning, and social media really supports students in learning a language. For instance, TikTok is a social media network in the form of videos and is very popular among young people (Pratiwi et al., 2021). Novitasari & Addinna (2022) identified that TikTok can help improve listening skills from videos made by native English speakers and TikTok can also improve speaking skills through dialogue in conversation videos provided and can help students acquire new vocabulary.

Next, according to Putri (2022), the use of Instagram greatly affects students’ vocabulary comprehension from the samples obtained, the use of Instagram can add to their vocabulary, which is obtained through captions as well as uploads in the form of photos or videos. In addition, it is also supported by Agustin & Ayu (2021),stating that Instagram affects students’ English learning in terms of vocabulary comprehension, and Instagram also affects listening skills.  Moreover, seeing the interactive feature of Facebook, it is believed that it can provide students with great opportunities to practice their writing. This happens when students post their written pieces, receive comments, write and post their comments, and reply to other Facebook group members. Therefore, this interactive communication enables students to actively engage in the writing process and improve their writing skills (Ayu, 2020).

METHODOLOGY

Research approach

The type of research design used in this study was correlational. This study focuses on the relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency. In this study, the researcher examined the relationship between the variables, which makes a correlational design the most suitable choice. A correlational design is a study design used to explore the relationships between two or more variables within a single group, which can occur at various levels (Devi et al., 2022). Devi et al. (2022) further explained that it is a type of non-experimental design that investigates the relationships between variables. It should be noted that the researcher is not testing a cause-and-effect relationship.

Setting of research and sampling

In this study, the sampling frame consisted of a list of degree students in the Faculty of Business and Management at a public university in Pahang, Malaysia. The estimated population of degree students in the Faculty of Business and Management is approximately 366 students. Krejcie and Morgan’s table (1970) was used to determine the sample size for the study. According to Sundram et al. (2023), Krejcie and Morgan (1970) significantly simplified the process of determining sample size by providing a table that ensures a reliable decision model.  Based on Krejcie and Morgan’s table, a sample size of 196 students is sufficient for a population of 366 students. Therefore, the study will target 196 degree students in the Faculty of Business and Management. The sampling technique used in this study was simple random sampling, a type of probability sampling that can be either unrestricted or restricted in nature (Sundram et al., 2023). In other words, it is a sampling method where each element in the population has a non-zero probability of being selected (Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram et al., 2023).

Research instruments

The instrument used in the study was a questionnaire. The questions were divided into five sections: Section A focused on demographic information, Section B explored respondents’ usage of and perceptions towards TikTok, Section C examined the influence of Instagram on respondents’ views regarding social media’s role in enhancing English proficiency, Section D investigated the use of Facebook in improving English language skills, and Section E gathered insights into respondents’ overall perceptions of how social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook contribute to enhancing English language proficiency. The questionnaire consisted of a total of 25 questions, designed using the concepts of adoption and adaptation. The data collected in this study will be analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results for the dependent variable and all independent variables will be interpreted accordingly.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Demographic profiles

Table 1: Gender

Based on Table 1, the results show the frequency, percentage, valid percentage, and cumulative percentage of the respondents’ genders. The researcher found that 27 respondents were male, representing 13.8% of the sample. This is followed by 169 female respondents, who account for 86.2% of the sample.

Table 2:  In your opinion, what is the best social media platform to use for learning English?

Based on Table 2, the results indicate the student’s best social media platform to use for learning English. The researcher found that 95 respondents chose TikTok, accounting for 48.5% of the respondents. This is followed by 78 respondents who selected YouTube, representing 39.8% of the respondents. Meanwhile, Facebook ranked the lowest, with only 2 respondents choosing it, resulting in 1.0% for the percentage.

Table 3:  What was the main reason you use social media?

Table 3 indicates the main reason for using social media. The result shows that the main reason 78 of the respondents use social media is for entertainment purposes with 39.8% for the percentage. It was followed by 50 respondents who selected informational for the purpose with 25.5% for the percentage. The social interaction purposes were chosen by 46 respondents making up 23.5% of the sample. Lastly, educational purposes ranked the lowest, with 22 respondents contributing 11.2% to the percentage.

Table 4: How many hours a day do you spend browsing and exploring social media?

Based on Table 4.6 below, the results indicate the daily hours spent browsing and exploring social media. The result shows 66 respondents chose 4 to 6 hours browsing and exploring social media with 33.7% for the percentage. More than 6 hours were chosen by 63 respondents with 32.1% for the percentage. For 2 to 4 hours was chosen by 53 respondents, making up 27.0% of the respondents. Lastly, 1 to 2 hours ranked the lowest, with 14 respondents, contributing 7.1% to the percentage.

RO1:   To study the role of social media in enhancing English language proficiency among students.

Table 5:  The level of TikTok’s role in enhancing students’ English proficiency.

Based on Table 5, the majority of students strongly agree that TikTok is effective for learning English because of its replay feature, as indicated by the highest mean score of 4.13. Next, with a mean score of 4.08, most students strongly agree that they would enjoy using TikTok as a tool for learning the English language. Meanwhile, the students agree that they often use English quotes as captions on TikTok, as indicated by the lowest mean score of 3.90. It indicates that students generally perceive TikTok as an effective tool for enhancing their English language skills, with average scores of mostly above 3.90, showing a positive view.

Table 6:  The level of Instagram’s role in enhancing students’ English proficiency.

Table 6 shows the level of Instagram’s role in enhancing students’ English proficiency. Most respondents agreed that the English language content on Instagram is easy to comprehend with the highest mean score of 3.92. Then, the statements “Watching Instagram videos helps me develop my speaking skills” and “I often use English quotes as captions on Instagram” both have a mean score of 3.82, indicating that respondents generally agreed that these aspects of Instagram usage positively contribute to their English language development. Next, the students agree that they enjoy using Instagram to learn the English language, as indicated by the lowest mean score of 3.72. It signifies that students view Instagram as a useful and engaging platform for English language learning.

Table 7:  The level of Facebook’s role in enhancing students’ English proficiency.

Based on Table 7, the mean scores for the questions indicate that students generally perceive Facebook as moderately effective in enhancing their English proficiency. The highest mean score, 3.29, for the question “The English language contents of the Facebook videos are easy to comprehend,” suggests that students tend to agree, indicating they find Facebook videos relatively clear. Similarly, questions such as “Learning English using Facebook is effective because the students can re-watch it anytime” and “Watching Facebook videos helps me develop my speaking skills” both have mean scores of 3.27, reflecting moderate agreement. In contrast, the lower mean score of 3.16 for “I often use English quotes as captions on Facebook” indicates that students are more uncertain or less likely to actively engage in using English captions.

RO2:   To study the relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency.

Table 8: The relationship between the role of social media towards student’s English proficiency.

Table 8 shows the relationship between the role of social media (MEAN_RSM) and students’ English proficiency (MEAN_SEP). The Pearson correlation coefficient (r) is 0.525, with a significant value (p < 0.001). A two-tailed test is used in this analysis to determine whether there is a significant relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency, while considering the possibility of both positive and negative correlations. This approach ensures that no assumptions about the direction of the relationship are made in advance. Furthermore, the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.525 indicates a moderate uphill relationship, and the p-value of <0.001 confirms that the result is statistically significant at 0.01 level. Therefore, there is a positive relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency. However, the analysis shows that this relationship is moderate, which means that the impact of social media on students’ English proficiency is present but not very strong.

Table 9: The role of social media towards student’s English proficiency.

Table 9 reveals that the correlation coefficient (R) between MEAN_SEP and MEAN_SMR is .525, indicating a moderate positive linear relationship. The coefficient of determination (R²) is .275, which signifies that 27.5% of the variance in MEAN_SMR is explained by MEAN_SEP. This is considered a medium effect size according to Cohen’s (1988) benchmarks. The Adjusted R² of .271 confirms the stability and generalizability of the model, adjusting for sample size and the number of predictors. The standard error of the estimate, reported as .51397, reflects the standard deviation of the residuals, indicating the average distance between the actual and predicted values. To evaluate the overall statistical significance of the regression model, an F-test was conducted. The model yielded a statistically significant F-value of 73.630 with df (1, 194) and a p-value < .001, indicating that the regression model significantly predicts the outcome variable. This suggests that the observed relationship is unlikely to be due to chance.

CONCLUSIONS

For the first research objective, this research aimed to study the role of social media in enhancing English language proficiency among university students. The findings indicate that social media platforms, including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, have significantly contributed to improving students’ proficiency in various aspects of English. Damio and Patrick (2024) have underscored the benefits of social media in enhancing English language learning. These benefits span across multiple skills, including speaking, writing, listening, and reading, along with improvements in vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, and motivation, as well as fostering creative and critical thinking skills.

The majority of students strongly agree that TikTok is effective for learning English because of its replay feature, as indicated by the highest mean score of 4.13. It is because the ability to replay videos multiple times allows students to listen to English content as often as needed. It allows them to practice and consolidate their knowledge repeatedly (Duan, 2023). This helps with comprehension, pronunciation, and retention, which is particularly beneficial for language learning (Belkaisse & Manel, 2023). Next, with a mean score of 4.08, many students strongly agree that they would enjoy using TikTok as a tool for learning the English language. Students can learn anytime and anywhere since TikTok is easily accessible on smartphones. Meanwhile, not many students agree that they often use English quotes as captions on TikTok, as indicated by the lowest mean score of 3.90. Students may feel more comfortable using their native language or local slang for captions, as it can express their thoughts and emotions more authentically (Hartomo et al., 2024).

Social media provides an accessible and flexible learning environment, allowing students to practice English through engaging content, interactive features, and real-life language exposure (Albiladi, 2020). Students reported that platforms like TikTok foster listening and speaking skills through short, creative videos, while Instagram and Facebook enhance reading and writing skills via captions, posts, and discussions. These platforms have also been found to increase students’ confidence using English both in academic and informal settings (Herrala, 2024).

This research also aimed to study the relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency among university students. The findings indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between the role of social media and students’ English proficiency. The strength of the relationship is moderate, with a correlation of (.525. According to Hanan et al., (2023) stated that social media provides an endless supply of English content that allows students to keep practicing their English skills, particularly listening, expand their vocabulary, and improve their pronunciation knowledge. Alternatively, since the students can learn English in many ways on social media, they can choose English content they like and discover things that their teacher does not teach in the classroom (Hanan et al.,2023). Social media allows students to nurture a positive attitude towards the English language, which is essential in second language acquisition (Lim et al., 2023).

The findings of this regression analysis provide empirical support for the hypothesized predictive relationship between social media roles (SMR) and students’ English proficiency (SEP). The results indicate that social media roles are a statistically significant predictor, accounting for 27.5% of the variance in students’ English proficiency.  This result supports the hypothesis that enhanced levels of (SEP) are associated with improved levels of (SMR). Consequently, interventions or educational programs that improve MEAN_SEP may have beneficial effects on the development of MEAN_SMR. From a theoretical perspective, these findings underscore the importance of (SMR) as a key factor influencing (SEP, with potential implications for both educational and psychological interventions aimed at enhancing self-regulatory competencies. Recommendation for future research include incorporating additional predictors and adopting multivariate or longitudinal designs to better understand the underlying mechanisms and causality within this relationship.

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