Effect of Texting on Spanish Learners’ Vocabulary Acquisition and Motivation

Abstract

While mobile devices have become increasingly integral to students’ lives, there is an apparent disconnect between this trend and our second language (L2) pedagogy. The present study investigates potential benefits of a nontraditional assignment, texting, on vocabulary acquisition and motivation in adult learners of Spanish. Quantitative results support the idea that nontraditional writing tasks can provide a beneficial supplement to traditional classroom instruction, offering a place for peer-to-peer interaction, which has been shown to increase learners’ vocabulary and potentially motivation. Future research regarding the use of texting in language learning, and the extent to which it could replace traditional writing assignments, is undoubtedly warranted.