A case study with Sponge Bob through sociolinguistics: Improving the English language learning awareness in young learners
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
This study examines the effectiveness of using the cartoon "SpongeBob SquarePants" to enhance sociolinguistic awareness among young English learners. Recognizing the difficulty in developing metalinguistic skills in young learners, this research uses cartoons to create authentic and engaging sociolinguistic contexts. Participants were provided with language scenarios involving family, friends, and school settings. Data was gathered through one-to-one interviews, focusing on their experiences, awareness of language variations, and its relevance to daily life. The transcribed interviews were analyzed thematically to uncover insights into the participants' sociolinguistic experiences. The study addresses a gap in the literature, as most sociolinguistic research has centered on adults. Findings suggest that young learners’ language use is influenced by contextual factors such as setting, gestures, and mimicry. Emotional and demographic factors like sincerity, formal relationships, and age differences also impact language use. The study concludes that integrating sociolinguistic elements into EFL classes can improve linguistic skills, cultural awareness, and social competence. It recommends further research on the long-term effects and integration of sociolinguistic education in curricula.
Metrics
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
Al-Jarf, R. (2006). Large Student Enrollments in EFL Programs: Challenges and Consequences. Asian EFL Journal, 8(4), 8–34.
Amin, A. (2020). Attitude Towards Language in Sociolinguistics Settings: A Brief Overview. Journal of Research and Innovation in Language, 2(1), 27–30. https://doi.org/10.31849/reila.v2i1.3758
Arıkan, A., & Taraf, H. U. (2010). Contextualizing young learners’ English lessons with cartoons: Focus on grammar and vocabulary. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2(2), 5212–5215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2010.03.848
Bayyurt, Y. (2013). Current Perspectives on Sociolinguistics and English Language Education. The Journal of Language Learning and Teaching, 3(1), 69–78.
Bayyurt, Y. (2023). Toplumdilbilim Alanının İngilizce Öğretimiyle Olan Bağlantısına Bir Bakış. In O. Solmaz, E. H. Nazlı, & K. Nazlı (Eds.), Toplumdilbilim Araştırmaları Kuramsal ve Uygulamalı Yaklaşımlar (pp. 159–169). Çizgi Kitabevi.
Bekleyen, N. (2016). Çocuklara Yabancı Dil Öğretimi. ANI Yayıncılık.
Boonsuk, Y., & Fang, F. (2022). Perennial Language Learners or Competent Language Users: An Investigation of International Students’ Attitudes towards Their Own and Native English Accents. RELC Journal, 53(1), 40–55. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688220926715
Canale, M. (1983). From Communicative Competence to Communicative Language Pedegogy. In J. C. Richards & R. W. Scmidt (Eds.), Language and Communication (pp. 2–27). Longman.
Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47.
Cheung, H., Mak, W. Y., Luo, X., & Xiao, W. (2010). Sociolinguistic Awareness and False Belief in Young Cantonese Learners of English. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 107(2), 188–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2010.05.001
DeStefano, J. S. (1971). Developmental Sociolinguistics: Child Language in a Social Setting. WORD, 27(1–3), 485–494. https://doi.org/10.1080/00437956.1971.11435641
Fishman, J. A. (1972). The Relationship between Micro- and Macro- Sociolinguistics in the Study of Who Speaks What Language to Whom and When. In A. S. Dil (Ed.), Language in Sociocultural Change (Essays by Joshua A. Fishman) (pp. 244–267). Stanford University Press.
Garrett, P. (2001). Language attitudes and sociolinguistics. Journal of Sociolinguistics, 5(4), 626–631. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9481.00171
Guiral, B. G. (2022). IImproving Students’ communicative Competence By Developing Speaking Strategies: A Case Study [MA Thesis]. Universitat Jaume I.
Hartinah, H. (2020). Identifying Teacher’s Strategies in Developing Young Learners’ Communicative Competence [BA Thesis]. Universitas Islam Negari Ar-Raniny.
Henderson, M. H. (2016). Sociolinguistics for Kids: A Curriculum for Bilingual Students [Doctoral Thesis, The University of New Mexico]. https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/span_etds/23
Holmes, J. (2013). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (4. ed). Routledge.
Holmes, J., & Brown, D. F. (1976). Developing Sociolinguistic Competence in a Second Language. TESOL Quarterly, 10(4), 423. https://doi.org/10.2307/3585523
Hymes, D. (1972). On Communicative Competence. In J. B. Pride & J. Holmes (Eds.), Sociolinguistics (pp. 269–293). Harmondsworth: Penguin.
Ibda, H., Prabandari, L. T., & Al-Hakim, M. F. (2023). The Use of Cartoon Media in Elementary School English Learning to Improve Learning Outcomes. Inovasi-Jurnal Diklat Keagamaan, 17(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.52048/inovasi.v17i1.376
Johnstone, B. (2016). The Sociolinguistics of Globalization: Standardization and Localization in the Context of Change. Annual Review of Linguistics, 2(1), 349–365. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-linguistics-011415-040552
Kachru, B. B. (1990). World Englishes and Applied Linguistics. World Englishes, 9(1), 3–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971X.1990.tb00683.x
Legak, T. C., & Wahi, W. (2020). Communicative Language Tasks to Enhance Young Learners’ Communicative Competence. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 10(6), Pages 377-390. https://doi.org/10.6007/IJARBSS/v10-i6/7308
Lola, A. (2023). Developing Sociolinguistic Competence of the Young Learners with the Internet Resources. PEDAGOGS International Research Journal, 30(2), 14–17.
Lopez, J. P. (2015). Implementing Sociolinguistic and Intercultural Competences through the Use of Authentic Materials in a 5th Grade Public School [BA Thesis, Universidad Technologica Pereira]. https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/span_etds/23
Mede, E., & Dikilitaş, K. (2015). Teaching and Learning Sociolinguistic Competence: Teachers’ Critical Perceptions. Participatory Educational Research, 2(3), 14–31. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.15.29.2.3
Mizne, C. A. (1997). Teaching Sociolinguistic Competence in the ESL Classroom [Senior Thesis Project, 1993-2002, University of Tennessee]. https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_interstp2/20
Nazlı, E. H. (2016). Toplumdilbilime Genel Bir Bakış. Sosyal Bilimler Araştırma Dergisi, 2(28), 37–66.
Nazlı, E. H. (2023). İkinci/Yabancı Dil Olarak Türkçe Öğretiminde Toplumdilbilimsel Etkiler. İn O. Solmaz, E. H. Nazlı, & K. Nazlı (Eds.), Toplumdilbilim Araştırmaları Kuramsal ve Uygulamalı Yaklaşımlar (pp. 209–224). Çizgi Kitabevi.
Omaggio, A. (1993). Teaching Language in Context. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.
O’Shannessy, C. (2013). Researching Children’s Acquisition of Sociolinguistic Competence. In J. Holmes & K. Hazen (Eds.), Research Methods in Sociolinguistics (1st ed., pp. 304–324). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781394260867.ch20
Paquette-Smith, M., Buckler, H., & Johnson, E. K. (2022). How Sociolinguistic Factors Shape Children’s Subjective Impressions of Teacher Quality. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 76(3), 485–496.
Pelani, G. (2016). THE EFFECT OF SUBTITLED ANIMATED CARTOON VIDEOS ON STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION (A Quasi Experimental Study at The Sixth Grade Students of SDIT Al- Hasanah Kota Bengkulu). Journal of Applied Linguistics & Literature, 2(2), 20–29. https://doi.org/10.33369/joall.v1i2.4176
Prince, M. J., & Felder, R. M. (2006). Inductive Teaching and Learning Methods: Definitions, Comparisons, and Research Bases. JournaJournal of Engineering Education, 95(2), 123–138.
Prosic-Santovac, D. (2017). Popular Video Cartoons and Associated Branded Toys in Teaching English to Very Young Learners: A Case Study. Language Teaching Research, 21(5), 568–588. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168816639758
Savignon, S. J. (1991). Communicative Language Teaching: State of the Art. TESOL Quarterly, 25(2), 261–277.
Savignon, S. J. (2017). Communicative Competence. In J. I. Liontas, T. International Association, & M. DelliCarpini (Eds.), The TESOL Encyclopedia of English Language Teaching (pp. 1–7). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0047
Shin, J. K., & Crandall, J. (2014). Teaching Young Learners English: From Theory to Practice. National Geographic Learning / Cengage Learning.
Solmaz, O. (2023). Bir Toplumdilbilim Alanı Olarak Dilsel Çevre: Teorik ve Uygılamalı Yönelimler. In O. Solmaz, E. H. Nazlı, & K. Nazlı (Eds.), Toplumdibilim araştırmaları Kuramsal ve Uygulamalı Yaklaşımlar (pp. 195–207). Çizgi Kitabevi.
Spolsky, B. (2003). Sociolinguistics (4th Edition). Oxford university press.
Taghizadeh, M., & Hasani Yourdshahi, Z. (2020). Integrating technology into young learners’ classes: Language teachers’ perceptions. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 33(8), 982–1006. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1618876
Teach Better Team. (2021). Kids Can Be Sociolinguists, too! [Blog]. https://teachbetter.com/blog/kids-can-be-sociolinguists-too/
Turgunbeyeva, S., & Valijanava, N. (2023). INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH ILMIY-NAZARIY JURNALI. Development of Sociolinguistic Competence of Young Students with the Help of Internet Sources, 315–316. https://research-edu.com/index.php/conf1/article/view/173
Useini, A. (2017). Sociolinguistics and Young Lerners Sociolinguistic Factors Affecting English Language As a Foreign Language. International Refereed Scientific Journal Vision, 2(2).
Wagner, S. E. (2012). Age Grading in Sociolinguistic Theory. Language and Linguistics Compass, 6(6), 371–382. https://doi.org/10.1002/lnc3.343
Yeşilbursa, A. (2023). Toplumdilbilimsel Parametreler Işığında Yabancı Dil Sınıflarındaki Etkileşimin Değerlendirilmesi. In O. Solmaz, E. H. Nazlı, & K. Nazlı (Eds.), Toplumdilbilim Araştırmaları Kuramsal ve Uygulamalı Yaklaşımlar (pp. 171–180). Çizgi Kitabevi.
Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2021). Sosyal Bilimlerde nitel Araştırma Yöntemleri (12.). Seçkin Yayıncılık.
Yu, M. (2006). On the teaching and learning of L2 sociolinguistic competence in classroom settings. Asian EFL Journal, 8(2), 111–131.