The impact of social media on English Language

In this WebQuest, you will create a social media campaign post called “The Language of Social Media.” You will explore how platforms like TikTok and Instagram are changing the English language through slang, abbreviations, and emojis.

You are a group of Language Influencers working on a social media campaign called “The Language of Social Media.”

Your goal is to explore how platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X are changing the way people use English today.

Through this WebQuest, you will read, analyze, and create digital content based on the article “The Impact of Social Media on the English Language” from 5MinuteEnglish.

As digital creators, your mission is to design an engaging influencer-style campaign post that shows how English evolves in the digital world.

To complete your task, you will:

Discover new slang expressions and explain their meanings.   Investigate popular abbreviations used online.   Examine the meaning and function of emojis in modern communication.   Reflect on how social media has transformed English in everyday life.   Create and present your final social media campaign post, combining examples, visuals, and opinions about whether these changes are positive, negative, or both.

Process 1: Online Slang Investigation

 

• Read the article “The Impact of Social Media on the English Language.”

• Focus on the first section “The Evolution of Language in the Social Media Era.” 

• As a group, highlight any informal expressions or words that sound new, playful, or typical of online communication. 

• Discuss what makes these expressions “slang” and why people use them on social media.

• Each group writes a list of at least three slang words with their meanings and one short example showing how they’re used online. 

 

Example:

 

Word	Meaning	Example
Viral	Something that spreads quickly on social media	“That video went viral overnight!”
Influencer	A person who creates content and has followers	“She’s a travel influencer on Instagram.”

 

• Exchange your list with another group. Compare meanings and check whether you agree. 

• Discuss how slang changes across cultures and generations.

 

• Tips for the investigation: 

 

Choose slang words you really use online — check TikTok captions or trending hashtags for ideas.

 

• Feedback: each group shares one slang word; classmates react by saying if they use it too or not.
  
   

Process 2 – Exploring Abbreviations

 

• Revisit the part of the article where brevity and immediacy are discussed. 

• Identify abbreviations mentioned in the text, such as LOL, BRB, or OMG.

• Then, explore real examples from social media platforms (Instagram, X, TikTok) and find two additional abbreviations that are not in the article.

• Work together to create a table including:

 

The abbreviation Its meaning An example of how it’s used

 

Example:

 

Abbreviation	Meaning	Example
LOL	Laughing Out Loud	“That meme was hilarious LOL!”
BRB	Be Right Back	“BRB, need to grab a snack!”
FOMO	Fear Of Missing Out	“I have FOMO after seeing everyone’s concert pics!”

 

• Compare your abbreviations with another group. Do you use the same short forms? Are some of them new for you?

 

• Tips for the abbreviations:

 

Pay attention to how abbreviations are used in real online chats or memes. Be creative — invent your own abbreviation and share it with the class! Notice how some abbreviations sound like spoken words (for example, OMG or TBH)

 

• Feedback: each group shares one abbreviation aloud; the class guesses its meaning before the group reveals it.

 

Process 3- Emojis and Their Meanings

 

• Read the section of the article titled “Emojis and Emoticons.” 

• Discuss how the author describes the linguistic role of emojis.

• Answer together: “How do emojis influence the way people communicate online?”

• Next, select three emojis that are common in digital communication. For each, explain what it expresses, when or why people use it, and whether its meaning changes depending on culture or context.

 

Example:

 

Emoji	Meaning	Example of use
🙃	Sarcasm or irony	“Sure, I love doing homework 🙃”
😂	Laughter or amusement	“That post made me cry laughing 😂”

 

• Subactivity:

• Design your own new emoji to represent something missing in online communication. Give it a name, draw or describe it, and explain its purpose.

 

• Tips: 

 

Think about how one emoji can mean different things depending on the message or the culture. When you design your new emoji, make sure it represents a clear feeling or idea. Look at your own phone keyboard for inspiration — which emojis do you use most?

 

• Feedback:
  
  Groups present their new emoji ideas to the class. Students vote for “The Most Useful New Emoji.”

 

Process 4 – Reflection on Language Change

 

• Read the last part of the article “The Debate: Language Degradation or Evolution?”

• In your group, summarize both sides of the debate: Do you think social media improves or harms English?

• Each student writes a short personal paragraph (4–6 sentences) explaining their opinion on the question.

• Then, share your paragraphs with your group and agree on one final version that represents your collective opinion.

 

• Tips for your Reflection:

 

Try to include both sides of the argument before giving your opinion. Use examples from your own online experience to make your point stronger. Think about how English has become more global and creative thanks to social media.

 

• Feedback:
  
  Present your new emoji design; the class votes for “The Most Useful New Emoji.”

 

Process 5 – Group Presentation: The Language of Social Media

 

• Gather all materials from previous activities — your slang table, abbreviation chart, emoji meanings, and reflection paragraph.

• Work as a team to design a social media campaign post using Canva, PowerPoint, or Google Slides.

 

Your post should include:

 

A creative campaign title   Images, emojis, and hashtags   Captions and short explanations   The group’s reflection paragraph as the post’s description

 

 

When the design is ready, plan your short presentation. Assign roles:

• The Researcher explains the ideas from the article.

• The Designer shows the campaign visuals.

• The Note-taker reads the reflection paragraph.

• The Presenter introduces and concludes the presentation.
  
   

Each group rehearses their presentation, checking time and transitions between speakers.

 

• Tips for the presentation:

 

Use strong visuals, emojis, and short captions — just like a real post! Divide the work equally: everyone should contribute to the final campaign. Rehearse your presentation to make sure transitions between speakers are smooth.

 

• Feedback:
  
  After each presentation, classmates give two comments: one positive and one suggestion for improvement.

 

• Outcome of the project:
  
  A final influencer-style campaign post and a 3–4 minute presentation showing what the group learned about how social media changes the English language.

_________________________________________________________________________

Once you have completed all five activities, work together to create your final social media campaign post for “The Language of Social Media.”

• Display all your group campaigns around the classroom or share them on a digital board.

• Walk around and explore your classmates’ posts.

• Were there any similar slang words, emojis, or abbreviations in different campaigns?

• Which campaign do you think is the most original and effective in showing how English changes online?

Self-evaluation

 

Self-evaluation Questionnaire  Name: ____________   I found the group work easy / difficult because …   The next time I do group work I’d like to …   What did I learn about how social media changes English? …   What did I learn about creating a social media campaign in English? …   My English improved / didn’t improve doing this project because …   What did I learn about working online and finding information? …

 

Well done, Language Influencers!

You have shown how social media can be a powerful tool to shape and share the English language. Through your campaign, you proved that communication online is not just about trends — it’s about connecting people and expressing ideas creatively. By researching, designing, and influencing others, you became real voices of today’s digital English world. Keep using your influence to make language meaningful, positive, and global.

5MinuteEnglish. (n.d.). The impact of social media on English language. 5MinuteEnglish. Retrieved October 5, 2025, from https://5minuteenglish.com/the-impact-of-social-media-on-english-language/

Preparation:

• Check the 5MinuteEnglish link and review key social media terms.
• Prepare student worksheets and form mixed groups of 4.

Tips:

• Encourage real online examples and English discussion.
• Give quick feedback after each task.
• Assess teamwork, creativity, and communication.

Extension Lesson:

• Record a short “Language Challenge” video — each group presents one online English trend, and the teacher joins one clip for fun!