The expansion of the Internet and the availability of communication technologies have led to a rapid increase in the number of social media users. Social networking sites (SNSs) have now consolidated themselves as powerful platforms that have changed the way communication takes place. Simultaneously, content sharing sites (CSSs) have changed the way people share and exchange user generated content. This presentation will report on the autonomous use of social media in English by Japanese university students. The presentation will outline six themes relating to social media use by Japanese university students after which the presenter will be encouraging a discussion on the use of social media in the language learning classroom.
Neil Millington is a lecturer in the Faculty of Global Communication at the University of Nagasaki. He has been living and teaching in Japan for nine years and his research interests include language learning motivation and intercultural contact. He is currently studying for a PhD at Lancaster University in the UK.

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