using facebook as a medium of language teaching

Chapter I
ABOUT FACEBOOK

Nowadays, Facebook becomes a popular social network sites around the world. According to some news, more than 35.174.940 of Indonesians are using facebook. Facebook, has a lot of members around the world
In Facebook, people could share what’s on their mind. When a person is happy or sad, the world will know it if that person share it on Facebook. Just open Facebook, then write at your wall and click share; everybody whom are connected to you will know you’re feeling. In Facebook, you could tell your story.
The development of technology sounds like two sides of coins. In one side, it is a useful media to communicate with others. You may find your old friends who are separated by seas, contact your parents in different cities, and or discussing new discovery using chatting feature.
In different sides, Facebook makes addiction for the users. One of internet rental’s keepers in Salatiga says to me that Facebook users could spend hourly in their computer just opening Facebook. He says that there are more than 60 percent visitors at his Internet rental, based on his observation; spend more than 3 hours just for Facebook. For him Facebook makes people dependence in his Internet rental



Chapter II
HOW FACEBOOK WORKS

When I considering the facebook advances in this our age, I was wondering if I could start teaching my students English as second language by using Facebook as the medium. Well, you might be tempted to ask; how intend to go about it?
In this connection, I will first of all create a group in Facebook by using the Groups tool in Facebook and clicking on the Create A New Group button. Follow the steps including making the group public. It will be made public because I would like students can find it easily.
Secondly, inside the group, I can post topic for my students to write on, then I will choose the best three for voting. This competition style stuff will make them prepare well and I hope will improve their writing skill. Videos, links, and other “wall” items will be posted to assist them in their preparation. In fact, this is a means to continue the classroom in other settings with much flexibility.
Thirdly, using my own personal network, I will invite “guests” into the group so that they can contribute to the discussion boards. There is a real benefit to get other experts talking to your students. The students might establish fraternity with other students and much benefit can be exchanged.
Fourthly, I will make sure my students always respond to my original post for a grade, and then give points for when they respond to others in the discussion board. Your guests will have to become members of the group to post to the Discussion Board, so let your “guests” drop out of the group early if they are only to contribute to one discussion.
Finally, I would encourage the students to post a topic of their choice in order to ignite their creative.
Beside of group, Facebook still provide many features which interesting to help our student happily learning English. They are:
1. Facebook Share: It is an elementary feature in facebook. It is also able to be applied as medium to help the learning presses. Everyone can share everything (sort article, link, picture, video etc) to all of friends, and the others can give comment about what they’ve shared. It will improve student writing skill of English.
2. Facebook Quiz. Now, there are many quizzes circulating in facebook. Most of quizzes only made for simply fad. This feature also can be used to do the online quizzes. The teacher can give student a question about English Language using this application and student have to answer it.
3. Facebook Note. With these supporting facilities the teacher can invite their student to discuss each other about certain topic of English. It is simple, the teacher just making a note then tagging their student, the topic in the note will invite student discussed.
4. Facebook Apps. With this feature, almost anything can be done. One of them is with making a game edutainment at platform in facebook apps. One of example of Facebook Apps game edutainment which is famous enough and many played is Geo Challenge. It is the application of game to test geographical knowledge of the students.



Chapter III
DISADVANTAGES OF USING FACEBOOK

a social network surely had advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantages of facebook are make us lazy doing the duties which ought to be done, it because facebook has many applications which is very interesting. Student will be more interested making status and giving comment to the other friend than doing their assignment which ought to become their responsibility.

Facebook also can cause lack of socialization with the environment, because by playing at in illusory world can causes our socialization to decline. This thing will make people in present globalization era have individual character. Their mind sometimes too critical, they didn’t see how situation of others social. And thereby will make social difference in society itself.



Chapter IV
CONCLUSION

English learning is not as difficult imagined. Learnt English didn't mean we must fetch up all standing only at formal education alike the one is taught in school and or place of courses. English learning would hardly easy to learn if we know effective way and fit in with ourselves character. Learning English through facebook online system is one way which innovative to be developed, though this system is not formal system, however giving good effect in English improvement, especially in writing skill.