Instagram as a learning tool to improve technical vocabulary for sports science students
María José Gómez Ortiz, Elena Domínguez Romero, Jelena Bóbkina
Abstract
The present paper shares a learning and teaching experience built on a project-based methodology using Instagram accounts to improve technical vocabulary in the ESP classroom. Participants were 75 undergraduate sports science students who attended our English for Professional and Academic Communication ESP course at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain) and participated in the project during the spring semester of 2022. To achieve our objective, the participants were divided into 16 self-arranged groups, each expected to develop a fitness project based on Instagram accounts. At the end of the experience, participants were invited to complete an ad hoc designed questionnaire giving their opinion about the use of Instagram accounts as a learning tool to acquire specific vocabulary in the field of sports science. The learners reported high positive perceptions towards using Instagram to develop technical vocabulary. This paper recommends observing quality standards when integrating Instagram content into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses.