Book review: Kwok, Virginia H. Y. (2023). Language learning in the digital age: YouTube and learners of English as a foreign language. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Abstract

YouTube has gained global popularity for language education, especially among young language learners in informal contexts. Language Learning in the Digital Age: YouTube and Learners of English as a Foreign Language by Virginia H. Y. Kwok explores how university students in Hong Kong use YouTube to enhance their English language proficiency outside formal classroom settings. Through a qualitative, case study approach, the author delves into diverse ways students navigate and personalise their language learning opportunities on YouTube. This paper reviews the book, focusing on how the book provides a nuanced understanding of student engagement with YouTube and its role in facilitating autonomous and self-directed language learning.