English Language Online Communities: Usage of Synchronous Chat Servers in Informal Digital Learning of English

Abstract

This article investigates the Informal Digital Learning of English (IDLE) of users of synchronous text and voice chat enabled applications such as Discord. Thirty-one non-native English-speaking participants from a variety of geographical contexts took part in semi-structured interviews and follow-up questionnaires aimed at investigating their history with learning the English language through the internet, their usage of synchronous chat applications, and their use of digital tools in relation to synchronous chat applications. The results of the analysis indicate that participants followed varied but often comparable patterns with regard to IDLE, usually following a standard progression from passive internet usage to asynchronous usage, and finally to synchronous chat application usage. The overall usage rates of synchronous chat applications were extremely high, with most participants spending several hours a day using English in these venues. Users also took advantage of a variety of digital tools, such as voice or text chat, message editing, and online dictionaries to aid in their English communication.