The Influence of Social Media Language on the Writing Skills of Secondary School Students in Kaduna State

This study examines the influence of social media language on the formal writing skills of secondary school students in Kaduna State, North West Nigeria. The widespread adoption of smartphone technology and social platforms such as WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram among Nigerian teenagers has raised concerns among educators about the spillover of informal digital language conventions into academic writing. The study adopts a mixed-methods design, combining a survey questionnaire administered to 250 senior secondary students across five schools in Kaduna metropolis with a textual analysis of student written assignments. The theoretical framework is drawn from Vygotsky's social constructivist learning theory and digital literacy scholarship. Survey data were analysed using frequency tables and regression analysis to determine predictors of social media language interference. Textual analysis identified specific features including abbreviations, phonetic spelling, emoji descriptions, and non-standard punctuation in formal essays. Findings reveal a statistically significant negative correlation between high social media usage and adherence to Standard English writing conventions, particularly among students with low teacher supervision of digital habits. However, the study also identifies positive effects of social media on vocabulary acquisition and creative expression. The research recommends the integration of digital literacy modules into secondary school English curricula in Kaduna State. Keywords: social media language, writing skills, secondary school, Kaduna State, digital literacy.