The Role of TikTok in Language Identity Formation Among Ghanaian Heritage Learners of Akan/Twi

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Wednesday 9:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Constructing Discourses and Identities in the Digital Age (Table 2)

Abstract

The present study examines the role TikTok plays in facilitating the language learning processes of Akan/Twi heritage learners in the diaspora. It specifically investigates how interactions and engagements within TikTok's audience significantly contribute to these learners' linguistic journeys and their reconnections with their heritage. Using Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and the philosophy of Ubuntu, the research aims to understand how Akan/Twi heritage learners actively participate and foster connections within the TikTok community. Through qualitative content analysis, this study examined and analyzed 35 TikTok videos featuring Akan/Twi heritage learners and native speakers. The findings revealed TikTok's pivotal role in the language acquisition of heritage learners.

Author

• Sandra Boateng, Michigan State University