How Do I Implement Student Writing Activities on Instagram: A Reflective Qualitative Study

Abstract

Writing in English remains a challenging skill for many EFL students, particularly when classroom activities do not sufficiently stimulate students’ engagement and idea development. Considering students’ familiarity with social media, Instagram can be used as an alternative medium to support more contextual and visually guided writing activities. This study aimed to explore the implementation of Instagram-based writing activities in class XI D at a high school in Jember through a reflective qualitative design. Using Schön’s concept of reflection-on-action, the study focused on the researcher’s reflection after the implementation process, particularly on pedagogical decisions and students’ responses toward the use of Instagram in writing activities. The data were collected through reflective journals, students’ writing documents on Instagram, and semi-structured interviews. The data were then analyzed using thematic analysis and validated through data triangulation. The findings showed that Instagram helped create a more relaxed classroom atmosphere, encouraged students to pay closer attention to language accuracy due to the presence of a real audience, and supported idea generation through visual elements such as photos and videos. The study concludes that Instagram has the potential to support students’ participation in EFL writing activities when teachers are able to guide both the technical and psychological aspects of public writing.