Reddit: real-life tool ready to use in a classroom

One of the most interesting places on the Internet is definitely Reddit (click: https://www.reddit.com), a social media platform that consists of news and discussions posted by the users (so-called Redditors). Redditors share posts, links, images or videos that are voted up or down by other members of the platform. Sounds like chaos? Fortunately content is conveniently grouped in subreddits. To be honest, reddit is still quite a gutter, but it’s one of the best sources of authentic language and current affairs.

That’s why using Reddit in an ESL lesson can be a great way to help students improve their language skills and engage them with authentic and current content – and more than this, because my favourite subreddit is called Am I the Asshole (AITA), where various people ask for opinions on whether or not they are in the wrong for their actions and/or behaviours. Let me share you some hilarious problems people share – make sure to read the comments section!

• I bought my girlfriend a toy – it was not a good idea
• I’m lying to my cat – am I wrong here?
• A sister-in-law and homemade ravioli lead to marital problems
• There’s the Cookie Monster in the house!
• Some issues people have with their partners…

Now, how can we use Reddit in the classroom?

Obviously, if you teach adult and mature students, you can simply create an account to follow your favourite communities and start taking part in conversations. This can help students practice their writing and communication skills in a real-world context. You can also encourage your students to create their own subreddit on a topic that they are interested in. This can be a good way not only to practice their linguistic skills, but also to learn about the process of moderating a community online.

However, you can also use Reddit without the necessity to create account, and that is simply by using existing content and actively reacting to it. Here are some simple ideas:

• Ask your students to browse Reddit for a topic that interests them, and then have them summarize the content of one or more threads in their own words. This can be a good way to practice reading comprehension and summarization skills.
• Use Reddit as a source of current events and news articles for students to read and discuss. This can be a good way to introduce students to different aspects of culture and society, and to practice their reading and critical thinking skills.
• Choose a topic for a for or against discussion, divide your class into two groups and ask them to think about appropriate arguments.
• Use an interesting problem and ask your students to write letters/posts of advice – that will help them work not only on their writing skills, but also argumentative abilities.

I hope you’ll find this treasure chest really useful – only make sure to put a little bit of parental control over the content you are going to work on!