Exploring EFL learners’ engagement with YouTube fandom: An inquiry into language learning and soft skill development

This study explores the integration of YouTube fandom as a method for English language learning and soft skill development within the Moroccan EFL context. The research evaluates how the cultural content within fandoms enhances linguistic proficiency and 21st-century competencies. Eighteen EFL students from the École Normale Supérieure (ENS), Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco participated in a one-month experiment involving active engagement in YouTube fandoms. A mixed-method approach, combining questionnaire data and group discussion, reveals remarkable improvements in language skills and the development of critical soft skills, such as critical thinking, communication, digital literacy, to name a few. The study highlights the pedagogical potential of informal digital spaces, such as YouTube fandoms, in today’s interconnected, digitally-driven educational landscape, emphasizing their role in promoting meaningful language learning and holistic skill development.