An Exploration of TikTok Videos’ Engaging Features Among the Malaysian Secondary School Teachers in The ESL Classroom

This study explores the engaging features of TikTok videos created by Malaysian secondary school teachers for English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction. With TikTok’s growing prominence as an educational tool, particularly in language learning, this study aims to identify the key characteristics that contribute to the virality and effectiveness of ESL-related content on the platform. This paper is part of an on-going study that seeks to develop a structured framework that integrates pedagogical strategies, language learning objectives, and engaging content creation techniques to enhance English language learning through TikTok. The research adopts a qualitative methodology, employing in-depth exploratory interviews with four Malaysian ESL teachers who have gained significant traction on TikTok. The participants, selected based on their high engagement rates, provided insights into their content creation process, motivation and the features that drive video virality. Thematic analysis of the interviews identified several key features contributing to an engaging ESL TikTok video. These include fun and interactive content, societal relevance, trending topics, audience-driven requests and the incorporation of local dialects to make learning more relatable. Additionally, factors such as the educator’s personality, voice intonation and the use of humour and emotion were found to play a crucial role in maintaining viewer engagement. The findings of this study have significant implications for ESL educators and content creators, highlighting the importance of aligning educational content with entertainment-driven engagement strategies. By understanding what makes ESL TikTok videos effective, teachers can harness social media as a powerful tool for language acquisition. Future research should focus on expanding the sample size and refining a comprehensive framework to guide educators in creating engaging and pedagogically sound TikTok content for ESL learners.