Pre-final version. In Press: Innovations in Language Learning & Teaching (Penman & Foster, eds). Every picture tells a story: Using Selfie-inspired Activities to Enhance Social 1 Relations and Encourage Self-reflexivity 2 by Mabel Victoria, Edinburgh Napier University 3 Abstract 4 This chapter aims to describe a classroom initiative in Thailand that capitalized on the 5 popularity of the ‘selfie’ to provide second year English language students an 6 opportunity to practise their oral presentation and speaking skills. The selfie was used 7 not in the usual sense of sharing the picture online. It was deployed as visual aid or 8 talking point in a face-to-face interaction thus serving as a ‘currency for social 9 interaction’ (van Dijck, 2008: 62) and communication device (Saltz, 2014). The second 10 aim of this paper is to explore a separate initiative, also selfie-inspired, at a UK 11 university. Initially designed to facilitate recall of students’ names linked with faces, it 12 evolved into an effective conversation starter. It is suggested that besides the 13 achievement of the original learning/teaching outcomes, the Thai and the UK initiatives 14 also led to serendipitous results: encouraging self-reflexivity amongst the students 15 and promoting the development of ‘rapid intimacy’ (Victoria, 2011: 72) in the 16 classroom. Based on insights from both initiatives, it is argued that getting to know the 17 students as unique individuals and creating a space for them to share their personal 18 stories can help make the learning/teaching experience a truly enriching one. 19 Introduction 20 The selfie, a modern version of the self-portrait which is usually taken with a hand-held 21 device and intended for sharing online via social networking media, has become the 22 subject of much discussion and debate in the last few years. The opposing camps 23 consist of the ‘haters’ and the ‘likers’. Indeed, the practice of taking one’s picture and 24 posting it online for all the digital world to see has been both ‘adored and reviled’ 25 (Murray, 2015: 490). Those who revile the selfie view it as an ‘expression of narcissism 26