Extramural English in Teaching and Learning

This book is unique in bringing together theory, research, and practice about English encountered outside the classroom – extramural English – and how it affects teaching and learning. The book investigates ways in which learners successfully develop their language skills through extramural English and provides tools for teachers to make use of free time activities in primary and secondary education. The authors demonstrate that learning from involvement in extramural English activities tends to be incidental and is currently underutilized in classroom work. A distinctive strength is that this volume is grounded in theory, builds on results from empirical studies, and manages to link theory and research with practice in a reader-friendly way. Teacher-educators, teachers and researchers of English as a foreign language and teachers of English as a second language across the globe will find this book useful in developing their use of extramural English activities as tools for language learning.

Pia Sundqvist is Associate Professor of English at Karlstad University, Sweden, where she obtained her PhD in English Linguistics. Her research interests are extramural English language learning, computer-assisted language learning (especially gaming), L2 vocabulary acquisition, and assessment of L2 oral proficiency, with a focus on primary and secondary school learners.
Liss Kerstin Sylvén is Associate Professor of Language Education at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, where she obtained her PhD in English Linguistics. Her research interests are extramural English language learning, content and language integrated learning (CLIL), L2 vocabulary acquisition, language learning motivation, and individual differences.

“It is no simple task to write a handbook on a burgeoning research field such as EE that caters to all categories of readers, and on balance, Sundqvist and Sylvén succeed in contributing to the field of ELT by making a case for putting learners’ engagement with English outside school (EE) high on the pedagogical agenda, and by suggesting viable ways of equpping teachers and learners to use EE as an educational resource.” (Per Snoder, ELT journal, Vol. 73 (1), January, 2019)

“This timely and lucidly written volume represents a major theoretical and pedagogical step forward for English language teaching, one that unites the vibrancy and authenticity of living language use in the world with innovative teacher-mediated instructional practice.” (Steven L. Thorne, Associate Professor, Portland State University, USA)

“Connecting practice to theory and research, this book is wonderfully useful to anyone who wishes to un-tap the vast potential of Extramural English (EE) in L2 English learning and teaching in an increasingly globalized digital world. The authors have provided numerous practical examples to illustrate how this can be done while providing theoretically based principles. Highly recommended.” (Angel Lin, Professor, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong)