Extramural English and young learners’ confidence in speaking English : A mixed-method study on the effects of extramural English on young learners’ confidence

Abstract: This study was carried out in two locations in the northernmost part of Sweden, in two different primary schools, one in a village in a rural area and one in a mid-sized city. A mix of methods was used, including interviews, questionnaires and logbooks. A total of 37 pupils in year 3 of the Swedish primary school system took part in the study. The purpose was to find out what extramural English (EE) activities pupils engage in, how much time they spend on these activities and to what extent it affects their confidence in their own English proficiency. The study comes to the conclusion that the pupils engage in a wide variety of EE activities, and that the time spent on these activities also varies greatly. Based on the interviews, there seems to be a positive correlation between engagements in EE activities and confidence using English as a foreign language.