Automaticity (in this essay defined as short response time) and fluency in language use are closely connected to each other and some research has been conducted regarding some of the aspects involved. In fact, the notion of automaticity is still debated and many definitions and opinions on what automaticity is have been suggested (Andersson,1987, 1992, 1993, Logan, 1988, Segalowitz, 2010). One aspect that still needs more research is the correlation between vocabulary proficiency (a person’s knowledge about words and ability to use them correctly) and response time in word recognition. Therefore, the aim of this study has been to investigate this correlation using two different tests; one vocabulary size test (Paul Nation) and one lexical decision task (SuperLab) that measures both response time and accuracy. 23 Swedish students partaking in the English 7 course in upper secondary Swedish school were tested. The data were analyzed using a quantitative method where the average values and correlations from the test were used to compare the results. The correlations were calculated using Pearson’s Coefficient Correlations Calculator. The empirical study indicates that vocabulary proficiency is not strongly correlated with shorter response times in word recognition. Rather, the data indicate that L2 learners instead are sensitive to the frequency levels of the vocabulary. The accuracy (number of correct recognized words) and response times correlate with the frequency level of the tested words. This indicates that factors other than vocabulary proficiency are important for the ability to recognize words quickly.

This essay explores the ways colonial short stories by Rudyard Kipling can be used in many different aspects of language teaching in upper secondary school.The analysis takes inspiration from Edward Said’s Orientalism, where he discusses and argues for the prevalence of the phenomenon of Orientalism in the zeitgeist of Western society during the age of European occupation and colonization. Additionally, the essay aims at showing the value of using the selected short stories as a means of teaching students a certain vocabulary that is necessary for identifying how Kipling’s portrayal of the Indian population frames them as vastly different from their British colonizers. Lastly, the essay suggests how teachers can use these attitudes and descriptions as valuable material for facilitating the inculcation of those democratic values that Skolverket expects schools to advocate.The analysis reveals several of the attitudes that Said highlighted, such as depictions that both implicitly and explicitly portray the Indian population as backward, uncivilized, and nonconforming to the values and attitudes that were ascribed to the colonizers at the time. There is also a large degree of an alleged racial, cultural, and religious superiority present in the stories. These attitudes could be employed as a basis for promoting discussions surrounding democratic values. The analysis also includes methods for explicit vocabulary development, suggesting how teachers can apply these to enable successful learning and development of new words and their connotations. Certain selected words are discussed thoroughly, since they display useful information regarding the portrayal of the Indian population, and some are discussed briefly to aid certain arguments.

The purpose of this study is to provide additional research on the topic of the relationship between extramural English activities and performance on vocabulary tests among Swedish school learners. Data were collected from English L2 learners in Swedish upper secondary school (English 6 course). A questionnaire about participants extramural English activities was filled in. Participants then took a receptive vocabulary test of 140 items. The participants (N=74) were aged 17, with the exception of one 19-year-old and two 16-year-olds and got divided into two main research groups: gamers and non-gamers. The results from the vocabulary test revealed that gamers had a higher mean score than non-gamers on the test. However, the non-gamers trailed behind with a barely notable distinction. When examining the gamer group more closely, the findings show that participants who spent more time gaming also had the highest scores, compared to lower frequency gamers. Additionally, gamers spend more hours per week on other English-related media (excluding tv-series, movies and gaming) than the non-gamers. This makes it possible to conclude that there is, to some extent, a connection between extramural English activities and better receptive vocabulary. However, while extramural activities influence vocabulary, so does length of instruction in a language. The non-gamers caught up to the gamers, one reason as to why being a result of the length of instruction in English, which may even out large differences between gamers and non-gamers for more advanced learners (Peters, 2018). / Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med ytterligare forskning om ämnet extramurala engelsksaktiviteter och deras inverkan på svenska skolelevers vokabulärinlärning. Data samlades in från elever som har engelska som andrahandsspråk och som gick på gymnasiet (och deltog i engelska 6 kursen). Deltagarnas uppgift var att fylla i ett frågeformulär samt ett engelskt vokabulärtest som bestod av 140 ord. Deltagarna (N = 74) var 17 år gamla, samt en 19-årig elev och två 16-åriga elever, och delades in i två huvudgrupper: spelare (gamers) och icke-spelare (non-gamers). Resultaten från vokabulärtestet avslöjade att spelarna hade ett högre medelvärde än icke-spelare på testet: Dock hade icke-spelarna nästan samma  medelvärde. När man undersöker den gruppen som spelar spel närmare, visar resultaten att deltagare som tillbringade mer tid på spel också hade de högsta poängen jämfört med spelare som spelade mindre frekvent. Dessutom tillbringar spelare i genomsnitt fler timmar per vecka på annan  engelskrelaterad media (exklusive tv-serier, filmer och spel) i genomsnitt än icke-spelarna. Detta gör det möjligt att dra slutsatsen att det i viss utsträckning finns en koppling mellan extramurala engelskaktiviteter och högre ordförrådsförmåga. Peters (2018) slutsats visade att även längden av engelskstudierna kan ha en inverkan på vokabulären och för äldre elever kan möjligen effekten av exempelvis dataspelande jämnas ut desto längre de studerat engelska.