The EF English Proficiency Index has presented high English proficiency levels for Swedish students. Previous investigations have studied different factors that contribute to high proficiency in a second language, such as the engagement with the language in the free time, or personal characteristics such as motivation or learners’ home environment. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate correlations between Swedish 9th grade studentsʼ grades in the English subject with three factors; 1) their extramural activities, 2) their home environment, and 3) the students’ personal characteristics. The participants in this study were 49 students of ages 15-16 years old from a primary school in northern Stockholm. They answered an online survey with four open-ended questions and 35 statements in which the participants answered on a Likert scale between 1-6. The results suggest a weak correlation between extramural activities and the students’ English grades, a weak correlation between home environment and the students’ grades in English, and a moderate correlation between individual differences and students’ English grades. Given the small sample size and potential limitations of the study, the results cannot be generalized to a larger population and further investigation, such as a qualitative study through interviews with students and EFL practitioners, may provide us with a more in-depth understanding of the connections between the investigated factors and Swedish students’ proficiency levels in English.

Digital games are often considered a pastime activity with little to no real or tangible benefits. This, however, is contrary to studies on the usefulness of digital games in second language (L2) learning. There are several aspects of L2 learning that are affected positively by gaming, as well as other extramural English (EE) activities. One of these aspects is vocabulary, which has been proven to be substantially improved by gaming through incidental learning.  Collocations are often referred to as word pairs that co-occur more frequently than any other two words. The definition of a collocation is a contested subject, making research and theories around collocations widespread and varied depending on what definition a given author subscribes to. In the present study Howarth’s (1996) definition of collocations has been used. The hard-to-define nature of collocations extends into the act of teaching - collocations are rarely taught because they follow no set rule or pattern. This means that L2 learners must acquire their collocation knowledge incidentally, either in the classroom or through EE activities.   The present study aims to investigate the relationship between EE activities, primarily gaming, and the collocation knowledge of 87 Swedish teenagers in upper compulsory school and upper secondary school. This was done through a Productive Collocation Test (PCK) as well as a questionnaire. The results of the study show that students who engage in EE activities are more knowledgeable in terms of collocations than those who do not. Additionally, out of the EE activities included in the questionnaire gaming seems to be the best way to acquire collocation knowledge.   The present study concludes that there is a connection between EE activities, especially gaming, and collocation knowledge. Informants that claimed to spend more time per week playing digital games generally scored higher on the collocation test. This was also true for the students who claimed to spend a considerable amount of time on visual media per week. These informants also had knowledge of collocations that very few of the respondents knew, particularly the students who partake in gaming. The findings of the present study suggest that digital games could be used as a tool for teaching collocations. However, more research is required to carry this idea further.

In an age of rapid digital development, Skolverket (2018) asks for increased teacher competence in information and communication technology (ICT), both competence in classroom digitalization and pupil’s out-of-school activities involving ICT. One of many areas in which ICT has an effect on the relationship between school and the pupils’ out-of-school activities is in the English subject. Their exposure to English media has led to increased incidental and naturalistic learning opportunities for pupils. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of extramural English on the Swedish school, more specifically, the affinity space of a gaming forum and their text genres.

This study discusses how Swedish secondary school students believe that their Englishlanguage skills have been influenced by the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram.The chosen method for the collection of data is a quantitative survey. The survey consists of 8questions all regarding the usage of the platforms and the possible influence on therespondents’ English language skills. A total of 159 students responded to the survey. To beable to analyse and discuss the results the influence of social media on language learning andacquisition has been researched. Extramural learning and language acquisition in moregeneral terms have also been researched. The collected data has then first been displayed incharts to see the number of responses and distribution in percentage. Further, the results havebeen analysed and discussed in relation to theory and previous research. The results show thatthe majority of Swedish secondary school students believe that their English language skillsare influenced by the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. The results also showthat the majority prefer the popular social media platform TikTok over Instagram. In theconclusion section of this project the results are further discussed, and the research questionsare answered. Further research on language learning and acquisition through social media isproposed. / Denna studie diskuterar om svenska högstadieelever uppfattar att deras språkfärdigheter iengelska kan påverkas av sociala medieplattformarna TikTok och Instagram. Den valdametoden för insamling av data är en kvantitativ enkätundersökning. Enkäten består av 8frågor som alla rör användandet av plattformarna samt deras möjliga påverkan påspråkinlärning. Totalt 159 elever svarade på enkäten. För att kunna analysera och diskuteraresultaten från enkäten har forskning om sociala mediers påverkan på språkinlärningredovisats. Även generell forskning om extramuralt lärande samt språkinlärning och lärandeav språk redovisas. Den insamlade datan har först presenterats i tabeller där antal svar samtfördelning i procent visas. Sedan har resultaten analyserats och diskuterats i förhållande tillteori och tidigare forskning. Resultaten visar att majoriteten av svenska högstadieelever troratt deras engelska språkkunskaper har påverkats av TikTok och Instagram. Resultaten visaräven att majoriteten föredrar den populära plattformen TikTok över Instagram. I slutsatsen avdenna studie diskuteras resultaten och analysen mera, och forskningsfrågorna besvaras.Slutligen presenteras förslag på vidare forskning om sociala medier och dess påverkan påspråkinlärning.

There have been many different studies done around the subject of Extramural English, where researchers Sundqvist and Sylvén (2012) have drawn the conclusion that there is a correlation between video games and learners of English improving upon their English vocabulary. This study focuses time spent on whether or not playing video games for an extended amount of time will help with a student’s English vocabulary. This was done by having the students answer a demographic questionnaire in which they answer whether or not they regularly play video games, and answers approximately how many hours a week they do play. The study is looking for a correlation between improved vocabulary scores and longer periods of time spent playing video games every week. The study also looks into specific vocabulary that is commonly found in video games and compares different groups which have spent different amounts of time each week playing video games. Do video games help a learner’s English vocabulary and if so, does an increased amount of time spent on playing video games correlate to a higher score on the vocabulary tests, and do students who plays video games have an easier time with some of the specific vocabulary? The study found that there is indeed a correlation and that if a student spends time playing video games their English vocabulary proficiency will most likely increase as well. A student who spends more than ten hours a week on playing video games had higher average scores than those who played less than ten hours a week. Incidentally the students who did not play video games at all had the lowest average scores in the vocabulary tests. Lastly students who spent time playing video games had an easier time answering the questions relating to words that are commonly used in video games. / Många olika studier har utförts kring lärandet av engelska utanför klassrummet. Forskare har bland annat undersökt möjliga samband mellan Extramural engelska och ett förbättrat engelskt ordförråd. Sundqvist och Sylvén (2012) visar t.ex. ett samband mellan ord inlärning och dataspel. Om det finns ett direkt samband mellan tid tillbringad framför dataspel och utökat ordförråd är vad som utgör fokusen för denna undersökning. I denna korrelationsstudie utdelades ett demografiskt frågeformulär till 60 elever i årskurs nio. Eleverna frågades om hur regelbundet de spelade dataspel och hur många timmar de spelade varje vecka. Eleverna svarade även på ett vokabulärprov där de fick lösa problem angående engelsk vokabulär. De elever som spenderade tio timmar eller mer per vecka med dataspel hade högsta medelvärde på vokabulärproven. De elever som spelade mindre än tio timmar per vecka hade lägre. Samtidigt hade de elever som inte spenderade någon tid alls på dataspel den lägsta medelvärdes poäng utav grupperna. Studien visar en koppling mellan tid spenderat framför dataspel och ett utökat engelskt ordförråd. Ytterligare undersöks möjliga samband mellan tid spenderat på dataspel och inlärning av engelska ord som ofta används i dataspel. I vokabulär provet som eleverna fick fanns det sex ord som eleverna behövde lösa. Dessa ord är vanliga att hitta inom dataspel. Resultatet visar att de elever som spelade dataspel presterade bättre med de dataspels specifika vokabulärproblemen. De elever som inte spelade alls presterade sämst av grupperna, medan elever som spelade lite dataspel varje vecka presterade sämre än de som spelade mycket dataspel varje vecka.

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.

Children today encounter the English language on a wide scale, even outside the school walls. As they are exposed to various forms of English language input, they inevitably pick up a certain level of proficiency, which they can later use on their own. This study aims to more precisely research through which mediums English learners in primary school worldwide tend to encounter English the most, as well as how engaging in English activities outside the classroom might affect their English proficiency. By studying prior research on the subject through content analysis, it was found that, while there are some regional differences in terms of prevalence, children mainly encounter English through television, music, and computer games. It was also found that many children who had never before received any English training still possessed a level of English proficiency. These findings shed light on the importance of input for language acquisition as well as how children’s extramural interests can be of importance in the classroom setting.

This study investigates two vocabulary exercises where the participant students receive an assigned set of words to put into sentences, one being a more traditional written exercise, the other being an exercise where students make a vlog using the assigned words. Two upper secondary school classes in Sweden participated in the experiment, including responding to a Likert attitude questionnaire. The hypothesis used in this paper is derived of Pegrum’s third category, of higher integration between school and everyday life, and that this would lead to better results for the students who completed the vlogging exercise. The two participating classes were each divided into two group halves, and each group half received one written exercise and one vlogging exercise – consequently each class half acted as a control group for the other half. The responses gathered were divided into three categories, ‘Correct’, ‘Undetermined’, and ‘Failed’. The results disprove that the vlogging exercise offers a significant improvement over the traditional written exercise, and thusly confirms the No Significant Difference phenomenon.

Students today encounter a vast amount of English in their free time, outside the walls of school. They watch English films, play English computer games, and keep international contacts through the internet. This present study focuses on mapping the so called Extramural English activities of two groups of upper secondary high school students in order to find out how and if the overall English proficiency of those students can be derived from the English they encounter in their free time. One of the groups is living and studying at a Swedish school in the UK, while the other one is living and studying at a regular high school in the south of Sweden. Both groups participated in a survey where they were asked to answer questions about their free time habits, time spent on different English activities and how they feel that their confidence and overall proficiency in the subject has improved. The results of this study show that the students living in the UK engage in more English activities outside of school and that they claim overall better results and higher confidence in their English. This study contains proof that Extramural English is an important factor in achieving targetlike language proficiency.

Les libertés universitaires sont fondamentales pour assurer la pérennité des sociétés démocratiques : sans elles, l’enseignement supérieur ne peut remplir son rôle qui est de dé-battre des connaissance acquises et d’en découvrir de nouvelles, ainsi que de les transmettre aux générations futures. Pour exercer cette double mission de recherche et d’enseignement, les universitaires doivent être libres de mener des investigations et d’en publier les résultats ; libres de choisir le contenu et la forme de leurs cours ; indépendants de tout pouvoir politique ou économique. Avec ces libertés, viennent cependant des responsabilités : les libertés universitaires ne pourraient conserver leur légitimité si elles ne s’accompagnaient pas du respect des exigences résultant de la déontologie universitaire. En France, les libertés universitaires sont singulières. Elles se distinguent de la définition qu’en proposent le droit allemand – à travers le concept de Wissenschaftsfreiheit – et le droit anglo-saxon – qui a consacré la liberté académique. Cette spécificité devrait permettre de répondre à la contradiction entre la soumission des enseignants-chercheurs français au statut général de la fonction publique – qui encadre les libertés individuelles des fonctionnaires – et la nécessité pour eux d’exercer leurs fonctions universitaires sans entraves. Cependant, les libertés universitaires telles qu’elles sont consacrées en France ne semblent pas, dans un contexte largement renouvelé, en mesure d’opérer efficacement cette conciliation : il convient, dès lors, d’étudier leur contenu et leurs sources. L’approche comparée mettant en perspective trois modèles différents – allemand, américain et britannique – permet d’envisager des possibilités d’évolution du droit universitaire français. / Academic freedom is fundamental to ensure the longevity of democratic societies: whithout it, higher education cannot play its part, which is to question acquired knowledge, to discover more and to transmit it to the next generation. To fulfil this double mission of inquiry and teaching, faculty should be free to investigate and to publish the results of their research; free to choose the contents and the form of their courses ; independant from politic and economic powers. However, with this freedom come some responsabilities: the academic freedom would not be legitimate if faculty did not respect the requirements of professional ethics.In France, academic freedom is singular. It is different from the definition stemming from the German law – at the origin of the concept of Wissenschaftsfreheit – and from English legal tradition – that created the concept of « academic freedom ». This specificity should overcome the contradiction between the compliance of the french university professors to the civil servant Act – which limits the individual freedoom of the state employees – and the need for them to exercise their academic functions freely. Nevertheless, academic freedom as defined in France does not seem able, in an innovative context, to ensure this conciliation, so that it becomes necessary to study its content and its sources. The comparative approach will allow to propose some possibility of evolution for French higher education law.