Pia Sundqvist

Language-related computer use: Focus on young L2 English learners in Sweden*

Blogpost about Language-related computer use : Focus on young L2 English learners in Sweden.

World of VocCraft : Computer games and Swedish learners’ L2 English vocabulary

Learning languages is a social activity — and so is playing computer games. Many parents would probably object to the latter part of the statement, having experiences of their teenager not joining the rest of the family for dinner due to a quest, a dungeon, or a raid in World of Warcraft. But while being kept from family by a computer game may seem asocial, a teenager immersed in World of Warcraft is in fact meeting with people ‘of all ages, countries, and value systems’ (Gee, 2007b, p. 182) in an international virtual world. In this chapter, our aim is to show that playing computer games indeed facilitates second language (L2) acquisition.1 In order to do so, we present three studies, each of which shows mounting evidence for the positive role of extramural English in general, and computer games in particular, in the acquisition of English vocabulary by Swedish learners. We will show how gender, age, and the type of gaming affect acquisition, and we discuss implications of these for teaching practice.

Extramural English in teaching and learning : From theory and research to practice

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 inv ...

Testing L2 Talk: A Review of Empirical Studies on Second-Language Oral Proficiency Testing

In this review article, empirical studies published from 2004 through 2014 on second-language (L2) oral proficiency testing are analyzed, with a specific focus on discourse and social interaction in such tests. Taking three common test setups, oral proficiency interviews (OPIs), paired peer tests, and group peer tests as an organizing principle for the studies examined, recent developments in L2 oral proficiency testing research are situated, reviewed, and discussed, with a particular focus on tests conducted in face-to-face contexts. Findings from the review of selected journals, databases, monographs, and edited collections indicate (1) a prevalence of studies of the OPI format, but a growing research base on paired and group tests, (2) an absence of oral test studies in discourse journals, and (3) an emphasis on assessment, validation, and rater perspectives, as opposed to detailed analyses of interaction in L2 tests.

Classroom vs. Extramural English: Teachers Dealing with Demotivation

The present article explores challenges facing EFL classrooms in Sweden due to new informal out-of-school language learning settings created by the current media landscape. A recent Swedish nationa ...

The teacher as examiner of L2 oral tests : A challenge to standardization

The present paper looks at the issue of standardization in L2 oral testing. Whereas external examiners are frequently used globally, some countries opt for test-takers’ own teachers as examiners instead. In the present study, Sweden is used as a case in point, with a focus on the mandatory, high-stakes, summative, ninth-grade national test in English (speaking part). The national test has the typical characteristics of standardized tests and its main objective is to contribute to equity in assessment and grading on a national level. However, using teachers as examiners raises problems for standardization. The aim of this study is to examine teachers’/examiners’ practices and views regarding four aspects of the speaking test – test-taker grouping, recording practices, the actual test occasion, and examiner participation in students’ test interactions – and to discuss findings in relation to issues concerning the normativity and practical feasibility of standardization, taking the perspectives of test-takers, teachers/examiners, and test constructors into account. In order to answer research questions linked to these four aspects of L2 oral testing, self-report survey data from a random sample of teachers (N = 204) and teacher interviews (N = 11) were collected and quantitative data were analyzed using inferential statistics. Survey findings revealed that despite thorough instructions, teacher practices and views vary greatly across all aspects, which was further confirmed by interview data. Three background variables – teacher certification, work experience, gender – were investigated to see whether they could provide explanations. Whereas certification and gender did not contribute significantly to explaining the findings, work experience bore some relevance, but effect sizes were generally small. The study concludes that using teachers as examiners is a well-functioning procedure in terms of assessment for learning, but raises doubts regarding assessment of learning and standardization; a solution for test authorities could be to frame the test as non-standardized.

Extramural English Goes to School

Whereas the focus in Part I of the book was on research and theoretical aspects of L2 learning, in this chapter we turn to the more practical part of this volume. Here, we present how findings from research and theory can be used to inform teaching practice, because it is important that classroom work stands on solid ground. We go into practical, hands-on activities, connecting the theoretical perspectives with classroom practice. Among other things, we introduce several ways for teachers (and researchers) to map learners’ experiences of extramural English and provide a number of appendices.

Global and Extramural English: Classroom Challenges

This chapter looks into Global English and extends the discussion of the role of extramural English in L2 English learning. Among other things, we discuss ‘The Kachruvian approach’ in relation to the fact that many young people today have access to English more or less on a daily basis. Other topics addressed are norms and language use in English language teaching and assessment, as well as the diversity of L2 English classrooms, which is mainly the result of the increased relevance of extramural English for learning on the one hand, and the influence of Global English on the other. Because of this, the job of an English teacher demands specialized teaching skills, and this topic is also discussed.

Evidence from Extramural English Informing English Language Teaching

There is plenty of anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of language learning from activities done for another purpose. If asked, any parent or teacher can provide evidence of the surprising amount of words a child knows in an L2 just because he or she engages in reading, gaming, or film-watching in that language. However, while anecdotal evidence is a good start, it is certainly not enough for proving that certain correlations exist between factors; we need findings obtained through scientific research. Therefore, in this chapter, we give an overview of empirical studies targeting the relation between extramural English and L2 English learning. The chapter is basically organized in a chronological order, so that studies from the 1990s are reported first, followed by those published after the turn of the century. The chapter ends with reports targeting a specific EE activity, digital gaming, in relation to L2 learning, and by introducing the so-called EE House.

Age, Motivation, and Theories of L2 Learning

There are several ways to learn an L2 and different opportunities and conditions for doing so. Learners differ with regard to, for example, aptitude for language learning, willingness to communicate, self-confidence, level of anxiety, and cognitive ability. They also differ with regard to the age at which they start learning the L2, where they live, and the extent to which they are motivated for L2 learning. In this chapter, we address theories in second language acquisition, with an emphasis on those appearing after what has become known as the social turn (Block, 2003) and specific L2 motivation theories. In addition, we discuss teacher empowerment, age effects in L2 learning, and the benefits and drawbacks of starting L2 teaching early. There is also a section on different forms of assessment, and assessment in relation to learner age.