The Relationship Between EE and the Ideal L2 Self in Swedish Upper Secondary Students

Abstract

Since the late 2000s, there has been a great surge of research in the field of EE (Extramural English), examining what activities students engage in and how additional exposure to English outside of the classroom affects their proficiency. Similarly, the aspect of motivation in language learning has also become a relevant field of study, using concepts such as the ideal L2 self to explain how students’ future visions of themselves as competent L2 speakers motivate them to excel. There is, however, a lack of research investigating how these two relevant fields intersect. To aid filling this gap, this study examined the relationship between both receptive and productive EE (Extramural English) and the ideal L2 self in Swedish upper secondary students. Additionally, the students’ EE engagement and ideal L2 selves were compared to their self-reported language proficiency in English. Data were collected through a questionnaire to two upper secondary schools in western Sweden. Results showed that students perceived themselves as proficienct in English, participated regularly in EE, and had strong ideal L2 selves. More positive and significant correlations were found between receptive EE activities and aspects of the ideal L2 self, however the correlations found between productive EE and the ideal L2 self were stronger. Students’ self-perception of their proficiency correlated stronger to their EE engagement and ideal L2 selves than their self-reported grades. The study highlights the intricate relationship between students’ motivation and their language learning practices as well as the need for more research in the field.