Premium
Understanding the Quality of Out‐of‐Class English Learning
Author(s) -
Lai Chun,
Zhu Weimin,
Gong Gang
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
tesol quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.737
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1545-7249
pISSN - 0039-8322
DOI - 10.1002/tesq.171
Subject(s) - class (philosophy) , psychology , language acquisition , context (archaeology) , mathematics education , meaning (existential) , quality (philosophy) , active learning (machine learning) , cooperative learning , experiential learning , pedagogy , teaching method , computer science , artificial intelligence , philosophy , epistemology , paleontology , psychotherapist , biology
Out‐of‐class learning constitutes an important context for human development, and active engagement in out‐of‐class activities is associated with successful language development. However, not all out‐of‐class experiences are equally beneficial to learning, and it is of paramount importance to understand what quality out‐of‐class English language learning entails. This study surveyed 82 middle school EFL students on their out‐of‐class English language learning in order to identify the characteristics of the experiences that are associated with good learning outcomes. The study found that out‐of‐class learning composed of diversified constituents that met the varied needs in language learning and complemented in‐class learning by striking a balance between focus on meaning and focus on form were positively associated with good English grades, English language learning efficacy, and enjoyment. It also found that parents and teachers were significant sources of influence on the quality of students' out‐of‐class learning.