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EXTRAMURAL ENGLISH ACTIVITIES AND INDIVIDUAL LEARNER DIFFERENCES L2 learning and other individual learner differences. Even though previous research has found that in the short run, classroom-based L2 learning may prove more effective than out-of-school L2 learning contexts (Norris-Ortega 2000, Spada-Tomita 2010), extramural L2 learning may provide learners with L2 learning opportunities in the long run, too. Nevertheless, the impact of out-of-school (extramural) contexts on individual learner differences is a relatively under-researched field within second language acguisition, let alone in the Hungarian context (for an exception, see Lajtai, 2020). A large-scale, nationwide survey by Öveges and Csizér (2018) in Hungary investigated Hungarian secondary school foreign language teachers" perceptions of Hungarian secondary school students! foreign language learning motivation and compared these results with Hungarian secondary school students" self-reported foreign language learning motivation. The results of this major largescale study show that secondary school students’ (self-reported) motivation (M=3.84 on a 5-point Likert scale) was higher than their foreign language learning motivation perceived by foreign language teachers (M=3.46 on a 5-point Likert scale). It also becomes apparent from the data that most students engage in EE activities (M=3.71 on a 5-point Likert scale). The study, however, as it was not the main aim of it, does not investigate whether there is a connection between engagement in EE and foreign language learning motivation and whether the former may impact the latter. As Lajtai (2020) points out, the contradiction between teachers’ and students’ answers may result from students’ attitudes towards classroom-based foreign language learning. Based on this, it is hypothesized that the discrepancy between students’ and teachers’ perceptions lies in the different foreign language contexts, as classroom-based instruction may be less interesting for learners than the English they encounter outside school, which Henry (2013) calls the authenticity gap. The rationale, therefore, in carrying out this research project is to fill this niche in the literature and investigate Hungarian secondary school students’ extramural interests and the potential impact of these activities on students’ individual learner differences. In light of these objectives, this book may be considered relatively unique in the Hungarian context, as recent research investigating the niche outlined above is virtually nonexistent. Accordingly, the outcomes of this research project may contribute to a better understanding of Hungarian secondary school students’ extramural interests and individual learner differences. This book consists of 7 chapters. Chapter 1 presents the background of the research along with the research gap the present research project attempts to fill. The aim of Chapter 2 is to first explain the use of the main term extramural English activities in this research project, and to describe the meaning of + ]4 +
