In September 2018, we were given the task of studying the characteristic of ESL students outside the classroom zone by the Department of English and Literature so we made the strategy to carry out the research confined to 120 college students based on their individual feedback to our questionnaire. The research was carried out accordingly and the feedback data were presented interms of various statistical graphical representation.

1. Researchers:
Kalitham Alkaabi
Waad Almuqbali
Shama Alghaithi
Supervisor: Mohammed Yahya Abdullah
USING ENGLISH OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM ZONE:
FACTS ABOUT EFL STUDENTS AT BUC
BUC 2 National Student Research Conference
" Promoting Research, Fostering Academic Integrity"
(BUC-NSRC 2019)

2. Background of the Study




“There are 350 million native speakers, 350 million speakers of English
as a second language and 100 million speakers of English as a foreign
language” (Tonian, 2014,p.5).
Oman as many of other countries appreciates the importance of
learning
English.
It is still considered as one of the most challenging tasks to perform
proficiently within a first language (L1) setting (Al-Mahrooqi, 2012).
In the context of Oman, EFL learners are still suffering from learning

3. Statement of the Problem



Omani EFL learners greatly realize the urgent need to
improve English language skills.
They are in a real need to develop their language
proficiency and to achieve higher qualifications.
Activities provided inside the classroom are not
enough and students use English only inside the
classroom.

4. Research Question
 To what extent are the EFL students at
BUC motivated to use English language
outside the classroom zone?

5. The significant of the Study



The significance of this study lies in shedding the lights
on the fact that to what extent our EFL students are
exposed to the English language outside the classroom.
EFL learners can gain a lot of benefits from the
activities outside the classroom.
It raises EFL learners’ attention to learn English and
inspires them to achieve superior English language
skills.

6. Scope of the Study
This study is only limited to the students of
English department at BUC.

7. Past Studies
Title of the
study
The researcher(s) Aim of the study Findings
English language
inside and outside
the classroom
(Tonian, 2014) 1) Investigate the way of learning
English language in Portugal.
* Most part of the
student’s English
knowledge is received
from outside the
classroom.
* Motivation is very
important in language
learning.
Exposure to English
outside the
classroom
(MacLeord & Larsson,
2011)
1)Establish the nature of English
influence on teenagers
2)Examine whether it is naturally
occurring acquisition on
knowledge is used in the more
formal language of the
classroom learning environment
* English has great effect
on Swedish children.
* There are different types
of media used in the
classroom, but they are
not interesting according
to the children.

8. Past Studies
Title of the
study
The researcher(s) Aim of the study Findings
Use of English
beyond the
classroom wall
(Ferdous, 2013) 1) find out and discuss about
the experience of 60
undergraduate students have
regarding out of class activities.
*English plays vital role in
student’s life.
Students practice English
more in private domain
rather than public.
* Media are very important
in student’s life.
English language
learning beyond the
classroom walls
(Olmedo, 2014) 1) Determine the student’s
frequency of engagement in
English medium activities.
2) Find out which strategies
student use when they are in
contact with media in foreign
language.
3) Investigate the effects of age
on the frequency of exposure to
English.
4) Examine the relationship
between out-of-school contact
with English and the student’s
language skills.
* Listening to the music is
the activity that the
students most engaged in.
* There are significant
differences in the
frequency of exposure to
English between students.
* Watching films with no
subtitle, reading, and
speaking in English were
used most by the students.

9. Methodology




Employing quantitative research design via purposive
sampling technique.
120 undergraduate students of English majors
responded to the distributed questionnaire.
20-items questionnaire was adapted from Tonoian
(2014).
The obtained data was analyzed statistically to get
percentages and mean scores.

10. Findings and Discussion
Part one :Demographic Data
11 40 40 29
First year Second year Third year Fourth year
Frequency
0
15
30
45
Year of Stuy
Fig.1 Year of Study
Figure 1 illustrates the number of BUC students who participated and
the year of their study (40). The results show that most of the
participants are second and third year students. Fewer than 30
participants are in the fourth year while just 11 students are in the first
year.

11. Findings and Discussion
Part one :Demographic Data
Fig. 2 Gender
Figure 2 shows the number of female and male participants. There is an
apparent disparity in the gender. Around 104 participants are female,
whereas only16 participants are male.
104 16
Female Male
Frequency
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
AxisTitle
Gender

12. Findings and Discussion
Part one :Demographic Data
Fig. 3 Age
Figure 3 presents the number of participants according to their age. Nearly
more than half of the respondents are between the ages 21-23 years old (75)
. Around 25 participants are between the ages18-20 years, and 20
participants are between the ages 24 years and above.
25 75 20
18-20 years old 21-23 years old 24years old-above
Frequency
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
AxisTitle
Age

13. Findings and Discussion
Part one :Demographic Data
Fig. 4 Language Proficiency
Figure 4 shows the participant's self-assessment about their proficiency in
English. Approximately more than 60 of respondents evaluated their English
proficiency as good, almost7 respondents as excellent, 42 as very good,
around 8 participants as fair, while just 1 participant evaluated his English
proficiency as poor.
7 42 62 8 1
excellent very good good Fair Poor
Frequency
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
AxisTitle
Language Proficiency

14. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 5 Reading English Books
Based on the research aim, participants were asked questions related to using
English outside the classroom. The results presented in figure 5 show how many
books the participants read last year. Around 7% of respondents said that they
read more than 6 books during the last year, whereas 55% read 1-3 books, 12%
read 4-6 books, and 27% didn’t read any book.
54%
12%
7%
27%
Q1.How many books in English( but not part of your courses)
have you read in last 12 months?
0
1-3
4-6
More than 6

15. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 6 Speak English Outside Classroom
Figure 6 illustrates how often the participants speak English outside the classroom.
Around 40% of participants indicate that they use English every day, 33% twice a
week, 17% more than two times, and 11% never practice the language beyond the
classroom
32%
11%
40%
17%
2.How often do you speak in English outside
the classroom ?
Every day
Twice a week
More
Never

16. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 7 Speak English Outside Classroom (2)
Figure 7 shows to whom the participants speak mostly in English. More than 35%
of respondents clarify that they speak English most with their friends in face to
face meetings, 18% with other people, 23% said with friends (online),10% with
classmates, and finally just 8% of them speak English with their parents.
38%38%10%10%
23%23%
18%18%
3%3%
8%8%
3.Who do you speak to most often in English ?
Parents Friends (face to face) Friends(online) Classmate Other None

17. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 8 Write in English Outside Classroom
This figure indicates whether the participants use English in writing or not. Just
around 12% of those who responded stated that they write in English every day,
around 16% said that they write in English a couple of times every week,27 % have
other choices, and 45% of participants never write in English.
45%
27%
16%
12%
4. How often do you write in English outside the classroom?
Everyday
A couple of times a
week
Never

18. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 9 Using English Outside Classroom
Figure 9 illustrates the results found about the activities that the participants have
done in the last month. Almost 26% of respondents used English to post a comment
on Facebook or other social networks, 22% used English while speaking in the phone,
18% watched a movie in English with no subtitles, 12% used English while chatting,
12% used English to write an email, 6% used English to write an SMS, and finally 5%
used English to share something creative like poem or a short story.
22%
17%
11%
6%
12%
5%
1%
26%
5.Which of the following have you done in the last month in English?
Posted a comment on facebook or other
social networks
spoken in the phone
Texted (SMS)
Written an email
Watched a movie in English with no subtitles
Chatted to somebody
Shared something creative e.g.a poem or a
short story

19. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 10 Watching TV Programmers in English
Figure 10 shows how often the participants watch movies or TV programs in English.
36% of participants indicated that they watch movies or TV programs in English once
a week, 22% of them watch once a month, 14% watch very rarely, 19% nearly every
day, and around 9% said that they never watch any program in English.
36%
22%
14%
9%
19%
6.How often do you watch movies or TV programs in English?
Nearly everyday
Once a week
Once a month
Very rarely
Never

20. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 11 Foreign Friends
Regarding to the number of the foreign friends that the participants have, figure 11
nearly 38% of respondents said that they didn’t have any foreign friends, 37% of them
indicate that they have 1-5 foreign friends, 17% of them have 5-10 friends, and just 8
% said they have more than 10 foreign friends.
17%8%
38% 37%
7.How many foreign friends do you have ?
1-5
5-10
More than 10
i do not have any foreign friends

21. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 12 Speaking to Foreign Friends
Figure 12 presents how often the participants speak to their foreign friends.
According to the results, 38% of respondents indicated that they never speak to their
foreign friends, 23% rarely speak to them,18% very often, and only 20% speak daily to
their foreign friends
23%
19%
38%
20%
8.How often do you speak to your foreign friends ?
Daily
Rarely
Very often
Never

22. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 13 Using Social Networks
This figure13 illustrates the time that participants spend in social networks. It's clear
from the information given in the pie chart that the majority for participants who
prefer to spend more than two hours every day in social networks. 27%of
participants said that they spend 1-2 hours every day. 20% spend 1-5 hours per week ,
and around 7% said they do not use any social networks .
27%
37%
9%
20%
7%
9.How much time do you spend in social networks?
I do not use any social networks
1-5hours per week
1-2hours everyday
More than 2 hours everyday
Other

23. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 14 Watching YouTube Video in English
The figure below indicates watching a YouTube video in the English language by
BUC students. More than 80%of participants referred that they watch YouTube
videos in the English language. This pie chart gives a simple overview of how
participants are interested in developing and improving their skills in English. The
minority was for participants who did not watch tutorials in the English language.
80%
20%
10.Do you ever watch a YouTube video in English ?
Yes
No

24. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 15 Frequencies of Watching YouTube Video in English
Figure 15 is totally related to figure 14 which shows the specific time for those
participants who watch tutorials in the English language. The period for BUC
students who watch YouTube videos in English varies from one student to another.
Around 53%of participants mentioned that they do sometimes watch English
tutorials. 20% said nearly every day. Finally, 14% of students stated that practice
their English language by watching YouTube video several time a day.
53%
20%
14% 13%
11.If yes , how often do you do that?
Never
Sometimes
Nearly everyday
Several times a day

25. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 16 Watching English Movie and Television Program
Figure16 describes the language that BUC students always used as subtitles to watch an
English movie or programs. According to the results that found about watch English program
and films, the majority was for participants who watch English movies with Arabic subtitles,
where it represented around 53 per cent .26% of BUC students watch English movie with
English subtitles, 18% in English without subtitles , and minority was for those who are
watching movies in another language, where it represented 5%.
26%51%
5%
18%
12.When you watch an English movie or television program , do
you watch it…
in English without subtitles?
in English with English subtitles?
in English with Arabic subtitles?
in another language ?

26. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 17 Posting Comment on Social Networks
Since social networks sites are one of the most important ways to communicate and post
comments by using different languages, most respondents who represent 37% of the
participants have stated their use of Arabic language in posting comments , 28% of them post
comments in English half the time , 25 % do it mostly in English , and around 10% do it rarely in
English .
25%
27%
10%
38%
13.When you post comment on a social network do you usually…
do it in Arabic ?
do it mostly in English?
do it in English half the time ?
do it rarely in English?

27. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 18 Progress of English Language
The evidence from figure18 shows that over half of the participants think that their progress in
English language learning was due to what they did in their English classes at college while the
remaining 44% of respondents think that was because of their own use of English outside the
classroom , and this point indicates how BUC students are distance and lack of interest in
practicing English outside the classroom
56%
44%
14.Do you think that your progress at learning English in college was
due to …
what you did in your English
classes at college ?
your own use of English outside
the classroom ?

28. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 19 Setting English as Main Language
They are many ways in which students can strengthen their language, and the phone is one of
the most effective ways in which students can learn to improve their English language and skills.
From the information in this pie chart, the participants were asked if they have ever tried setting
English as main language on their mobile device. Around 75% of them, they stated that they did
set their phone as the English language, and the rest 25% they did not.
75%
25%
15.Have you tried setting English as main language on your mobile
device?
Yes
No

29. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 20 Watching English movies without subtitles
Figure 20 shows whether the BUC students have tried to watch a movie in the English language
with no subtitles. Most of them said that they have tried watching a movie in the English
language with no subtitles, they were around 69% who said yes, about the rest of participants
said no and they were around 31%.
69%
31%
16.Have you tried watching a movie in the English language with no subtitles at
all?
Yes No

30. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 21 Watching News in English
Figure 21 illustrates how BUC students are interested in watching the news in the English language,
around 25% said that they never tried to watch the news in the English language while around 44%
stated that they did try to watch almost once or twice. About other, some of them stick that they
did watch nearly 6-3 times, 22% 3-5 times and finally around 2% of them mentioned they did that
more than ten times.
44%
22%
3%
2%
29%
17.How often did you watch news in the English language?
Never
once or twice
3-5 times
6-0 times
More than 10 times

31. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 22 Watching TV in English
This pie chart illustrates the number of times that participants did watch TV in the English
language. 42% of them did watch nearly once or twice, 33% from 5-3 time, and around 8% stated
from 6-10 times, 8 % again said nearly more than ten times, and the rest stated around 9% which
represented that they never tried to watch TV in the English language.
42%
33%
8%
8% 9%
18.How often did you watch TV in the English language?
Never
once or twice
3-5 times
6-10 times
More than 10 times

32. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 23 Listening to the Radio in English
This figure states the number of time that BUC students listened to the radio in the English
language.37% of participants indicated that they had never listened to radio in the English
language ,36% of them had listened to radio in the English language once or twice ,12%
participants stated that they did listen to English language 3-5 times, and around 8% of them did
watch more than 10 times, and finally 75 of participants stated they did listen to radio nearly 6- 10
times and that indicate how BUC students are so far from study and practice their listening skills
36%
12%
7%
8%
37%
19.How often did you listen to the radio in the English language?
Never
once or twice
3-5 times
6-10 times
more than 10 times

33. Findings and Discussion
Part Two: Using English Outside Classroom
Fig. 24 Reading any Websites in English
Figure24 illustrates the number of times that participants have read any website in English
language. The majority of students were almost 42% of them, and they indicated that they did
read in English language once or twice, 32% of them stated that they did read articles in English
language from3 to 5 times, 17% presented those participants who have been read more than 10
times, and around 12% of participants never did read , and minority were for those who
represented nearly 6% where they did read from 6-10 times .
42%23%
6%
17%
12%
20-How often did you read any website in the English language?
Never
Once or twice
3-5 times
6-10 times
More than 10 times

34. Conclusion



Predominantly, students use English inside the
classroom.
Students learn passively through the use of textbooks.
EFL students lack the motivation to use English
outside
classroom.

35. 

Recommendations
Design out-of-class activities to provide EFL students with
a sufficient number of opportunities to practice English
outside classroom zone.
Encourage EFL students to use different means to
enhance their English language abilities such as movies, TV
programs, YouTube ,etc.

36. References
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Chongpensuklert, S.Motivation Towards Speaking English Outside the Classroom: A Case Study
of Thai Students in the International Program at International College, Suan Sunandha Rajbhat
University : Language Institute, Thammasat University.
Ferdous, T.Use of English beyond the classroom wall: A study of undergraduate students' out-of-
class English learning activities. BRAC University.
MacLeod, F., & Larsson, P. Exposure to English outside the Classroom.
Mahadi, T. S. T., & Jafari, S. M. Motivation, its types, and its impacts in language learning.
International Journal of Business and Social Science, 3 (24).
Olmedo, M. I. English language learning beyond the classroom walls.Unpublished doctoral
dissertation). Barcelona: University of Barcelona .
Tanaka, K. (2007). Japanese students' contact with English outside the classroom during study
abroad.New Zealand Studies in Applied Linguistics, 13 (1), 36.
Tonoian, L.English language learning inside and outside the classroom in Portugal.

37. Thank You For ListeningThank You For Listening