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Revisiting Age Effects and Extramural Exposure in EFL Writing

delete2026-03-01
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R
Roberto Arias‐Hermoso *
A
Agirre, Ainara Imaz
DOI:10.1111/ijal.70173delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Learners' extramural exposure (EE) to English beyond the classroom is becoming increasingly relevant as a site for language learning. EE has risen as a crucial variable in language development, learning and acquisition; however, the interaction between different types of EE and learners' age remains insufficiently studied. This study explores the interface between biological age (operationalised as school years) and EE in English as a foreign language (EFL) writing performance in secondary school. A cross-sectional sample (N = 527) of Basque-Spanish bilingual 12-16-year-old students from the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain) participated in this study. The learners studied EFL as a third language at school and completed a written task about a disciplinary topic. Three EE-related variables were measured: informal exposure, formal private tuition, and parental variables. Multiple regressions, Mann-Whitney U tests, and correlations were used to explore potential differences related to the variables in writing performance. The analyses indicated that age was the strongest predictor, followed by both informal exposure and private tuition, while parental factors were non-significant. Furthermore, EE effects interacted differently with age: private tuition had a stronger impact on younger learners' scores but gradually diminished, while older learners showed greater gains from informal exposure, particularly from watching TV/films and social media. The study suggests that maturity is a crucial factor and that EE mediation effects need to be understood as a dynamic process. Pedagogical and theoretical implications are discussed to foster EFL learning inside and outside the classroom by considering maturational constraints. La exposici & oacute;n extramural (EE) del alumnado al ingl & eacute;s fuera del aula est & aacute; ganando importancia como contexto de aprendizaje de lenguas. De hecho, la EE ha emergido como una variable clave en el desarrollo, aprendizaje y adquisici & oacute;n de lenguas; sin embargo, la interacci & oacute;n entre los distintos tipos de EE y la edad del alumnado no se ha estudiado lo suficiente. Este estudio explora la interacci & oacute;n entre la edad biol & oacute;gica (cursos escolares) y la EE en el rendimiento en escritura en ingl & eacute;s como lengua extranjera en educaci & oacute;n secundaria. En el estudio particip & oacute; una muestra transversal (N = 527) de estudiantes biling & uuml;es euskera-espa & ntilde;ol que estudiaban ingl & eacute;s como L3, de entre 12 y 16 a & ntilde;os de la Comunidad Aut & oacute;noma del Pa & iacute;s Vasco. La muestra complet & oacute; una tarea escrita sobre un tema disciplinar. Se midieron tres variables relacionadas con la EE: exposici & oacute;n informal, clases particulares y variables parentales. Para explorar posibles diferencias en el rendimiento escrito en funci & oacute;n de estas variables, empleamos regresiones m & uacute;ltiples, pruebas U de Mann-Whitney y correlaciones. Los resultados muestran que la edad es el predictor m & aacute;s fuerte, seguida de la exposici & oacute;n informal y las clases particulares, mientras que los factores parentales no tienen efecto significativo. Asimismo, los efectos de diferentes tipos de EE interact & uacute;an diferentemente con la edad: las clases particulares tienen un mayor efecto en los/las aprendices m & aacute;s j & oacute;venes, pero este efecto disminuye gradualmente, mientras que los estudiantes de mayor edad mostraron mayores beneficios de la exposici & oacute;n informal, especialmente a trav & eacute;s del consumo de televisi & oacute;n/pel & iacute;culas y redes sociales. El estudio sugiere que la madurez es un factor crucial, y que los efectos mediadores de la EE deben entenderse como un proceso din & aacute;mico. En conclusi & oacute;n, el estudio tiene implicaciones pedag & oacute;gicas y te & oacute;ricas para fomentar el aprendizaje de EFL dentro y fuera del aula, teniendo en cuenta las limitaciones madurativas.
Keywords:
age
extramural exposure
EFL
out-of-school
writing development
edad
exposici & oacute
n extramural
ingl & eacute
s como lengua extranjera
aprendizaje fuera del aula
desarrollo de la escritura

Journal

I
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED LINGUISTICS
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