Senior University Students' Extracurricular Activities and English Performance: A Study on Determining Factors and Perceived Impacts

Xiaojing Zheng; Princess P. Santos

doi:10.54097/0d10zg95

Authors

Xiaojing Zheng
Princess P. Santos

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54097/0d10zg95

Keywords:

Senior Students, Extracurricular English Activities, Determinants of Participation, English Performance, Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

In the context of globalization and internationalization of higher education, English proficiency has become a core competency for college students. Traditional classroom teaching faces limitations such as a single context, insufficient interaction, and limited practical opportunities. Extracurricular activities related to English have become an important complementary path for enhancing language proficiency. This study takes 120 senior English majors from Fuzhou University of Foreign Trade as the research subjects, adopts an interpretive sequential mixed method, and quantitatively analyzes the types, frequency, personal and family determinants of extracurricular activity participation, as well as their correlation with English scores. It also explores subjective perceptions and practical experiences through semi-structured interviews with 10 students. The results show that the frequency and type of extracurricular activity participation are significantly positively correlated with overall English scores; personal motivation, self-efficacy, family economic and cultural capital, and communication atmosphere are key factors affecting participation behavior; academic, professional, and cross-cultural extracurricular activities have differentiated enhancement effects on academic writing, professional application, and oral fluency, respectively. This study addresses the deficiencies in existing research regarding the lack of attention to senior student groups and the absence of a longitudinal perspective, providing empirical evidence for universities to optimize their English extracurricular systems and enhance the quality of talent cultivation.

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