While a growing number of empirical findings reveal the high level of media-related extramural English contacts in smaller European countries, reliable empirical data for Germany and Switzerland has been scarce. The present study aimed to close this research gap by providing insight into the frequency and forms of extramural English contact by students in their penultimate year in upper secondary education.

To achieve this goal, the large-scale assessment study ‘Measuring English Writing at Secondary Level’ (MEWS) included a catalog of questions concerning the frequency of extramural English contact through 10 media categories (music, radio/podcasts, audiobooks, books, newspapers/magazines, movies/TV series, TV shows, online videos, surfing the internet and gaming). In addition, follow-up questions measured in-depth information about the students’ media behavior for the most relevant categories. Students were also tested on their reading, listening, and writing skills and given an extensive background questionnaire. The study collected data from 2,847 students from Germany and the German-speaking part of Switzerland.

The results from the present study demonstrate that, on average, older adolescents in upper secondary education in Germany and Switzerland come into intensive and regular contact with English as a foreign language outside of the classroom. Students regularly engage in several activities, with listening to English music being the most popular. For most students, videos, online posts, and websites in English are also a constant presence in their lives. The contact is mostly passive. If students engage in active behavior, it is mostly via shorter posts on social media platforms.

Students stressed the omnipresence of English online and the possible learning and practice opportunities as important reasons for their media-related extramural English contact. Nevertheless, they also reported choosing to engage in such contacts for their entertainment value, earlier availability, easier access, and the high quality of English media productions.

The frequency and preference for extramural English contacts via various media channels could be shown to run along stereotypical gender lines, with male students being more active on online video platforms and in gaming activities, and female students more likely to be engaged in communication and to read online and offline content in English.

Regarding the socio-economic background, the present study found mixed effects. While for media content in the native language, a high socio-economic background is usually associated with less frequent online and computer-based media exposure (e.g., MPFS, 2017; Waller et al., 2016), a positive effect was found for media content in English (except for computer games). These effects can be attributed to a higher level of cultural resources and a more conducive home environment, which form a specific media habitus that encourages extramural English contacts. However, English-language media content from some media categories, namely the internet in general and social media platforms in particular, were popular among members of all social groups.

In line with the hypothesis, the results also provided evidence for the positive relationship between extramural English contacts and students’ reading, writing, and listening skills. However, some methodological limitations concerning sampling procedure and hierarchical structure in the dataset could not be completely controlled for in the present study. The results should therefore be read with caution.

Despite these limitations, the results are encouraging, as they reveal media-related extramural English contacts to be a valuable additional source for English learning and practice. The effects suggest an advantage for male students and children from higher socio-economic backgrounds in terms of possible learning benefits. Students from lower socio-economic backgrounds and female students might benefit less from these incidental learning effects.

Future research should focus on the specific nature and quality of language input deriving from different media channels. In addition, future research should strive to implement experimental study designs to better understand the nature of the causal relationship between media-related extramural English contacts and incidental language learning processes. Future studies should also be interested in including different age groups and learners from diverse family backgrounds and different school tracks. The unique and complex influence of socio-economic background and gender categories should also be investigated further. Last, more empirical research is needed to investigate the influence of prior knowledge on successful extramural English contact and incidental language learning, as well as the learning strategies students might employ while engaging in extramural contacts.

Overall, the findings of the present study challenge the way we might think about the English language in both Germany and Switzerland. Traditionally, English has been a foreign language for students in both countries, and until recently, contact was mainly facilitated through the educational system, with limited contact to native speakers. The internet has changed that. This omnipresence might also impact peoples’ identities as language users. As Kohn (2011) points out, the increased communication between natives and non-natives challenges our perspective of what using and knowing English is all about. In an international environment, native speakers are not the sole owners of the language anymore, and young language users in Germany and Switzerland will likely find themselves being part of an ever-growing global community that regularly uses English as a lingua franca to communicate. Indeed, even though several adolescents in the present sample chose not to engage with English outside of school, the results suggest that English has become an increasingly important part of most students' everyday lives in Germany and Switzerland. Not all students favored all available media channels, but not many seem to be able to escape the impact the English language has on our media landscape completely.