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While classroom lessons help us learn English grammar and rules, real improvement happens when we use English in daily life. This is where extramural English activities come in. These are fun and creative things students can do outside the classroom, like watching English videos, reading storybooks, writing short stories, playing word games, or speaking with friends in English. Such activities help improve speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in a natural way. They also build confidence, vocabulary, and interest in the language.
In this blog, we will explore extramural English activities and enjoyable ways to make English practice part of your everyday routine, and how these activities can make learning English easier and more exciting.
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What Are Extramural English Activities?
Extramural English activities are fun and useful ways to learn and practice English outside the regular classroom. The word extramural means “outside the walls,” so these activities happen beyond the school timetable and are not part of formal lessons. They include things like:
- Reading English storybooks or comics
- Watching English cartoons, shows, or movies
- Playing word or language games
- Speaking with friends in English
- Writing a diary, poems, or short stories
- Listening to English songs or podcasts
These activities are self-directed or guided by teachers and parents, but they feel more like play than study. They help students use English in real-life situations, which improves their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills in a natural and enjoyable way.
Must Read: How to Learn New Words in English: Tips and Tools
Popular Extramural English Activities for Students
There are many exciting and creative ways to improve English skills outside the classroom. These activities are fun, help build confidence, and allow students to practice English in everyday situations. Here are some of the most popular extramural English activities that students of all ages can enjoy:
| Extramural English Activities | Examples | Skills Improved |
| Reading Storybooks and Comics | The Jungle Book, Geronimo Stilton, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amar Chitra Katha, Tintin, Panchatantra Tales | Reading, Vocabulary, Sentence Structure |
| Watching English Movies/Cartoons | Peppa Pig, Frozen, Moana, Zootopia, Kung Fu Panda, Dora the Explorer, Finding Nemo | Listening, Pronunciation, Real-Life Phrases |
| Speaking with Friends/Family | Role-playing as shopkeeper/customer, daily conversation at home in English, “Describe your day” activity, “Tell me about your favorite game” | Speaking, Fluency, Confidence |
| Writing a Diary or Journal | Writing about daily routine, weekend plans, school experiences, travel memories, favorite food or festivals | Writing, Grammar, Expressing Thoughts |
| Listening to English Songs | Songs like “Let It Go” (Frozen), “Baby Shark”, “Count On Me” (Bruno Mars), nursery rhymes, karaoke singing | Listening, Rhythm, Vocabulary, Pronunciation |
| Playing Word Games | Scrabble, Word Search, Hangman, Pictionary, Spelling Bee, Boggle, English Bingo, online quiz apps like Kahoot | Vocabulary, Spelling, Creative Thinking |
| Drama, Skits, and Role-plays | Acting “A Visit to the Doctor”, “At the Grocery Store”, performing short moral plays, creating your own skits | Speaking, Expression, Public Performance |
| Creative Writing | Writing a story titled “The Lost Puppy”, creating poems about nature, penning adventure tales, writing birthday cards | Writing, Creativity, Grammar |
| Pen Pal/Email Exchange | Emailing students from other schools/countries, exchanging letters with friends in English, participating in international pen pal programs | Writing, Cross-Cultural Communication |
| Using Learning Apps/Websites | Duolingo, BBC Learning English, Hello English, Fun English by Studycat, YouTube Kids English Lessons, Storyberries | Vocabulary, Grammar, Listening, Interactive Learning |
| Debates and Group Discussions | Debate topics: “Books vs. Movies”, “Online classes vs. Classroom learning”, discussions on “Favourite Festival” or “Best Cartoon Character” | Speaking, Public Speaking, Idea Sharing |
| Solving Worksheets and Puzzles | English grammar sheets, crossword puzzles, match the meanings, fill-in-the-blanks, sentence scramble worksheets | Grammar, Vocabulary, Reading Comprehension |
| Describing Pictures/Objects | Describe a family photo, talk about a scene from nature, name and describe objects in your room, describe a toy or a favorite outfit | Speaking, Observation, Vocabulary |
| Watching English YouTube Channels | CrashCourse Kids, British Council Learn English Kids, National Geographic Kids, Storyline Online | Listening, Knowledge, Comprehension |
| Podcast Listening for Kids | Circle Round, Brains On!, Wow in the World – story-based or science-based English podcasts | Listening, Comprehension, Focus |
Check out: Learning English as a Second Language (ESL)
Benefits of Extramural English Activities
Extramural English activities offer many benefits for students who want to improve their language skills in fun and natural ways. These activities make learning English more exciting, practical, and effective. Below are some important benefits of extramural English activities:
1. Improves Speaking Confidence: By talking in English with friends, family, or during role-plays, students become more confident and fluent in using the language without fear.
2. Develops Listening Skills: Watching English movies, listening to songs or podcasts helps students understand different accents, tones, and real-life conversations.
3. Boosts Reading Ability: Reading books, comics, or online stories improves reading speed, understanding, and word recognition. It also helps students see how sentences are formed.
4. Strengthens Writing Skills: Writing stories, diaries, or letters helps students learn grammar, spelling, and how to express thoughts clearly and creatively.
5. Builds a Strong Vocabulary: Through songs, games, videos, and books, students learn new words and phrases which they can use in daily conversations and schoolwork.
6. Encourages Creative Thinking: Activities like writing poems or acting in plays allow students to use their imagination and think creatively while using English.
7. Makes Learning Fun and Enjoyable: These activities feel like play, not study. When learning is fun, students stay interested and motivated to practice more.
8. Provides Regular Practice: When students do English activities daily or weekly outside the classroom, they get more chances to use the language, which leads to faster improvement.
9. Supports School Learning: Extramural practice helps students do better in school English classes as they already know many words and sentence styles from outside practice.
10. Prepares for Real-Life Use of English: These activities help students use English in real situations, like travel, online communication, or talking with people from other places.
Also Read: Games To Learn English: A New Way Of Learning
How Extramural Activities Improve Reading, Writing, Speaking Skills?
Extramural activities are fun and creative tasks that happen outside the regular classroom, such as reading books, watching movies, playing word games, or speaking with friends in English. These activities may seem playful, but they greatly improve English language skills in many ways.
Here’s how extramural activities improve language skills:
1. Improves Vocabulary and Word Power
When students read books, listen to songs, or watch English shows, they learn many new words and expressions that are not always taught in textbooks.
Example: Watching a cartoon like Peppa Pig helps children pick up phrases like “Let’s go outside!” or “It’s time for lunch!”
2. Boosts Speaking and Communication Skills
Talking with friends or acting in skits gives students a chance to practice speaking naturally. This builds fluency and helps students express themselves confidently.
Example: A student who regularly speaks in English games or clubs finds it easier to talk in class or in public.
3. Sharpens Listening Ability
Listening to songs, videos, or English podcasts trains the ears to catch words, tones, and accents. It also helps in understanding different ways people speak.
Example: Listening to stories on Storyline Online improves how students understand spoken English in daily life.
4. Enhances Writing Skills
Writing a diary, short stories, or letters builds sentence structure, spelling, and creativity. It teaches students how to organize thoughts in English.
Example: A child who writes a journal daily becomes better at using correct tenses and connecting ideas clearly.
5. Strengthens Reading and Understanding
Reading English books or comics helps improve reading speed, comprehension, and knowledge of grammar. It also teaches how sentences are formed in real life.
Example: Reading Diary of a Wimpy Kid helps students understand casual, daily-use English.
6. Makes Learning Fun and Stress-Free
Unlike classroom tests, extramural activities are relaxed and enjoyable. Students learn without pressure, which helps them remember better and feel more confident.
Example: Playing games like Scrabble or Boggle improves spelling and word recognition while having fun.
7. Builds Real-World Language Use
Through activities like role-plays, picture description, or email writing, students practice English used in daily life, not just textbook English.
Example: Role-playing “At the doctor’s clinic” teaches phrases like “I have a fever” or “Take this medicine.”
8. Increases Confidence and Reduces Fear
Many students feel shy speaking English. But with regular activities like group discussions or storytelling, they become more confident and less afraid of making mistakes.
Also Read: How to Learn English Speaking at Home?
Smart Tips for Students to Learn Extramural English Activities
Want to get better at English while having fun? Here are some smart and easy tips to help students make the most of extramural English activities. These tips can improve your learning, confidence, and creativity outside the classroom.
- Choose activities that you enjoy—like reading comics, watching cartoons, or singing songs in English. When you have fun, learning becomes easier.
- Speak a few English sentences with your parents, teachers, or friends daily. For example: “I had rice for lunch.” or “Can I help you?” – Small steps lead to big improvement.
- When watching movies or cartoons in English, turn on subtitles. This helps you read and hear the words at the same time, which improves listening and vocabulary.
- Learn one new English word every day. Write its meaning and use it in a sentence. Example: Word – “excited” → “I am excited for the picnic!”
- Use fun games like Scrabble, crosswords, Hangman, or mobile apps like Duolingo. These games make learning feel like playtime.
- Listen to easy songs with clear lyrics and try singing along. This improves your pronunciation, rhythm, and memory.
- Be part of school or local English clubs, storytelling hours, or reading circles. You’ll practice speaking and meet new friends who want to learn too.
- Talk about your day, describe your favorite toy, or pretend to order food at a restaurant all in English. This builds confidence.
- Even writing 3–4 sentences daily improves grammar and sentence flow. You can write about your day, a favorite movie, or what you want to be when you grow up.
FAQs
Extramural English activities are fun ways to learn English outside the classroom. These include reading storybooks, watching English cartoons, writing a diary, playing word games, or joining English clubs.
They help students improve English in a natural and enjoyable way. They build skills like reading, writing, speaking, listening, vocabulary, and confidence, without pressure.
Classroom learning follows books and lessons. But extramural activities are creative and free-time activities done for fun, which also help in learning real-life English.
Yes, Children of all ages can enjoy extramural English activities like listening to stories, watching cartoons in English, or singing simple English rhymes.
No special tools are needed. Most extramural English activities can be done using regular books, TV, mobile phones, or simply talking with others in English.
Yes, Activities like storytelling, group discussions, or role-play help students speak English with more confidence and better pronunciation.
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