EXTRACURRICULAR ENGLISH CLUB PRACTICES AND ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES LEARNING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PARAKOU

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students are required to participate in extracurricular activities like English clubs, for constant language immersion and practice. This study examined the influence of clubs on learners' specific English proficiency levels. 36 students, members of 02 English clubs at the University of Parakou participated in the study. A mixed-methods approach (questionnaire and observation) was employed. The results revealed that regular club members performed better than non-regular members. Furthermore, the clubs offer a less stressful environment, develop learners' psychological skills, and allow them to use English in situations similar to those encountered in the professional world.