problems in learning english essay

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Common Difficulties in Learning English

Difficulties in learning English can make you feel lost.

Without some help, it can be very hard to stay motivated.

But  overcoming those difficulties is a lot easier than you think.

In this post, I’m going to show you the six biggest difficulties in learning English , and some super useful tips and tricks to overcoming these difficulties.

After reading these areas to focus on and tips, I promise you’ll feel more confident and more hopeful, and ready to conquer the difficulties of learning English.

Vocabulary Words with Multiple Meanings

Words that aren’t pronounced the way they’re spelled, confusing intonation patterns, complex grammar with lots of exceptions, lots of confusing idioms, finding real-life speaking practice, language exchange apps, language voices, how to overcome english difficulties with others, and one more thing....

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Have you ever seen an English word that you thought you knew—but used in a completely strange way?

English vocabulary is especially difficult because there are so many words that have multiple definitions , so it’s easy to misunderstand their meanings. It’s also difficult to memorize many different definitions for each word.

Take the word  date , for example. This word can mean:

• A specified day of the month
• A time two people spend with each other romantically

The only possible way to understand which definition is being used is to pay attention to context clues . This means using the surrounding words and sentences to find out which definition for the word makes sense.

Even if you haven’t learned all the definitions for a difficult English word, context clues can help you figure out the right definition!

Can you figure out which definition for the word  date makes sense in the two sentences below?

• When’s the date for the first day of school again?
• Would you like to go on a date with me?

In the first sentence, someone is asking for a specific day when school starts. This isn’t a romantic event that two people will spend together. The first definition applies here.

The second sentence is trickier, but you can tell that the person isn’t asking for a single, specified day. They’re asking to spend time with you. The second definition applies here.

Another trick is to pay attention to the part of speech (noun, adjective, etc.) . Very often, the different definitions for an English word will have different parts of speech, so it’s easy to tell them apart.

If you’re looking for more help in learning English vocabulary words that have more than one meaning, this video shows more examples and explanations!

In the English language, a large number of the words aren’t spelled phonetically. That means they sound very different from what you’d expect based on their spelling.

Look at these words, for example:

• February: We don’t pronounce the “r” in this word at all. You might sound it out as feb-you-air-ee.
• Choir:  You might expect to pronounce the “ch” sound here, like in the word  chair . But this word is actually pronounced like kwai- er.
• Knife:  The “k” is completely silent!

So how can you overcome this difficulty in learning English?

There are two very useful tools for hearing the correct, native pronunciation of difficult English words:

Intonation is the rise and fall of pitch in speech, and it plays a crucial role in conveying meaning and emotions in English. However, mastering English intonation can be really hard. 

The first important thing to know is that English is a stress-timed language , which means that stressed syllables in a sentence occur at roughly regular intervals, while unstressed syllables are shorter and less prominent.

This means that when you place the stress on the wrong word, or even the wrong syllable, sometimes people won’t understand you, or they’ll misunderstand you.

For example, the two words “conflict” and “conflict.”

If you say CON-flict, you mean that there is some sort of disagreement between two people, like in this sentence:

Steve and Marie are in conflict over whether to get a dog.

But if you say con-FLICT, you mean that two stories or accounts aren’t the same, like in this example:

His story conflicts with Lucy’s, so I don’t know who to believe.

English uses a system of rising and falling intonation. 

The rise or fall in pitch at the end of a sentence or phrase can change the meaning of a statement or question. Mastering when to use rising intonation (indicating a question) versus falling intonation (indicating a statement) can be tricky, too.

English also uses contrastive stress to emphasize certain words or phrases in a sentence to convey meaning or clarify information. Understanding which words to stress in a sentence and how this affects the overall meaning can be challenging.

Take this sentence, for example:

I didn’t say she stole the money.

Depending on which word you stress, you change the meaning of the sentence.

• If you stress “she,” that means that someone stole the money, but not necessarily this “she.”
• If you stress “money,” maybe she didn’t steal the money, but she may have stolen something else.

It turns out each and every word in this sentence, if stressed, changes the meaning of the sentence.

Lastly, English uses emotional and expressive intonation .

Intonation is crucial for conveying emotions, attitudes, and intentions in speech. Learners may struggle to accurately convey these nuances, especially if their native language uses different intonation patterns for expressing emotions.

To work on this, I especially recommend recording yourself . Most people have a smart phone with a voice memo app. Use that, read a text or just speak your mind and then see how it sounds to you.

Another tip is to watch a lot of English, American or Australian TV. I find that soap operas are great for this purpose because they’re all about the dialogue and the drama!

Check out this informative video for some more tips on how to master English intonation:

English grammar can be particularly challenging for English learners due to its complexity and the presence of various rules and lots of exceptions.

English verbs change form to indicate tense, person and number. This means learners must memorize the different forms of verbs for present, past and future tenses. Also there are lots of irregular verbs that can be especially tricky because they do not follow regular conjugation patterns.

Articles (a, an, the)

Determining when to use “a,” “an” or “the” can be really confusing. The rules for article usage are not always straightforward, and there are cases where no article is used at all.

Prepositions

English prepositions can be tricky because they often do not have a direct equivalent in other languages. Additionally, the choice of preposition can significantly impact the meaning of a sentence.

Modal verbs

Modal verbs (such as can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would) are used to express various degrees of necessity, possibility, permission, and ability. Understanding when and how to use these can be complex for learners.

To overcome the grammar difficulties, I’m afraid there is no real short cut that will get you there faster than a lot of old-fashioned practice.

Keep in mind, though, that you can pretty much avoid the more complex verb tenses and still get your point across. Save the past perfect for when you feel more comfortable with the present, past and future tenses.

To focus more on modal verbs, which is perhaps the most confusing aspect of English grammar, check out this video for more great tips:

Idioms are sayings or expressions that have a figurative, non-literal meaning. They are commonly used in English to add color and depth to language. However, they can be particularly confusing.

For example, take these two super common English idioms:

• Bite the bullet
• Break a leg

“Bite the bullet” has nothing to do with guns or bullets. It simply means to deal with something unpleasant now, rather than later.

“Break a leg” means the opposite. It means “good luck.” How would an English language learner ever figure that out from the words alone?

In addition to this, most idioms are culturally specific.

This means that they are deeply tied to the culture in which they originated. For example, an idiom related to a specific sport or historical event might not make sense to someone from a different culture.

To navigate idioms, learners should use as many authentic English materials (such as books, movies and TV shows) as possible, to familiarize yourself with idiomatic expressions in context.

Check out this informative video to learn the 100 most common English idioms:

If you truly want to gain the full experience of speaking in English , you need to actually talk with native speakers. This is the only way to practice having real English conversations. But it can be really difficult for a couple of reasons.

For starters, if you don’t live near or in an English-speaking region, you might not know where to find native speakers to practice with.

Second, English conversations can be scary! There’s a lot of pressure when someone is waiting for you to come up with an English sentence.

It’ll be tough in the beginning! But fear not.

There are other ways you can meet and talk with native speakers without feeling lots of pressure, no matter where you currently live.

A language exchange app is one of the best options to practice speaking and typing in the English language.

You have the comfort of messaging native speakers without leaving home ! You can wear your most comfortable pajamas, sit in your favorite spot in the park or even use online apps in between classes while messaging native speakers.

You won’t feel too much pressure since everything is done by either your phone, tablet or computer. Some popular apps you can find to download for free are:

• HelloTalk : A convenient language exchange app with audio and text chat. There are built-in tools for translation, correcting errors and more.
• Tandem :  Similar to HelloTalk with lots of great language learning features. However, this one also has the option to seek out a professional tutor.

In fact, as seen in the following video, being able to speak English with a native speaker is one of the best ways to reinforce what you’ve learned. Alongside watching and listening to native English media and reading a lot, having a conversation in English—even a short one!—can take your English a long way.

If you enjoy meeting new people and would like to converse with native speakers in a comfortable setting, language cafes can be another great option for you! These are in-person events where you can meet native speakers as well as other language learners.

They’re relaxing events where people can teach, read, write or meet with friends, so it doesn’t feel like you’re studying but having loads of fun and drinking loads of coffee!

Language Voices is a great option to find a language cafe near you! Their language cafes cover lots of different topics, whether it be business English, grammar, listening skills and much more.

Their options are mainly Europe-based, with cafes from Finland to Turkey.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

Have you thought that your classmates and other English-learning friends might also be frustrated with difficulties in learning in English?

They probably are!

They’re probably pulling their hair and drinking cups and cups of coffee because of the same stressful feelings you have.

But what better way to overcome these difficulties than as a group?

Studies have shown that studying in a group can boost your learning! Group studying  makes learning more fun and reduces the stress you might feel about difficult English topics.

Group learning also doesn’t have to take place only in an educational setting. It can take place in a cafe, pub, classmate’s home, restaurant, park or even in public transportation.

Your group can make learning more effective by creating role-playing games  where you act out real-world English situations. You can also try a drinking game or even a bet where a reward is involved—whatever you need to make it fun and motivating for everyone.

But what happens when your group isn’t really sure if you’re studying the right way?

Ask a native speaker to be part of the learning time, if possible. He or she can be the referee, keeping score for the games or listening for mistakes in your role-playing exercises.

Learning the rules of pronunciation, definitions, grammar and speaking in English may seem like a very difficult thing to do. But with these tips, consistent practice and confidence in yourself, you should have no trouble overcoming these difficulties in learning English.

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

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5 biggest challenges of learning English

by Kate Wilson

The English language is one of the most popular languages to learn , perhaps the most spoken language around the world is English, and many people choose to learn the language simply to place them in a better position to secure work, or communicate more effectively with more people from around the globe. English might be a popular language to learn, but this doesn't necessarily mean it is a simple language to master, there are many challenges people face when learning English and if you are aware of these beforehand you stand a much greater chance of mastering the language. Keep in mind as you're learning the language, there are certified language translation services available to you for translating important information that you're not yet ready to translate yourself.

Here are 5 of the biggest challenges people must face when learning to speak and write English:

English Grammar is complex, making it difficult to remember, master and use logically. Ensuring you use the correct grammar can be tricky, especially when you are in conversation with someone and they are speaking at an alarmingly fast pace. Learning grammar is like learning to drive, you can learn all of the theory, rules and regulations, but you won't be good at it unless you practice it and it starts to become second nature to you. Grammar is extremely important, incorrect use of grammar can confuse the person you are speaking to and even change the meaning of what you are communicating, what's more is native English speakers are hyper aware of grammar and will notice almost immediately if a grammatical error is made, even if this is the smallest of errors, English speakers are incredibly proud of the language and look negatively on it being used incorrectly.

[Note from Simon Ager, author of Omniglot: some native speakers of English might be very aware of grammar and will notice even the smallest mistakes. They are known as pedants, and are best avoided by English learners. If you are taking an exam or using English in another formal situation, try to avoid mistakes, if possible, but in informal situations this is not so important.]

2. Vocabulary

Is often a challenge, particularly when it comes to verb variations and understanding which tense should be used in various situations. English has one of the biggest vocabularies of all languages, and it can be very confusing for non-English speakers to master. Using vocabulary inaccurately is incredibly noticeable to anyone who's first language is English, though it doesn't often change the meaning of your text, it does weaken it.

3. Slang and colloquialism

With the English language having such an extensive vocabulary and complicated grammar, there is enough to teach students wanting to learn English, rarely are students exposed to the slang words used by English speakers in every day conversation. Sentences can be predominantly filled with slang words, so maintaining a conversation can be difficult for anyone who doesn't understand what they mean.

4. Pronunciation

Knowing how to pronounce words in English can be very difficult as it isn't always obvious. English speakers have been taught these from an early age, which is how they know not to pronounce the ‘k' on ‘knight' , they are taught the subtleties in how to pronounce something to communicate the right message. Furthermore, depending on the first language of the English student, it can often be difficult to pronounce certain words properly, having not ever had to create that phonetic sound before.

5. Variations in English

The variations in the different forms of English can often be difficult to understand. For example, the difference between using formal and informal language or the differences between spoken and written language. This leads to students writing words phonetically, i.e. how they would say it rather than how its actually spelt, and using informal language, maybe even slang that they have picked up, in formal situations which may perhaps be viewed negatively.

Good luck in learning one of the most difficult languages in the world today…remember practice is the key.

Kate Wilson is a freelance writer, currently she works with Translation Services 24 . She loves to travel and learn about different cultures and new languages.

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Learning English with Oxford

The latest language learning tips, resources, and content from oxford university press., 10 steps to overcome language-learning barriers.

• by Oxford University Press ELT
• Posted on February 27, 2020

But the good news is, with the right tools and practices, there are lots of things you can do to make your life easier. 

So, here are ten common language-learning barriers and how to overcome them!

1. Organise your learning materials

When it comes to language learning, chaos can be your worst enemy. Just think of all the times you failed to review an English lesson because you couldn’t find your notes. When your learning materials are all over the place, your knowledge will be scattered and full of gaps, too. 

All it takes is a little bit of effort to create some order. Sort your learning materials into categories – for example, grammar, vocabulary, writing skills, etc. 

Then stack them into piles or bind them into folders. You can get creative and use colourful pens, post-its and stickers to label everything. Buy some blank notebooks and turn them into personal dictionaries: whenever you learn a new word, write it down in the notebook along with a definition (preferably in English). Plan systematic revisions of your learning materials and you’ll clean up the chaos in your brain in no time.

2. Get out of your comfort zone

A common mistake that learners make is that they don’t push themselves to use the language they’re learning in real-world scenarios. Try to spend as much time as you can with people who don’t speak your native language. This way, you’ll be forced to practice outside of the classroom. 

If you don’t have any English-speakers around, go to meet-ups and language exchanges or find people to chat with online. At first, it won’t be easy: you might feel self-conscious and worry about what other people think when you make a mistake. But remember, learning is a process and you’re making progress every day. Just get out of your comfort zone: that’s where growth happens.

3. Learn from your mistakes

Language learning is a slow process. When you’re already feeling frustrated and your ego is in a fragile state, it’s easy to take criticism the wrong way. But the truth is, asking for feedback and learning to appreciate criticism is one of the best things you can do to speed up the learning process.

Next time you talk to someone in English, ask them to gently correct you or repeat an incorrect sentence you may have said in the correct way. It might feel strange at first but you’ll get used to it and you’ll learn so much from your own mistakes. Keep in mind that your mistakes don’t define you – they’re a part of the journey towards growth. 

4. Watch daily videos on YouTube

There are so many great resources for language-learning on the internet. One of them is the world’s largest video-sharing platform, YouTube. From educational content aimed directly at language learners to regular content created in English – like vlogs – you’ll definitely find something that interests you. 

Set aside time every morning to watch a video or two on YouTube. If you learn something new – an expression or a grammatical structure – make a note of it and go back to revise it the next day. You won’t find a better and more accessible resource for real-world English. 

Some of our favourite channels include: English with Lucy and Learn English with TV Series . 

5. Read your favourite books in English

Remember that book you loved so much and have been planning to re-read? Now’s the time. Just make sure you get an English copy of it!

Reading is one of the best ways to enrich your vocabulary and get more comfortable with the English language. It’s even more beneficial if you’ve already read the book in your native language. If you don’t understand something, there’s a good chance you’ll remember what happened and you’ll be able to fill in the blanks. 

Make sure the book you read is at the right level for you. Click here to take our Quiz and find your reading level!

6. Follow social media accounts that help you learn English

We spend so much time on social media every day, we might as well make the most of it. Fortunately, there are some amazing social media accounts out there that can help you learn English in a fun way. 

Whether it’s your pronunciation, your grammar skills or your vocabulary that you’d like to improve, you can find masterfully curated accounts run by teachers and educational companies. If you’re not sure where to start searching, check out these 10 great social media pages for language learners .

And don’t forget to set the language of your accounts to English for some extra practice! 

7. Learn a few poems and recite them

Pronunciation is one of the biggest challenges of mastering the English language. There are so many exceptions to rules and many words sound very different to the way they look. 

A great way to practice is by learning poems or short stories by heart and reciting them to your friends and family. If you practice enough, you’ll be able to really focus on your pronunciation without having to simultaneously think about what you’re saying. This is a great tool to hone your speaking skills. You’ll thank yourself for it in the future. What’s more, you can show off your knowledge of English literature to your loved ones – which, if you ask us, is pretty cool. 

8. Try thinking in English

Have you ever tried to turn your inner monologue into English? Maybe that long-awaited “switch” hasn’t happened yet, and you’re still thinking in your native language when speaking English, translating sentence by sentence.

Here’s something you can try. Whenever you catch yourself thinking in your native language, try switching to English. You won’t feel embarrassed because no one can hear your thoughts, but you can still practice by making up mini-conversations or describing things around you to yourself. It might sound a bit silly, but take our word for it. It will help you start thinking in English when you’re having a conversation that’s not in your head. 

9. Fall in love with the process

How many times have you thought to yourself: “I wish it were all over and I finally spoke English fluently!”

Keeping your eyes on the end goal can be good for motivation, but putting too much emphasis on the future can damage your experience of the present. Instead of wishing you were already at the destination, enjoy the journey! 

Language learning is a beautiful process. You can get better every single day. Focus on what you’re doing right now to reach your goals instead of obsessing over the goals themselves. 

10. Take the Oxford Test of English

When you’re trying to achieve something that takes a lot of work, setting measurable goals is very important. In the case of language learning, a test can serve as the perfect opportunity to gauge where you’re at and provide a specific challenge to prepare for. 

To help you figure out your strengths and weaknesses, choose an adaptive, modular test like the Oxford Test of English . The test adapts the level of difficulty according to the answers you give, resulting in a more motivating (and shorter!) test. This means you’ll also receive a more precise measure of your language level. The test is also flexible, so you can choose which modules you want to take and when you want to take them. 

Click here to find out where your nearest Oxford Test of English Test Centres is now!

Stay up-to-date with all our latest blog posts by subscribing to the Learning English with Oxford mailing list. Add your email address to the box below to subscribe to this blog! 

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Author: Oxford University Press ELT

Every year we help millions of people around the world to learn English. As a department of the University of Oxford, we further the University’s objective of excellence in education by publishing proven and tested language learning books, eBooks, learning materials, and educational technologies. View all posts by Oxford University Press ELT

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Home — Essay Samples — Science — English Language — The Importance of Learning English

The Importance of Learning English

• Categories: English Language Learning

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Words: 627 |

Published: Sep 16, 2023

Words: 627 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

Table of contents

1. access to educational opportunities, 2. global business and career advancement, 3. enhanced communication, 4. cultural enrichment, 5. travel and tourism, 6. technological advancements, 7. international diplomacy and politics.

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4 Biggest Difficulties People face when Learning English

• Blog Detail

Learning a new language is one of the hardest things your brain can do. Not only do you have to mentally transfer linguistically complex structures between the two languages, you also need to learn how to think in a different language.

For this reason, learning English takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and is best done as a part of a specialized course that has been optimized to solve the challenges students face in an effective manner. 

Here are the 4 biggest challenges English students face:

1. SPELLING

Many words that are otherwise unrelated and are spelled differently sound the same when spoken (for instance, " pair " vs " pear "). This isn't a big problem in speech as people can usually understand what you mean from the context of what you're saying, but grasping these spelling differences is vital if you want to be an effective written communicator.

2. PRONUNCIATION

English isn't a phonetic language, which means words are spelled differently from the way they're spoken. Words that are spelled exactly the same may be spoken completely differently (for example, " I'll read the newspaper " vs " I read the newspaper "). Understanding these words is crucial in order to understand both written and spoken English.

3. IDIOMS AND SLANG

This area tends to be especially problematic for students because it's hard to teach in the classroom. Slang encompasses all the casual language that's used in day-to-day speech. It isn't necessarily grammatically correct, and may even sound nonsensical if you don't know the context it's spoken in.

The best way for students to master slang and colloquialisms is through talking to native speakers, listening to pop culture (movies, TV, etc.), and doing other things to immerse themselves in the English language. This will serve a natural learning process that will help them pick up on cues such as voice tone and nonverbal cues. 

4. VARIATIONS OF THE LANGUAGE

When it comes to the sheer number of native and non-native speakers, English is the biggest language in the world. Over time, this has caused many variations of it to appear and evolve differently in different parts of the world. Accents, dialects, local phrases, slang, and other variations all play a role in this. 

This can be a serious problem for English students who encounter distinctive variants such as Scottish English for the first time. Being aware of these differences beforehand and taking them into account when communicating is crucial in order to avoid confusion. 

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•    6 Common Problems in Learning English and How to Improve Them

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6 common problems in learning english and how to improve them.

• Chloe Daniel
• Published On: August 09 ,2021

1. Poor English Vocabulary

How to improve english vocabulary, 2. confusing spelling, 3. no interaction, or lack thereof, with native speakers.

8 Common Challenges ESL Students Face

19 April 2022 Guest posts

Many people believe that English is one of the most difficult languages to learn. The pathway to being fluent in English when it is not your native language is usually rough. The grammar structures are odd, and the spellings and pronunciations of certain words do not make sense. There are countless reasons why students who study English as a second language struggle with learning it.

We will be looking at some common challenges ESL students face in this article.

Students' struggle with learning the English language is why many agencies specialize in translation. Translation companies ensure that important documents are properly translated so that meaning is not lost and messages are passed across in an intended manner.

The availability of essay writing services has also, to some extent, reduced the challenge that ESL students have to face when they have assignments or papers to do. At premieressay.org , you are offered quality writing services backed up by detailed research, so you can be sure that your essays follow the structure and are well edited and proofread.

Below are some of the challenges that ESL students encounter: 

Not having a goal for learning the language

Traditional methods of learning are boring

Feeling shame and embarrassment

Feeling like time is insufficient for learning

Not interacting with native speakers

Not enough confidence

Overambitious disposition

Unqualified teachers

We shall discuss each point briefly.

This particular challenge is the first and most important one that ESL students must overcome. To succeed in anything, you first have to have a goal for which you must succeed, and learning the English language – or any other language for that matter – is not an exception. If your reason or goal for learning the English language is emotional, it will be easier for you to succeed.

If your reason is not significant, you will have less motivation to learn the language. Learning the English language requires you to be passionate about the language because your passion will motivate you even at times when studying and using the language becomes difficult.

The classroom method of teaching can sometimes be a bit rigid. ESL students will have a better chance of learning the English language if they are provided with an avenue to see the language being used in a topic or setting that delights them. To better motivate ESL students to learn the English language, teachers should look for better ways to engage the students and make the language interesting. If you want to spice up your learning journey, you can exploit activities like watching movies and playing video games in English.

Students can also engage in topics they enjoy and learn on their own. Since they already enjoy it, they will find it easier to learn.

Learning any language for the first time can be daunting, and having to practice in the presence of people – particularly those already fluent in the language – can be embarrassing. Anyone would naturally feel embarrassed if they feel like they cannot properly express themselves.

However, an ESL student cannot learn English without practice. So, if you are uncomfortable with practicing the language when people are around, you can practice when you are alone and do so regularly.

Feeling like time for learning is insufficient

Many people who want to learn English or any other language as a second language usually feel that they might not have sufficient time to commit to the language they want to learn. In most cases, ESL students end up not learning the language at all or as well as they should.

This all boils down to proper time management. Setting aside a period each day to practice the language will ultimately help you on your quest.

To learn English as a second language, you need a partner to help you practice how to communicate with the new language. When you don't communicate with people who speak English as a native language, you won't be able to get much practice.

The quickest and better way to learn is to try to communicate with people using English frequently. Teachers use a strategy to allow ESL students to combine speaking English with their native language. This is especially useful when students have to communicate about complicated ideas or topics as it lessens the nervousness of speaking a second language.

This is yet another challenge that is common among ESL students. When you are not confident in your native language, it will be difficult to be confident in learning a second language. Lacking confidence will prevent you from practicing the language, ultimately truncating your progress.

Another challenge that can hinder ESL students from learning is setting a very high standard or having an unrealistic goal. The problem with this is that the student will work hard to outperform their peers, especially if they aim to win the favor of their teacher.

However, when they fail to meet their standards or achieve their goals, it could affect them emotionally and demotivate them from learning the language.

This is a problem that is sometimes overlooked. The major problem is that most countries are still learning English, so there is difficulty in picking out those who can teach the language properly. If the teachers are not qualified, then it will be hard to teach the students; after all, you can't give what you don't have. 

Having considered some of the common challenges to ESL students, you now understand the cause of the struggle they face. Finding good teachers of the English language and regular practice on the part of students are among some of the ways these challenges can be overcome.

Author’s Bio

Jessica Fender is a professional in the educational sector. She has published several articles on blogs and websites covering several grounds on education, and languages. She loves her work, and dedicates her free time to research on more ways to assist students in their academic journey. 

Previous post: Keeping College Students Motivated in ESL Learning

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What are the current issues in english language learning and how to solve them.

Students learning English often face a variety of common issues today. To overcome these issues,  a positive learning atmosphere has to be facilitated and encouraged. Learning English is never easy and comes with lots of challenges especially if it is your second language. You require immense determination and sheer willpower to learn it. 

Holding a wide range of vocabulary is a key feature in learning the English language. It is also the most difficult and comprehensive aspect for a non-native English speaker to master thoroughly. An ESL ( English as a Second Language) learner would find difficulty in mastering informal English than formal English, as it involves colloquial, slang, and various dialects. 

When you think about it, there are many issues in english language studies that requires adaptable solutions. Textbook solutions alone will not entirely solve your problems, it requires Spoken English Training to overcome such issues. 

Now, let's check into the issues faced by English Language learners across the world. 

Issues Faced in English Language Learning

The English Language Learners often face issues stated as below:

• Poor Vocabulary
• Use of Native Language
• Outdated Core Curriculum
• Lack of Speaking Skills
• Lack of Confidence
• Background: There is a lot of interaction and communication involved while learning. Sometimes,  the topics covered cannot be comprehended by every student. Each one will have different levels of grasping quality. 
• Poor Vocabulary: Vocabulary is one of the most important parts of learning English. As stated earlier, it is also one among those to build up with difficulty. There is a good chance that an English as a Second Language (ESL) learner will find it difficult to keep in mind the new words he/she learns.
• Use of Native Language: When it is easier for the learners to think, process, analyze and speak in their native tongue, chances are that they would relapse to speaking their native language rather than English.
• Outdated Core Curriculum: Not only does our core curriculum offer outdated and uncommon study materials containing unrealistic terms and phrases, but it also doesn’t comprehend learning other core subjects. It lacks in teaching in-depth culture and jargons of various subjects. 
• Lack of Speaking Skills: Lack of speaking skill often points out the need for Spoken  English Training. To acknowledge accents, slang, dialects, or grammar, one must be used to speaking to a native English speaker.
• Lack of Confidence: The lack of confidence points out to the struggle to rethink each word and conveying it in English, worrying if no one will understand your mispronounced words or syllables, stammering thinking that you are not able to convey the message properly, and grammatical errors, all these will hold you back while attempting to speak. 

These common student-specific problems are considered natural. The majority of ESL learners come across these issues yet they face them with determination and try to overcome them. It’s safe to say that there aren’t any issues in English language learning which are not solved. Highly qualified professionals find ways to correct these common problems and reinforce the core information that the students need to effectively communicate in English. Whether professional or personal requirements, English language skills important for your future .   

How to Overcome Issues in English Language Learning?

Spoken English Training stands as one of the solutions to the issues faced while learning the English language. Let’s get into the list of solutions given below: 

• Evaluate yourself while learning. Grouping according to their level of knowledge will help to overcome the issue of mixed backgrounds. Everyone has a different grasping level and requires an adaptable learning method. 
• Improve your vocabulary : Here the best method is to make a list of new words you come across daily, just like how we used to do in school. When practicing intensive reading, have a habit of writing unknown words and their definitions. Incorporating images to identify common objects in English will help you to keep the picture in mind. The repetitive motion of songs, movies, and clips will also help you in remembering vocabulary through context. 
• Diversifying a study group containing various native language speakers will eventually discourage the use of the native language and encourage you to talk in English. Involving yourself into English-speaking groups will also help in changing the pattern of speaking and thinking, learning correct pronunciations, and getting acquainted with the colloquial usages.
• Whether you have a trainer or not, make sure to use updated study materials. Textbook learning differs from real-world application of the language. Hence, learning at a pace helps you understand formal and informal English. Keeping in touch with audio materials will also help you with correct pronunciations. Understanding the current trends in English Language learning can also help you learn with different difficulty levels.
• Learning the pronunciations by watching movies, learning the construction of sentences by reading books, will help to improve your English speaking skills. Reading out loud will also help you reflect and bring more confidence to speak. 
• It is completely fine to be frustrated while trying to speak in English. It is a good sign that your brain is thinking and is paving the way to improve your English speaking.  Do not hesitate, only practice and repetition will help you get out of this struggling stage. This will eventually bring confidence from within to start speaking in English.

Let’s Conclude

There may be numerous issues faced while learning the English language. Only with continuous practice and sheer determination, you will succeed in your English learning. Learning English at various levels like beginner, intermediate and advanced will help you focus on what is necessary and successfully guide you in speaking English. As long as you can communicate with others in English, exchange your ideas, and analyze English culture, you don’t have to worry about making mistakes and simply give a go-ahead. For those aiming at language proficiency exams like IELTS , this approach not only builds language skills but also prepares you comprehensively for exam success.

Locations Where Edoxi Offers Spoken English Course

Here is the list of other major locations where Edoxi offers Spoken English Course

Spoken English Classes in Qatar |  Spoken English Classes in Muscat  |  Spoken English Classes in Sharjah | English Speaking Course in Dubai | 

Blessy is an experienced medical instructor who specialises in Prometric courses and NCLEX preparation. She has a wealth of knowledge in healthcare education and is highly skilled in teaching and training healthcare professionals. Her main aim is to support students in passing their Prometric exams and NCLEX certification by providing them with comprehensive and up-to-date study materials, personalised instruction, and hands-on practice exams.

Blessy's teaching approach centers on creating a supportive and engaging learning environment that encourages critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and effective test-taking strategies. She is committed to professional development and keeping up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements in the medical field. As part of her commitment, she regularly attends workshops, conferences, and seminars to enhance her expertise, ensuring that her students receive the most relevant and valuable education.

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A Student’s Struggle to Speak English Leads to a Career as a Communicator

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Fiorella Riccobono first contributed to Knowledge@Wharton High School back in 2015, when she was interviewed for her high school social entrepreneurship project helping coffee bean farmers in Northwest Haiti. She has stayed in touch ever since, sharing insights from her college and social-awareness experiences at Florida State University. You can check out Riccobono’s KWHS contributions in the Related KWHS Stories tab accompanying this article.

As always, we appreciated hearing from Riccobono this week, when she reached out to tell us about her new job (she graduated in December) and share her perspective on a very personal topic: how her journey learning to speak English has influenced her life and career decisions.

In this personal essay, she expresses why she hopes that “more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage and accept that qualities like language “barriers” can in fact be personal strengths.”

I vividly remember the moment when I became a shy girl and developed a profound fear of public speaking. I was in my pre-k classroom sitting in a big circle of 4-year-olds, when our teacher asked us to share what we had eaten for breakfast. My parents had immigrated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S. from Venezuela shortly before my brother and I were born, and we only spoke Spanish at home. However, this was my second year enrolled in school in Davie, Florida, so I had picked up enough English to understand the question. But I was still learning. I raised my hand and responded “cereal con leche.” My visibly angry teacher asked me again and again to repeat my answer, and I couldn’t understand why.

Falling Silent

Eighteen years later, I still recall the shame of being scolded for my inability to communicate in the appropriate way – in this case, fully in English. Luckily, my teacher’s aide spoke Spanish and translated that I was saying “cereal with milk.” But at that point, the damage had been done. I was wounded and crying. I remember thinking to myself that I wouldn’t speak in class unless I absolutely had to. It was an overwhelming feeling of inadequacy; something a four-year-old girl should never experience.

That feeling stayed with me. In high school, I would choose to be absent on days when I knew I had to present projects to the class. My eyes would water when I had to speak in front of my classmates, my voice would shake, and so would my legs.

This story marks the start of my improbable triumph.

My favorite author, Malcom Gladwell, poses an interesting question: “Why do we automatically assume that someone who is smaller or poorer or less skilled is necessarily at a disadvantage?” I believe that we have a very limited definition of what constitutes an advantage.

Now, at the age of 22, a recent graduate of Florida State University and a new employee of the Florida Senate, I am very clear on my own advantages. Being the daughter of two Venezuelan immigrants made me the professional woman I am today, and that identity has been a driving factor in my success.

Much of the credit goes to my so-called language “barrier” and struggle with “broken” English. During my years of learning English, my mom and I would sit down together to do my homework. When I was tired of studying, and I didn’t want to practice spelling out any more words, my mom would softly and persuasively say, “Dale Fiore, otro treinta minutos, porque cuando tu aprendes, yo aprendo tambien,” which translates to: “Let’s study another half hour, Fiore, because when you learn, I learn too.”

That phrase kept me going. We would sit there at the table laughing hysterically as we butchered the words we were spelling aloud to each other. When test day came, I would remember the mistakes we made, because they were so funny to me, and that helped me memorize the correct spelling. The way we had to study turned spelling and vocabulary tests into a fun game. I began to appreciate a certain joy and fulfillment of studying for the sake of knowledge, not to overcome an inadequacy, and I also had the deep satisfaction of watching my mom learn English.

Conventional thought suggests that if you live in the U.S. you should learn English, and we eventually did. But the truth of the matter is that not knowing English made me a better student. It meant that I had to work harder and couldn’t lose focus in class. I paid close attention to how people spoke and pronounced words. When I was tired and wanted to stop, I had to keep studying. Many would argue that my inability to fluently speak English in my childhood was a weakness, when in fact it turned out to be one of my greatest strengths.

While I still hold onto some of the feelings I had all those years ago in my pre-k classroom, I have grown to embrace my Venezuelan heritage and language as motivations for my achievements in the U.S. The fact that I am not a native English speaker has made me more empathetic. It has helped me truly understand why diversity of thought is such a strength in the workplace, and, ironically, has made me a far more effective communicator.

I majored in finance, economics , and social entrepreneurship at Florida State, and graduated a semester early in December 2018. I am now the reading clerk for the 2019 session of the Florida Senate. Our state constitution requires senators to read bills three times before voting on them. I stand at the podium and read these documents aloud for the 60 days that the Senate is in session, navigating the language that could ultimately become Florida law. That one-time shy, silent little girl actually pursued and landed a job that now requires me to regularly stand in front of 40 state senators and read proposed legislation – in English.

I also speak Spanish every day, with family and friends. My college roommate and best friend is from Mexico, so we speak to each other in Spanish. I am bilingual in my professional life, as well. Just this week, the Florida Senate phones were blowing up with citizens supporting or condoning a controversial bill that entered committee. This specific bill prompted lots of calls from Spanish speakers and I was the only person on staff who could speak Spanish. So I answered the phones and spoke with the Spanish citizens, communicating about their opinions on this piece of legislation. I helped the voices of non-English-speaking citizens be heard.

Shifting Perceptions

I see how speaking English as a second language actually adds to the richness of this country. As a Venezuelan immigrant, I grew up forcing myself into situations where I had no choice but to confront my fears, and I would do it again and again until that specific situation no longer made me uncomfortable. I have contributed deeply to my school and now my work communities because my “otherness” sparked my intellectual curiosity and my desire to work that much harder to achieve my personal goals.

My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage and accept that qualities like language “barriers” can in fact be personal strengths that open up entire worlds of opportunity and accomplishment.

To the students who relate to my experiences and who may be struggling with their inability or even lack of desire to learn English, I ask you to shift your perception and embrace the opportunity in your challenge. I ask you to consider how you can spin this perceived weakness and draw energy from it to become a stronger student, friend, and contributing member to society. Don’t accept the notion that you are disadvantaged. Learning English and being able to effectively communicate with your peers is rewarding. More importantly, how you speak, complete with your thick, beautiful accent, is an advantage and an asset, not an inadequacy you must overcome.

Related Links

• Malcolm Gladwell on Facebook
• Fiorella Riccobono at CNN Debate Night
• New York Times Topics: Immigration and Emigration

Conversation Starters

Fiorella Riccobono says, “My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage.” What does she mean by this?

How would you describe Fiorella’s “improbable triumph?”

Does Fiorella’s story resonate with you? Can you relate to some of her struggles learning the English language and how that has helped to define her course? Why or why not?

14 comments on “ A Student’s Struggle to Speak English Leads to a Career as a Communicator ”

While scrolling through the articles listed on the webpage, this unique one caught my eye immediately. What it described is a complete mirror of my experience, my pain and my struggle. More importantly, when looking through it, I realized the way I should face myself, both strengths and weaknesses. Fiorella’s “improbable triumph” is truly “improbable”, at least that’s what I believed before finishing this article. She did undergo many challenging situations, difficulties that her first language Spanish but not English. And for me, a second language learner becomes a Florida Senate sounds totally incredible. Since my first language is also not English, I know how much struggles and courage it needs to be able to speak out in front of people, let alone standing in front of 40 state senators and read proposed legislation. But I believe that’s one of the main reason why she made to her position, it is because she already has a strong heart, enough self-confidence and a constant thirst for knowledge. These were all honed from her school years. I was always the top students back in my home country and English was one of my strongest subject. However, it was opposite when I came to Canada. The “barrier” of language discourages me from participating in school activities, being actively during class. During my first year, Every time I was in class, I was worried whether the teacher would ask me to answer questions or not. I always remember my first speech. I practiced it over and over again, but some students still didn’t understand what I was talking about and I couldn’t answer their questions. Same as Fiorella, my mom also played an important role. She practice my presentation’s script with me and she told me that there is no way to be ashamed by my accent or the fact that I am a second language learner. She told me that’s exactly the point I should be proud of myself because I am able to speak both two languages. I have always been grateful for my parents, without them I couldn’t be where I am today. I enrolled my school’s principle list every semester and honor roll on the Waterloo Math Contest. Now, I am preparing for my debate club as a leader with my friends. I always believe man grows in adversity, I don’t regret any of the attempts I’ve made, even if I fail and fall. Isn’t the realization of my shortcomings also a progress? Tribulation is accompanied by harvest. Just as Fiorella Riccobono says to “analyze perceptions of disadvantage.” I was contradict to communicate because my accent, lack of vocabulary, different culture, when I read the last paragraph of this article, I just found that all my worries and evasions were ridiculous and untenable. This article once again strengthens my heart and guides my future efforts, to become a stronger student, friend, and contributing member to society. Everything I have and experienced has made me who I am now, and it takes that to make me whole.

Hi Jasmine,

Thank you for your fantastic comment!

Also as an immigrant to Canada at an older age (14), I find your experience much more relatable than Fiorella’s. I believe that one of the reasons why I agreed to my parents’ idea of immigrating, is that I was confident in my “English” language, and that was partly because I was performing well during English class in my home country. However, it was really different being in an environment where you are forced to speak the language. My problem wasn’t during class and academics but in my social life. What a teenage girl needs the most perhaps is a social life, friends. At least for me. But it was extremely hard to make friends if I wasn’t willing to make a step out, to talk to people. Fortunately, with my mother’s little push, I was able to do so. Even though I stumbled through the beginning, attending lots of social events and making awkward conversations, I eventually made a couple of great friends and got to know many other people. Joining the debate club and filing applications to other councils was difficult because I wasn’t confident in my speaking and was afraid that I would make fun of myself. Which I did, modelling the motion “THW lift patents” supporting patents. But I gained a lot of valuable experience in the process, found my passion in debating, and ultimately improved my English speaking and confidence. However, I do believe that this struggle is just a part of the journey of fitting in the new language environment.

This unique title also did catch my eyes, but I wasn’t feeling related while reading the article. I thought that at the age of four, it would be really easy to learn English and be amalgamated into the American society. It was hard to believe that a four-year-old memory could be carved so deeply in her mind, also how does over ten years of living in an English environment she is still not confident of her language? With doubt and suspicion, I finished the article.

I agree with you and Fiorella that by analyzing and reconsidering our “perception of disadvantages”, we could learn how to embrace and turn our so-called disadvantages into motivation and strength. However, I do not believe that her “triumph” is “improbable”. In my opinion, her “triumph” is being confident of speaking English and eventually becoming an employee of the Florida state senate. Admittedly, she is quite successful in her confidence and career. But again, as a person living in the states, speaking English for so many years since childhood, her English will come as she grows. I believe that her “solving all the obstacles” is just a process of fitting into the new environment, what actually brought out her “triumph”, is her action of acknowledging and recognizing her former disadvantages, then turning it into her interest and continued pursuing it. 
The society is biased, being a good English speaker is important for our success in the future or just to be more like a part of the society, but the process of learning is crucial as well, it teaches us life-long skills — persistence and motivation for learning.

Jasmine, your story of progress and growth in language learning is truly inspiring. Your journey, from feeling apprehensive about participating in class due to language barriers to becoming a leader in the debate club in your second language, showcases a remarkable testament to your determination and perseverance. Reading about your experiences motivates me to push myself further in my own language studies. In a few years, I’ll be taking my AP Spanish exam, and your story constantly reminds me that with determination and continuous effort, I can overcome the challenges I currently face in learning Spanish and achieve my goals. Your narrative has given me valuable insights into the complexities of language acquisition, which directly resonates with the struggles my parents faced when learning English as a second language. I used to find humor in their pronunciation struggles, not fully comprehending the difficulties they were encountering. However, my own language-learning experiences have humbled me, and now I hold a profound respect for their determination in learning a second language. My language teacher once said, “Once you dream in a language, you know you’re fluent,” and this notion fascinates me as I strive to achieve a similar level of language mastery in Spanish. Your narrative also got me thinking about the remarkable ability of some individuals, including yourself, to learn languages quickly. This phenomenon is not limited to children but also extends to certain adults. I decided to conduct some of my own research on the topic to gain a better understanding. In my investigation, I found that certain cognitive factors and personality traits can contribute to accelerated language learning. For example, individuals with strong working memory and high levels of empathy tend to grasp language nuances more quickly. Moreover, the motivation to learn a new language, much like your own drive, can significantly impact the speed of acquisition. Additionally, exposure to immersive language environments and consistent practice plays a crucial role in fostering rapid language development. This would also explain why children have a unique advantage in language learning, primarily due to their lack of prior knowledge in the target language. Their immersion in an environment where the target language is consistently spoken enables them to develop an intuitive grasp of grammar, pronunciation, and cultural nuances. Imagine a child stepping into a world where everything they hear and see is in a new language. They don’t have preconceived notions or linguistic habits to overcome. It’s a blank canvas waiting to be filled with the colors of this unfamiliar language. As they interact with native speakers and engage in daily activities, they naturally absorb the language without conscious effort. This lack of pre-existing linguistic baggage allows them to embrace the new language wholeheartedly, much like effortlessly stepping into a racecar and taking the wheel without any previous experience in driving. Your efforts to learn a language is truly commendable, Jasmine, and it serves as an inspiration for others to follow. Your dedication and enthusiasm for language learning are evident throughout your essay, and I want to express my appreciation for sharing your journey with us. Your story has not only motivated me personally but also broadened my understanding of the multifaceted aspects of language acquisition. Keep up the incredible work!🚀

I think that perspective is one of the greatest traits that a person can have. It has the ability to bridge almost any gap of all sorts of disparity; economic, cultural, political, the list goes on and on. It’s this trait that is not found often enough in society that is key to understanding why others around you say what they say, do what they do, and believe what they believe. In the instance of Fiorella Riccobono, this was in regards to the perspective of a four year-old girl who had immigrated to the United States with her parents in search of a better life. Now 22, Fiorella boldly states “My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage”. Her saying is meant to imply that those of us who are at what we perceive as an adversity to our aspirations ought to gain more perspective to realize that it is often the greatest challenges that create the best people.

My view on Fiorella’s “improbable triumph” revolves around the idea that her success was reliant on her individual positive mindset. She disregarded society’s notion that her not knowing English was an inherent disadvantage that she would be restrained by, and rather turns it into an opportunity to show growth and determination. She says herself that “Many would argue that my inability to fluently speak English in my childhood was a weakness, when in fact it turned out to be one of my greatest strengths”. This ideal mindset is exactly what in my opinion needs to be emphasized in society; the concept that people’s ability to move up the ladder is mostly in their own hands, and even if there are inevitable obstacles, it is the individual’s responsibility to face them head on. This is why stories such as Fiorella’s must be celebrated and showcased more often, to teach communities and especially youth to not accept that they are disadvantaged and that there is nothing that they can do about it. Mindsets that accept there is nothing left to change the status quo are the most dangerous; they not only remove any potential to make change, but pass down ideology to younger generations, creating a cycle of lost opportunity. That’s why Fiorella’s “improbable triumph” and stories like it must be highlighted in communities all across the world.

In regards to Fiorella’s story, it resonates quite deep personally with my family and I. As the son of immigrants, it was easy to relate to the struggles she describes of getting past the initial language/cultural barrier that occurs when getting used to living in a new country. My parents came to the United States 17 years ago, knowing a few sentences they had learned from a Hindi-to-English pocketbook dictionary, a couple hundred dollars, and a 3 year old son, my older brother. I was born a year later, and then we eventually moved to Tampa, Florida as my dad had received a job offer. As I was born in the US and naturally learned the language, culture, and customs, I became more and more observant of the divide between what I saw as “normal” at school and what my parents did. They had been in the country for a number of years, but still were speaking that “broken English” that Fiorella references. Naturally as a kid, I met and hung out with my friends outside of school, often encountering their parents who had often either lived their whole life in America or had been living here for decades. They spoke perfect English, much better than that of a eight-year-old, and certainly better than that of a husband and wife that had only been in the country for a few years. As I came home from playing with my friends, I became frustrated at communicating in English with my parents as they were not as good as the moms and dads I met at my friends’ houses. Being naive, I did not understand why they were unable to speak that fluent English that I always listened to outside my home. I actually became embarrassed when friends came over to my home to hang out, only to be confused by how my parents tried to greet them using English that was often grammatically wrong and covered with a thick accent. I was ashamed of it for a long time, and looking back I even admit it made me angry that my family was different than others. I just wanted to be the acclaimed “normal” that every kid always desired. However, as I began to grow up, I had an experience that completely changed the lense that I was looking at my parents through. That year I had begun staying up later at night to complete homework and other commitments that started as high school began becoming more demanding. On a particular night that year, when I had finally finished my homework and whatever else I had to do that late night, I decided to get some water downstairs before I went to bed. When I came down, I saw that my father had left his computer on; so naturally, I went over to turn it off. When I was about to press the power button, the screen caught my eye: “Online Tutoring for English”. It had never occurred to me that my dad was taking lessons to improve his English – to say I was surprised would be quite the understatement. The realization had dawned upon me that specific moment how difficult life truly was for an immigrant – and in this case – my parents. Any notions to myself thinking that I had a lot of work and stress to deal with in high school quickly evaporated, as I really took a moment to reflect on my father’s journey all these years later. To leave his family and friends behind in India, travel thousands of miles to a foreign country, not knowing the language or anybody to help him, and having no other option than making it knowing he had a wife and young son counting on him finally hit me. I was humbled. I was washed over with a sense of regret and shame for always being mad all those years at my parents for not being fluent English speakers. That night was years ago. Today, as I write this, I have the upmost pride in knowing that those two immigrants who came to this country not knowing the language, are MY parents. I feel that this story is not exclusively mine, but rather one that millions of other immigrants who have come to this country have experienced as well, and it’s comforting know that all of us have made it against all odds. Just like Fiorella, I want to take this moment that showed a disadvantage that my family had gotten past and transform it into a showcase of how rewarding resilience can truly be. While I was privileged to learn the language as I grew up, I appreciate the perspective of someone who only had a pocketbook dictionary and a strong will to make it in a foreign country for their family, and that is something I will cherish for a lifetime.

The ability to turn a disadvantage into an advantage is what paves the way for “improbable triumph”.

In the words of Fiorella: “I believe that we have a very limited definition of what constitutes an advantage.” She could not be more correct.

As the son of immigrants, this is an article that resonated with me. Like Fiorella, English was not the primary language spoken within our house. Like Fiorella, I struggled with feelings of inadequacy for not being able to speak English as well as my peers. Like Fiorella, these feelings created shyness and timidity that affected my participation in class. But most importantly, like Fiorella, this ‘disadvantage’ of mine turned out to be the driving cause of one of my greatest accomplishments.

Fiorella says that not knowing English made her a better student. She cites the extra effort she had to put in to understand concepts as the root of her strong work ethic. My own childhood was characterized less by a struggle to learn English, but more by a persistent feeling of insecurity about cultural norms. In other words, while I was able to overcome the language barrier, the cultural barrier that existed created a constant pressure of inadequacy; it felt like everyone was part of an inside joke that I wasn’t allowed to know. But in the same way Fiorella responded to adversity by bouncing back with fervor, I responded to my perceived disadvantage by turning it into an advantage. I developed a passion for public speaking in middle school, determined to change my impression of “the quiet kid” into someone who was outspoken and confident. When I think back to what ignited that sudden change, I honestly think it was simply to spite those who underestimated me. It was a way for me to put myself out there and feel included despite the nagging feeling of cultural difference that made me feel separated.

This passion for public speaking developed into a passion for argumentation. I joined the debate team in high school and won many awards. More importantly, I made friends and broadened my perspective. Last year I was even fortunate enough to be selected for the USA development debate team, representing the nation while competing against international teams across the globe. The experiences I had as a part of this team are what makes Fiorella’s statement ring so true for me. Meeting debaters from all over the world changed my perspective – what society considers an advantage is extremely limited in its scope.

In the world of international debate, English is the lingua franca. You would think that the Western countries would then be at an advantage, being more comfortable with English and thus being better speakers. Yet, some of the best communicators I’ve met speak English as a second language. When we versed the national Bangladesh team, we were amazed by how skillfully they debated. Yes, they had an accent, and yes their grammar and word choice were awkward at times, but the meaning they conveyed was poignant. If the round felt difficult, the conversation I had with them in Bengali afterwards felt like they were running circles around me. I realized that they focused on meaning of the words not how they sound. They may not have been familiar with English, but their ideas were strong and they conveyed them directly and powerfully. Their articulation wasted no time, unlike them teams from Western countries, who used extravagant vocabulary and complicated metaphors. Team Bangladesh went on to do extremely well in the tournament despite their unfamiliarity with English, truly encapsulating the essence of “improbable triumph”.

From the shy, timid student, to the debater representing the USA, I had an improbable triumph of my own. As I found my voice and people listened, I realized that the cultural barrier I thought was inhibiting me was empowering me. At first it was simply by giving myself an obstacle to overcome, but then I realized how my own cultural experiences gave me a diverse worldview that enhanced everything I did. It propelled me to my position on the national debate team which served to further my diverse worldview. Aaditya mentioned his personal story about his parents in an earlier comment, Jasmine and Eileen discussed their hardships in immigrating to Canada, and Fiorella mentions her own struggles in the article above. However, in the end, the disadvantages we all faced made us stronger and gave us character. In a way, I am grateful for the disadvantages I had to deal with.

Throughout the article, and above in my own comment, the term improbable triumph has been used to describe success in the face of disadvantages. Yet, it seems that triumph becomes more probable in the face of disadvantages that must be overcome and learned from. We really should change our conception of advantage then, because disadvantages can be advantages in disguise and make improbable triumphs less improbable.

Diana wrote about her story as an immigrant who was having a hard time breaking the language barriers in the United States. I felt camaraderie with her story as a foreigner who has gone through a similar experience in adapting to a culture and language that I have never been exposed to ever since I was born. She said she was having a hard time breaking the implicit barrier between her and people in the States, and so did I. It took me so long to get used to just speaking and writing my thoughts in English to share with my friends, and many people are struggling with that too. I was admitted to my current school in the first year of the Pandemic, and trying to make friends when everyone had to stay inside their homes was a horrible experience. I took all of my classes virtually, without a single experience of speaking English. My school initially did not even provide an ESL program to help foreign students like me. Also, I was not able to socialize with other kids in the school because there were no chances. I finished my first year with a lot of struggles, and I moved into the school for the second year. I tried to make lots of friends because I realized that if I didn’t get used to this environment, I thought I would never be able to get friends in school. So, I decided to play some sports, join clubs, and be active in class.

During those times, I’ve seen many students who are also having a hard time like me. I’ve seen a lot of smart Asian students talented in many different fields, but are unable to express their creative ideas as they were not able to speak English fluently. I remember the time when, I was in my math class, and we were solving a hard calculus problem that required us to see it with a creative perspective that people normally cannot even imagine. However, Chan, my Chinese friend, raised his hand and tried to explain his thoughts on the problem in front of the whole class. It took a while for many students in my class to understand his words because of his accent and his fluency in English. Later, he had to just write down equations and variables on the board to enable others to understand what he was trying to understand. Though some people might think that it is Chan’s fault for not being able to fluently speak English while going to a public school in the United States. However, for those people, I want to ask, ‘since when did English become the Nation’s official language?’ I, knowing how talented Chan is in transforming hard math problems into simple solutions during when we worked on a math project together, felt sorry for his embarrassment. At that moment, I realized that the existing educational system does not support many talented students to overcome their language barrier to reach their full potential. As a person who also went through a similar experience of having a hard time, I wanted to make a change in the current form of education for future generations of students in the overlooked population. I did not want any more students to not reach their 100% potential just because of the language barrier. From my experience, I learned that the school’s ESL classes do not practically help foreign students to learn English in a short period of time. Even more, I realize that there is no support system in our education that could help foreign students who are struggling with their school work just because they cannot speak English fluently. Realizing that there has to be an end to this continuing educational disparity, I decided to run a student club “Near2Perfection” that can help talented students who are suffering because of language or cultural barriers. Currently, in the United States, the majority of people expect immigrants to speak English fluently, even when 14.4% of its total population consists of immigrants whose mother tongue is not English. Empathizing with these often overlooked populations in our society, I and Near2Perfection aim to support them to socialize with other students and break the language barrier to spread their innovative dreams that could change the world. For instance, one of my friends from Taiwan, Tiger Ding, was struggling in his language & literature class, and especially with speaking and writing an essay in English. Like me, he never left his home country before coming to Salisbury school, and it was the first time he came to an English-only learning environment. Our club helped him to get familiar with the different cultures and languages by introducing our club members and giving him a tour of our school. Throughout the semester, we helped him with writing essays, providing him notes on how to write a persuasive essay, while doing daily assignments together, and having lunch with other classmates to make them feel inclusive in the school community.

After reading this article and reading through the comment section, I’m so glad that there are others who also recognize that all people, regardless of race, gender, age, and fluency in speaking English, have remarkable talents, energy, knowledge, and creativity to innovate the world. Being motivated, In the near future, I want to build a non-profit organization that promotes collaborations among lots of companies in the private industry in different countries. The goal of this organization is to play a significant role in “breaking the barrier” to help companies in different nations to introduce their innovative business ideas more easily. With my unending passion to promote equity, I am eager to collaborate with many other innovative peers in different nations to put our heads together and make the world a better place.

“I’d rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I am not.” is a monumental quote stated by Kurt Cobain. This quote not only illustrates the social concern of insecurities but also reflected an image of my life in general. The article, “A Student’s Struggle to Speak English Leads to a Career as a Communicator”, was especially intriguing to me because it shows how one’s aversion towards a certain area may also make them emotionally stronger by forcing them to step outside of their comfort zone. As Fiorella Riccobono stated, “My hope is that more people in our society, especially in today’s political climate, analyze their perceptions of disadvantage.” This suggests that rather than viewing stereotypically bad behavior as something we should avoid, we should also consider the delight it has brought to us and the positive adjustments it has made to our lives as a whole. For example, Fiorella Riccobono’s inability to communicate in English when she was younger forced her to go through an ordeal that has damaged her internally, but ultimately acknowledged the idea that having communication problems is not necessarily a drawback. The student underwent the hardship of learning a foreign language and overcame her insecurities on self-consciousness which is ultimately, her “improbable triumph”. As a ten-year-old little boy stepped into a foreign country where the environment was completely new to him, it was inevitable for him to face issues like language barriers, culture shock and discrimination. When I immigrated to Singapore from my homeland China, where I had spent the previous ten years, I attended an international school and did not speak a single word of English. I used to be in the English as a Second Language(EAL) course for three years hoping that one day I could be moved to English as a First Language(EFL) class. Throughout these years, I have seen many of my fellow classmates get transferred to EFL after only a few months of learning English, but I still had not yet met the requirements for EFL. I often asked myself, “Am I dumb?”, “Why am I always different from others?” and “Why can’t I just be like them?” Every time I speak in front of the class, I feel that I am stuttering and making simple grammar mistakes in my speech. I used to always be afraid to look others in the eye because I knew they might be making fun of my accent and giving me judgemental looks. Later in life, I was inspired by an artist that promotes the concept of ‘self-love’. The artist has numerous songs implying that we should not try to pretend to be someone that we are not in order to fit into a specific type of community and we should always love ourselves and embrace who we are individually. That was the moment when I realized that my insecurities are confining my individuality and it is perfectly fine to be different. I joined a local service called “Her Journey” that advocates Migrant Domestic Workers’ Rights and some people questioned why I am involved in a ‘Her’ related activity. I simply replied, “I am just doing what I love”, that is empowering the women in my society and beyond. The younger me tried really hard to be a ‘normal’ student but soon acknowledged that there is no category of ‘normal’ in our modern society. I started not caring about my accent and whether I can speak ‘perfect’ English or not because as Fiorella Riccobono stated, “This story marks the start of my improbable triumph.”

Fiorella’s story as the child of Venezuelan immigrants inversely mirrors my own experience as the child of two Korean immigrants. Her story starts with the shame and insecurity of not knowing English in her pre-K classroom, leading her to the realization that this “barrier” bolstered her work ethic and beliefs on diversity. My own story is similar: my struggle to resonate with my Korean identity as a Korean-American made me curious and led me to building my own community.

“Conventional thought suggests that if you live in the U.S. you should learn English,” Fiorella writes, and while this is true, I present another version of this line in a way applicable to my life: Conventional thought suggests that if you have family from outside of the U.S., you should be able to speak their language. When I was in first grade, I traded my once-fluent Korean for perfect English. This sacrifice gave way to the insecurity and shame that Fiorella alludes to in her article. Whenever I went back to Korea to visit family, I felt a sense of isolation as the only one who wasn’t fluent in Korean. I felt like a particularly grotesque piece of artwork, while my family looked at me as if they couldn’t quite figure me out. “Can you try to speak Korean around us?” they would ask, but the moment I spoke, they would chastise my poor grammar and even poorer pronunciation. They would comment on my colored hair and clothes, blaming it on the “American influence.” Language was not the only barrier that separated me from my Korean family. Korean mannerisms and culture that my family had practiced all their lives were unfamiliar to me, only feeding my insecurity. As the shame grew, I marginalized myself from my Korean identity and pushed myself to become more American. I stopped speaking Korean altogether, because every time I did, I was reminded that I didn’t quite belong.

Self-acceptance took a lot of work over the years, and admittedly, I still harbor some of those feelings from when I was younger. But like Fiorella’s connection to her identity, mine blossomed into a unique strength. Being Korean-American caused me to ask questions about who I really was, leading me to discover a community where my hyphenated identity has evolved into something entirely its own. Discovering the Korean-American community in my town let me uphold a blend of what both cultures have to offer; for example, many Korean-Americans bond over our experiences in Korea, the struggle of learning a language, and aspects of Korean culture that we can only confide in each other in America, such as Korean music and fashion. The Korean diaspora in the United States is comprised of nearly 2 million individuals, and after connecting with those like myself, I realized that I had spent my entire life trying to conform to one group or another when really, all I had to do was recognize that I had been part of one all along.

At the end of her article, Fiorella writes, “To the students who relate to my experiences and who may be struggling with their inability or even lack of desire to learn English, I ask you to shift your perception and embrace the opportunity in your challenge. I ask you to consider how you can spin this perceived weakness and draw energy from it to become a stronger student, friend, and contributing member to society.” This is exactly what I aspire to do. Already, I have contributed to my school and community through the thing that made me different and made me doubt myself all my life – in this case, my Korean-American identity – because it ultimately sparked my intellectual curiosity and allowed me to cross barriers to reach people like myself. Our identities are not deficits, barriers, or obstacles, as Fiorella has found out for herself. No matter our challenges, our ethnic origins, beliefs, gender, religion, and nationalities make us who we are, and being Korean-American has allowed me to find a community between lands, oceans, and cultures that feels like home.

I deeply resonate with your experiences as an Asian-American navigating the waters of having many different cultural identities. As an immigrant who has lived in four countries, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, and the US, I can empathize with the challenges you faced in connecting with your Korean roots while adapting to American culture.

Although I have not experienced living in India and spent most of my formative years in Japan, my Indian heritage has always been an essential part of who I am. I always found it difficult to answer the seemingly simple question, “where are you from?” Whenever it comes up, I am faced with a dilemma: Should I say that I am Indian, even though I never lived in India, but my parents were born and raised there? Should I say that I am American, despite the fact that I have lived here for only 3 years? Or should I say I am Japanese, since I have spent many years immersed in their culture, but was always seen as a foreigner? These moments make me feel isolated from those around me, like I don’t entirely fit into one particular mold.

However, I have learned to make light out of my situation. Akin to Fiorella’s realization of the “barrier” being a catalyst for growth, my journey has allowed me to experience the world through differing and often contrasting perspectives, providing a greater sense of depth in my life. As you put it, “Our identities are not deficits, barriers, or obstacles… our ethnic origins, beliefs, gender, religion, and nationalities make us who we are.”

Reflecting on your story, I’m reminded of a quote from an Indian hero, Mahatma Gandhi: “No culture can live if it attempts to be exclusive.” Similar to how you’ve discovered a unique strength in your assorted identity, I have learned to embrace my diversity, allowing me to better understand myself and those around me.

Just like you, I agree that our identities are not limited to the place we currently live in, where we were born, or where we grew up; they are a culmination of our experiences and family heritage and are a part of what makes us unique. Learning about Indian values and traditions is a beautiful journey of self-discovery, and I find comfort in knowing that there are others, like you and Fiorella, who share similar experiences.

Today, when asked the question “Where are you from?” Instead of attempting to provide a simple one-word answer, I take the opportunity to share my journey through different cultures and the countries that have been an integral part of my life. I proudly acknowledge my Indian heritage while also showing gratitude for the Japanese customs and American values that have shaped my present day self. I have come to realize that my story cannot be explained by a single place; rather, it is a beautiful mosaic of influences from the various cultures that have touched my life.

Thank you for sharing your story and reminding us that our identities are all unique, and our ability to embrace diversity can lead to a richer, more connected world.

Trading one language for another, and then trying to rejuvenate the lost language is something that deeply resonates with my childhood experience. Despite being raised in the U.S., the first language I learned was Chinese — not English. Like you, Jennifer, I swapped my once fluent Chinese with English. Once I entered preschool, I was able to meet multitudes of children who spoke perfect English. Yet, far from being conformed to their ways of playing and talking, I started distancing myself from everyone. As a result, my English didn’t improve. It was only until I was in kindergarten that my parents decided I should start focusing on improving my English. And so, I began to transition slowly towards the standard English that everyone else had, which in turn, gave up my once-perfect Chinese.

When I reached fourth grade, my parents signed me up for a class meant for third graders to improve my Chinese. I was beyond embarrassed, seeing that these younger students read and wrote Chinese better than me. In deep relation to Jennifer, I struggled to learn the language that was native to my parents and relatives. And I took with me both humiliation and resentment at the fact that my Chinese was so poor compared to others.

Yet, unlike Jennfier and Fiorella, being teased and reprimanded due to my incompetent Chinese was not what drove me into shame and lack of interest in learning the language. It was the opposite; I separated myself from those whose Chinese was better than mine. I couldn’t bear the shame of everyone commenting that my Chinese was years below what I should have been learning. Thus, not wanting to embarrass myself even furtherby revealing my weak areas, I avoided bringing them into the spotlight.

Now that I recapture those memories, I found that I had my strong suits too, years of hard work on my English allowed it to qualify as one of my strengths. This became apparent when I took a trip to China to visit my relatives. While I was interacting with kids who were around my age, I often had trouble understanding what they said. Eventually, I admitted that I was not from China, but instead, the US. After that announcement, they began curiously asking all about life in the States. Many exclaimed that they had learned English as a second language for years but it was nowhere near as good as my Chinese. “I could never handle two languages,” was a quote from one of the children I met that time, leaving me to realize that I shouldn’t kick myself for my current level in Chinese — especially when many of the most academically focused students across the world are not bilingual. My Chinese is a wavering branch that taught me I have weaknesses, but I shouldn’t forget the sturdy roots that fix me to my current self — that my English has been so well cultivated that it now represents one of the things I am best at. As both Fiorella and Jennifer have discovered, obstacles and tribulations are what make you realize that you can be more valiant.

Hi April, thank you so much for sharing! I deeply concur with all the points you brought up in your comment. I would just like to say that I’m startled to hear that we have such similar experiences – it’s scarily identical!

While I was raised in the US, my first language was also Chinese. Akin to you, I had learnt English at the cost of my Chinese. When I was younger, I went to a Pre-k where everyone spoke Chinese, so English wasn’t a concern for me at that time. It wasn’t until Kindergarten that I came in contact with English and realized the importance of understanding and speaking fluently. Although I struggled with English, I still tried my best to communicate and make friends. But as Elementary school started, I left my Chinese behind. Exactly like your experience, my parents signed me up for Chinese class meant for a lower grade as well. I specifically remember, there was this one time where the teacher called on me to recite this certain set of Chinese flashcards. I had felt extremely called out and embarrassed. I couldn’t do anything else besides staring at the ground and staying quiet. The teacher asked me again, but all I could do was shake my head. A younger girl sitting behind me raised her hand and offered to recite the flashcards. This was a huge turning point for me at the time, motivating me to continuously improve.

I immensely agree with the lesson you learned after you came back from your trip to China. You said “My Chinese is a wavering branch that taught me I have weaknesses, but I shouldn’t forget the sturdy roots that fix me to my current self…” I agree with this because I’ve experienced numerous instances where this lesson applies. In my personal experience, there was a period of time where I couldn’t blend in with either my classmates at school or in my Chinese classes. I felt lost and isolated as I was Asian but I couldn’t even understand my own language. Again, it’s more reassuring to know that other Asian Americans have gone through the same experience, practicing Asian traditions but unable speak or understand their own native language. Due to this, some Asian Americans may be embarrassed of their Asian heritage and background. This feeling especially heightened during Covid 19, where episodes of anti- Asian hate became frequent. Asians were targeted which led to many staying home, afraid to come out. There would frequently be hate crimes reported on the news every week. For many Asian Americans, after seeing the news, I’m sure it felt like being Asian was suddenly so difficult as all of a sudden we were being targeted against. For so many of us, identity was already a problematic topic – and now we were faced with complex and frightening new dangers.

Everyone should remember their sturdy cultural roots because it’s what makes them, them! I keep coming back to the metaphor you used: the sturdy roots that support and ground us as we face new challenges. I’d like to add that it’s not just language but culture too that anchors and characterizes us. So even if you can’t understand the language your family speaks, you can still learn it. Over time, my Chinese has improved to the point where I’m no longer embarrassed to speak in front of my Chinese class. Which really comes to show the importance of cultural pride. There may be times when we question ourselves, but motivation is really the key to success.

As a Korean attending an international school in France, I totally relate to the idea of ‘analyzing the perceptions of disadvantage and accepting qualities like language barriers can in fact be personal strengths’.

In my case, the qualities that I had to accept were my cultural barriers. Even though my class has a diverse range of cultural backgrounds, with each of us coming from different countries around the world, I still get the impression that I am particularly different. I get the impression that I do not belong here, that I am an outsider. The reason is that my lifestyle, shaped by my country, Korea’s society differs from others’. Even though the others are also different from each other, they share a lot in common in terms of their ways of thinking in general and approaching life. For instance, because I was born and raised in a country where sacrificing the present to get the best future is normalized, I have been prioritizing the future over the present without even noticing, while people in my school mostly come from countries that have that mindset of enjoying the present and thinking that ‘present is present, future is future’.

The first time this difference made me feel like an outsider was when I decided to study in my room for my future when everyone else was going to parties during the weekends. Later on, I kept inflating this difference in my mind, ending up blocking myself from getting along with the new society.

However, recently, at the end of my first year living abroad, I realized that this difference is a richness instead of a barrier. As a person who knows and experienced the pros and cons of each lifestyle, I can now stand in the middle, in between the two, and take the aspects I want, thinking of both the future and the present; I would enjoy my present moments as well while planning and working for my future.

Moreover, I have learned the lesson that this difference brings me to widen my worldview, which in turn enriches my thoughts and reflections when it comes to making important personal decisions and choices. For example, from today’s discussion with a Mexican friend of mine, I learned that Mexican people value living in the present for each day, as that mentality empowers individuals to be creative, allowing them to come up with innovative ideas and solutions. I found that this contrasts with the Korean mindset of keeping individuals working, by convincing them that kind of working will ensure them a stable future, which actually robotizes people to follow pre-established mechanisms, instead of being creative. Through the realization of this, I can, from now on, take into account the importance of being in a relaxed and stressless environment that focuses on the present in order to stay creative as well as the importance of putting devotion into things I want to accomplish.

I believe these experiences of mine reflect the message of this article, that barrier-ing qualities can actually be personal strengths.

Congrat! Finally, you have got a valuable asset in your mind.

Thank you Fiorella for sharing your story! Your experiences truly resonate with me – I feel as if we have been on parallel journeys.I’m a Chinese American who grew up in NY. NY is known to be one of the US states that has the most Chinese American population. And because of this, as a young child, I never felt the need to learn English. I remember when I was in Pre-K, everyone spoke Chinese, so I was able to communicate fairly well. There was even a teachers assistant that could help us translate if it was needed. At that time I expected that school life would be super easy. No one around me spoke English, and when I was on the streets everyone spoke Chinese or a foreign dialect. It never occurred to me that I would need English in a community where everyone spoke Chinese.

Reading your story really brought me back to my childhood. When I was in kindergarten, I vividly remember there was this one time where everyone was sitting around in class and practicing how to write letters of the alphabet. While everyone else was writing the letters perfectly fine, I kept messing up and needed the eraser. However, at the time, my English was very poor. According to the American Census survey, in 2012 there were about 11,231 children who spoke another language other than English at home and about 786 children who either spoke English not well or at all. Unfortunately, I was a part of that 785 children. I had little to no idea on how to ask the teacher for an eraser. Not to mention, I was also a rather shy child. Unfortunately for me, I had to ask in my mother tongue. In Chinese, I reluctantly spoke in a tiny voice asking for the eraser. I remember being extremely embarrassed when I saw my teacher unable to understand me. I had no other way of expressing myself, so my last resort was to point to an eraser on a nearby table and hope for the best. To my luck, the teacher actually understood and brought me an eraser. That moment was a special turning point, motivating me to improve my skills in both languages.

But as I grew older and started elementary school, I gradually left my Chinese speaking self behind as my English speaking ability grew. It was rather difficult for me to be bilingual at that time. But later on, I took Chinese classes and watched many Chinese cartoons to be able to finally speak Chinese proficiently again. I didn’t know at the time, but there’s many benefits that come with bilingualism. According to the US department of education, individuals who are bilingual understand math and solve word questions easier, develop stronger thinking skills, and have an easier time using logic. It also enhances their skills on focusing, remembering, and making better decisions. And generally, making it easier for them to learn another language. Not only is it beneficial for educational purposes, it also “supports children in maintaining strong ties with their family, culture, and community.” Moreover, it may also assist in future job opportunities. Personally I feel like our education system has not failed us in encouraging bilingual children to maintain their language skills. From my personal experience, middle school and forward, my school requires taking a second language class. Before middle school, taking second language classes weren’t even accessible. Similarly, in the article, we saw that Fiorella was able to preserve her bilinguality through strong social connections by speaking Spanish at home and while she attended college. Through all that practice, she was able to help the voices of non-english speakers in her workplace because of her bilinguality.

Kindred to Fiorella, I had trouble in public speaking, especially during presentations and projects. Learning the languages in depth boosted my confidence in speech, but I still needed more practice for my stage fright. Before every single presentation, I would practice for hours reviewing my presentation over and over again, attempting to perfect it.. Analogous to Fiorella, I would practice at home with my mother. She would always encourage me whenever I felt like I wouldn’t be able to present well. We would often pretend that she’s the teacher listening to my presentation and when I’m finished, she would provide helpful feedback. Each time I spent with her practicing a memorable recollection. During the presentation I would always be nervous despite practicing for hours with my mother. But the majority of the time, I’m able to get through the presentation with flying colors.

Parallel to Fiorella, my Chinese heritage also motivated me throughout my life. And I really agree when she said “I have contributed deeply to my school and now my work communities because my “otherness” sparked my intellectual curiosity and my desire to work that much harder to achieve my personal goals”. I attended an English speaking kindergarten and being Chinese really made me stand out. At that time, I wasn’t used to the new surroundings as my pre-k had been all asian. Reflecting on my past I really appreciate my “otherness”. Once again, thank you Fiorella for sharing your story and giving us insight on your journey to success.

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What are the Difficulties and Challenges You Encounter Learning English?

• April 25, 2023

The English language is one of the most important languages in the world. It is the language of global business and is spoken by millions of people around the globe. Yet, English can be one of the more difficult languages to learn. English is full of rules and exceptions to the rules that make its mastery challenging. However, as millions have proven, it can be done. And, with the help of a great school, you can do the same.

This article list nine difficulties for students learning the English language. It also lists one of the best solutions for learning English in today’s competitive job market.

9 Challenges that Vocational ESL Learners Face

What are the difficulties and challenges you will encounter in learning English? They include:

Challenge #1: Pronunciation

One of the biggest problems faced by English learners is pronunciation. This is because English is different than your native language. You must learn how to form the pronunciations in a proper way. This is not always easy to do. Sometimes, you must repeat the words several times before you can pronounce the words correctly. This involves adjusting the insides of your mouth to form the English pronunciation.

Challenge #2: Understanding English

It can be difficult to understand English spoken by a non-native English speaker. Nuanced English impedes understanding. When non-native speakers of English converse with one another, it is done so with an accent that makes learning more difficult. If one Vocational ESL student speaks to another with a heavy accent, understanding may be difficult. This is particularly harmful in global businesses. While an international citizen may speak English, it does not mean that their communication is clearly understood.

Challenge #3: Grammar

Many English learners find grammar complex and difficult. They recount the many hours in the classroom learning and reciting grammatical rules and vocabulary. Even Americans find grammar challenging, so, it’s no surprise that foreigners find the studies of American English difficult.

In the English language, there are multiple verb tenses. Those tenses are in the past, present and future: Simple, Continuous, Perfect, and Present Continuous. They can be baffling, particularly if you don’t have direct interpretations in your own language.

However, grammar is vital to the study of English. It is a set of rules that helps you speak correctly. It also helps you structure English correctly.

Challenge #4: Slang and Colloquialisms

Casual, informal language is the English of the people. Many words have been added to the English language and even used in formal settings. “You good?” is one example. When someone asks this question, they are not necessarily referring to a person’s state of being, but rather whether their situation is okay. The petitioner wants to know if they are in good standing.

Challenge #5: Idioms

Idioms and phrasal verbs are words and phrases that, when put together, mean something outside of the normal meaning. If you say you “put your foot in your mouth,” it doesn’t mean that you literally picked up your foot and pushed it into your mouth. The general meaning is that you said something that you should not have said.

Challenge #6: Practicing English

Lacking the ability to practice with someone can make learning English difficult. Many Vocational ESL learners say they don’t have anyone to practice with. This is particularly true if they are learning online and have no family members or friends who speak English.

Challenge #7: Sound Detection

The inability to detect sounds can make learning English difficult. It impacts your ability to pronounce words correctly. For example, some students have problems pronouncing words that begin with ‘v” and “w.” They don’t have these sounds in their native language so they will pronounce “vet” and wet” the same. Even when they learn to pronounce them properly, they are sometimes unable to hear the difference themselves. It takes practice to make the distinction between these two letters to detect the difference.

Challenge #8: Speech Pace

Americans speak too fast. Many students lament how they are unable to understand everything someone says because of the speed at which it was spoken. Asking the speaker to slow down would be the solution. However, many learners are afraid to speak up for fear that they will be thought of as ignorant.

Challenge #9: Accents

The “Other” Category. It is important to note that while a standard version of English exists in America, there are many versions within its borders which makes understanding difficult for immigrants. Some ethnicities have their own dialects such as the Gullah language spoken by the Geechee people. It is a type of English based in the Creole language. There is Pidgin English. And in south Texas, some residents speak “Spanglish,” which is a combination of both Spanish and English. And many ethnic groups speak English with their native accents. This can make speaking English difficult.

What is the Solution?

With disciplined study, conversation practice, reading, writing, and growing your vocabulary, English mastery is possible. Despite all the complexities of the English language, people all over the world are reading, writing, listening to podcasts, watching videos, and studying vocabulary to speak fluent English. While this is admirable, students don’t have to go on the journey alone.

How Do You Learn English as a Second Language?

A great way to learn English as a Second Language is by attending a Vocational ESL program. Vocational schools help international students attain English fluency. It gives them a fantastic opportunity to learn English and then move on to more advanced vocational skills that are in demand. Immigrants find these programs helpful.

A major reason for attending a Vocational ESL program is that you will get help from instructors and classmates. You will find it refreshing that Vocational ESL teachers are well-versed in linguistics and creative instruction. They make learning fun by creating an environment where genuine learning occurs in a way that is nurturing for the students. They know that their classrooms must not only be filled with information but taught in a way that is vibrant and engaging.

Your classroom will also have people just like you that have the same goals in mind. You will have plenty of time to communicate with fellow students and practice the English learned in a Vocational ESL program.

Final Thoughts

The Vocational ESL program has helped many students achieve success in their careers. It can also help you too. So, it is time to learn more about Interactive College of Technology. When you decide to enroll in a Vocational ESL program, you will gain a lot. Take the first step and call us today. A bright future awaits.

Issues in Learning English as a Second Language Essay

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Introduction

English is being acknowledged as a global language nowadays. This means it has become a language of international business communication; this is one of the three main languages of such organizations as the European Union. The English language is one of the most wanted languages to learn and speak. Many people tend to learn it and even become bilingual, even though they live far away from either of the countries, which are considered to be the countries of the EL as native.

The flow of immigrating people is rising day in and day out. However, it is a hard job to learn the language and use it in a proper way, such as to achieve the objectives sought at the beginning of the learning, as the language is not a good major, but rather a great complement to the major of a person. From this point, a question arises – whether English as a second language, with all the obstacles to learning, is really worth learning. It is evident that learning English as a Second Language (ESL) has its challenges, but considering all the facts, it does not outweigh its benefits.

Firstly, it is vital to understand that English is a constantly changing language. However, changes in the language should stand the test of history. English is an evolving language that is always changing, adding novel terms and progressively changing some of its existing lexical units (Yenikeyeva, S., & Klymenko, 2021). That makes it so vital to have good communication skills to be able through communication keep up-to-date information about all the changes taking place within the language transformations. These skills additionally contribute to the level of one’s own English and help to feel quite satisfied with all the inclusiveness.

History test is one of the strictest ones in terms of language survival. Any language lives while it is a spoken language, and there are descendants who are going to inherit the language and willingly speak it. As for the English language, it either should not be afraid of the history test or at least not in the foreseeable future as too many people depend on it now.

Secondly, the given English as a Second Language essay shows the ways of teaching English are being constantly developed. The reason behind this is that some of the teaching methods are not successful, and others seem to be perfect but still need some improvements. Methodologists should take into account a variety of elements when teaching English that could impede those individuals from learning the language successfully (Rus, 2020).

Belonging to a different language family is one of the most frequent causes, which raises questions about word usage, syntax, and the arrangement of words within sentences, among other issues (Croft, 2022). The objective of those teachers is to make people understand some existing language truths that are not common to their mother language. However, alongside such methods, there are other ways to learn English as a second language quickly.

One of the most expanded ones is going to a country where English is the state language. This method might be quite a shock for people. Moreover, they should come to the country with at least some basic knowledge of the language.

However, it is an entertaining and quick method to understand the inexplicable truths existing in any language. The method has both pros and cons, as there are few countries where English is spoken as a state language, while there are too many people willing to go under it. The methods might vary, and each person should decide which method is the most suitable for them.

Thirdly, it is a widely known fact that employees who have a good command of English are preferable. Multilingual employees are considered to be specialists who have the necessary knowledge (Rustamov et al., 2022). This directly reflects on the salary of the worker. Consequently, most CVs have a subdivision, considering language knowledge, where they put the fluency of their language skills.

Multilingual employees are regarded as being able to negotiate with other businesses and employees, resulting in better communication (Holm et al., 2020). Such workers have a more stable and high-paying position than the others who do not know the languages. Not only does language fluency make the worker stand out from the other employees, but proficient communication skills also benefit his abilities and his position as a high-level professional. So, everyone who claims to have outstanding knowledge of English or any other foreign language should be ready to hold negotiations using the best of his or her proficient communication skills.

In summary, the given English as a Second Language essay showed that although the English language is hard to learn, it is worthwhile learning it as a Second language and even more beneficial as a bilingual. Firstly, the English language is most likely to stand the severe history test and survive as a language, as too many people depend on its usage.

Then, the methods of teaching English continue to be improved, made more fun, and made more manageable, which makes the learning process really interesting. Finally, a good command of English benefits the employee rate, stability, and salary, proposed as a reward for language fluency and good communication skills.

• Croft, W. (2022). Morphosyntax: Constructions of the world’s languages . Cambridge University Press.
• Holm, A. E., O’Rourke, B., & Danson, M. (2020). “Employers could use us, but they don’t”: voices from blue-collar workplaces in a northern periphery . Language Policy, 19 , 389-416. Web.
• Rus, D. (2020). Creative methodologies in teaching English for engineering students . Procedia Manufacturing, 46 , 337-343. Web.
• Rustamov, I. T., & Mamaziyayev, Z. X. (2022). Development of speaking comprehension in teaching foreign language for professional purposes . Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, 12 (2), 227-233. Web.
• Yenikeyeva, S., & Klymenko, O. (2021). Synergy of modern English word-formation system. Linguistics and Culture Review, 5 (1), 1110-1122.
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IvyPanda. (2021, October 23). Issues in Learning English as a Second Language. https://ivypanda.com/essays/learning-english-as-a-second-language-issues/

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IvyPanda . 2021. "Issues in Learning English as a Second Language." October 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/learning-english-as-a-second-language-issues/.

1. IvyPanda . "Issues in Learning English as a Second Language." October 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/learning-english-as-a-second-language-issues/.

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An article discussing ways of helping students overcome difficulties in learning English could initially attempt to focus on specific areas such as pronunciation, grammar, or vocabulary usage. However, to do that justice, a whole chapter or book would be required. Instead, this article takes a broader and more simple focus by looking at three general aspects of language learning that are not only important for all learners but particularly crucial for those struggling with the challenges language learning presents. Often, the underlying causes of many of the difficulties students face in learning a second language stem from at least three factors; anxiety, motivation, and learning strategies.

Language learners, in some cases, may have an inbuilt predisposition to feeling anxious, or they may be the type of person who only has anxiety in certain situations. For many students, a language class is a particular context that induces anxious feelings. This is because language learning can put them in situations where their ‘language-ego’ is threatened. This threat can manifest in many ways such as when they feel they are in competition with other learners. Whatever the cause of the anxiety, there seems to be a link between higher levels of anxiety and lower achievement in language learning. However, it is important to consider, just as it is in the case of motivation, whether anxiety is the cause of poor achievement or its direct result. From studies in the field, it appears that both are valid assumptions. It can be the case that a learner with a high aptitude for learning languages and a record of success can experience anxiety after an unexpected failure. But as is the case for many learners, their own general anxiety and the situational anxiety can have a seriously detrimental effect on their learning. Anxiety can have both positive and negative elements. There is a positive anxiety, similar to a feeling of euphoria, that students might feel as a result of the opportunity that learning a new language offers to reimagine themselves in a new and positive way. Negative anxiety might also be a result of a disconnect in the student’s mind between the pedagogical approach in the classroom and their own beliefs about language learning. Thus, it may make sense to conclude that teachers should not only be looking at ways to minimize negative anxiety but also seeking ways to promote positive forms of anxiety.

Anxiety can happen at three stages of the language learning process, and in each stage, anxiety can have a negative impact on learning. In the input stage, learners experience anxiety because they are struggling to understand unfamiliar language or concepts. In the processing stage, stress comes from trying to memorize and identify patterns in new input. In the output stage, anxiety stems from trying to retrieve and use previously learnt language.

As teachers, we can have an impact on learner anxiety through the pedagogical and classroom management choices we make, but we should not be looking to minimize anxiety in all cases. As mentioned previously, anxiety can be beneficial, so it is important to try and promote the correct type and appropriate level of anxiety.

Here are some ways that you can minimize negative anxiety. Do not place too much emphasis on error correction as this can reinforce in the students’ minds the things they cannot do while not encouraging them to acknowledge what they have achieved and can do. Instead, it may be helpful to provide models of correct language usage. This also encourages students to self-monitor their language use and make comparisons and adjustments. With more challenging tasks, take a scaffolded approach and break the task into smaller and more manageable parts that build upon each other. At each stage, you can pause and review to provide assistance so that students feel confident in tackling the next stage. Make it clear to students from the outset that making fun of peers and laughing at errors is not accepted behaviour. Make the classroom a collaborative and supportive environment by creating opportunities for students to reflect on their learning and share their challenges. Try to find ways for stronger students to support weaker students. This may require passing on some basic teaching strategies, but it will contribute to a collaborative and supportive learning environment. Take time to impart and model learning strategies in class as these will equip students with practical tools to take on more challenging tasks. Consistently encourage students to take risks while reminding them that your classroom is a safe place to learn. Help them see that mistakes are welcome as they present an opportunity to reflect and review. Finally, work with students to help them set individual goals and when goals are achieved, use this as an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate success.

Of all the factors that lead to successful language learning, motivation is one of the most crucial. For teachers to be effective in helping their students acquire a new language, they must understand the role that motivation plays in that acquisition.

Motivation can be defined in many ways, but a simple way to look at it is to see it as the reason why people decide to do what they do, why they are or not able to sustain the required effort, and why they are willing to put in the level of effort they do. Motivation can also be seen as a ‘passion’ for doing something. For learners to succeed, they require a certain level of ‘passion’, and it is a teacher’s role to help them find ways to connect to that passion.

When looking at how you might be able to help students develop an appropriate level of motivation, three principles should be kept in mind. Firstly, avoid simplifying motivation as purely a system of rewards and punishments. Instead, try to motivate students by making your lessons more interesting and engaging and helping students become more autonomous learners. Secondly, do not assume that once motivation has been established that it will last automatically. It is human nature that we can lose sight of a goal or become fatigued in its pursual, which can lead us to be distracted by other interests. Therefore, maintaining motivation is a must. Finally, in deciding on particular motivational strategies, always choose quality over quantity. Look for a few simple, effective, and easy-to-maintain strategies that suit your teaching style and your students’ learning styles.

Several strategies can be used to positively influence individual student motivation.

The first is to ignite students’ interest in language learning and the course they are enrolled in. This may involve selling them on what they can realistically expect to gain from the experience – the satisfaction gained from mastering a second language or the future opportunities it can unlock. Try to connect language learning to interests that students already have. For instance, you may learn that some students have an interest in performance arts, so show them how language learning can involve role-plays and music. Make it clear that language learning is not about rote learning vocabulary and grammar rules, but more about a wide variety of learning activities such as communicative tasks and games.

Raise students’ level of expected success. It is no revelation that people’s motivation declines in situations where they might expect to fail. Therefore, it is important to set tasks that students can realistically expect to achieve. Likewise, it is difficult to stimulate and maintain motivation when tasks present no real challenge. According to the theory of optimal arousal, students are generally more motivated when they are required to perform tasks or engage in activities that provide them with challenges that are appropriate for their abilities, i.e., these tasks are neither too difficult nor too easy. When arousal levels are too high, such as being too anxious or stressed by an overwhelming challenge, students may give up and resort to a less stressful activity like texting on their phones. If an activity is easy and students’ arousal level is low, they can become bored and engage in activities that will increase their arousal level such as acting out in class. Therefore, to maintain a healthy expectation of success among students it is necessary to consistently provide activities that give them some sense of accomplishment. It also helps to make the criteria that determine success clear, give sufficient preparation time, and remind students that ongoing support is always available.

Most of us have had the experience of being in class and thinking, “Whenever am I going to need to know this in real life?” Not seeing any personal relevance in what they are doing is another way motivation wanes in students. Therefore, take the time to know what interests students and what their particular goals are and try to link these as much as possible to what is happening in class.

Predictability and monotony are two effective motivation killers. Think about various aspects of the learning process and try to mix them up as much as you can. During each lesson try to vary the focus, types of tasks, learner interaction patterns, and teaching materials.

Not only should your learning tasks be varied but inherently interesting. As previously mentioned, they should be suitably challenging and could also include elements such as personal interest, humour, or novelty.

Self-confidence and motivation usually go hand in hand. Confident learners show a willingness to communicate regardless of the amount of the second language they have acquired. To help students build self-confidence, provide consistent encouragement highlighting their efforts and achievements, and try to minimize their language anxiety. When students feel they can maintain face, they are more engaged and motivated to participate. Continually reinforcing that mistakes are a natural and even welcome part of the learning process should help students feel more comfortable in class. Similarly, avoid putting students in situations where they feel their social image might be threatened. For activities that require free and unscripted speech, rather than having students perform in front of the whole class, consider having them perform in smaller groups in which every member is also required to perform.

Help students become more independent learners. Students who have a sense of ownership in their learning tend to be more motivated. Ownership can be developed by giving students as much of a say in what they do in class as is beneficial to do so. For certain activities, it may be appropriate for students to take on a leadership or teaching role.

Positive reinforcement is a way that teachers can increase learner satisfaction, which in turn, can result in increased motivation. For whatever reason, it is not uncommon for teachers to focus more attention on what students are not doing well and consistently articulating this back to them, rather than giving equal or even more attention to successes and celebrating them with the students. Making it clear to students that you recognize their abilities and achievements helps validate in their own minds the effort they have expended, builds faith in you as a teacher and the course, and adds to the overall tone of a positive learning environment.

The way feedback and assessment are provided can also have an impact on student motivation. When it comes to assessment, it pays to make it as transparent as possible so that learners are clear on the criteria that constitute success. This helps them develop a roadmap for achieving the criteria, and if they can see that they are fair and valid criteria that are clearly linked to the taught syllabus, they can be more motivated in class. Assessment should also make room to acknowledge effort and progress and not just a measure of their current level of proficiency. Provide periodic formative assessment throughout the course to help students track their progress and provide opportunities for feedback. With feedback, allow students to ask questions and make feedback constructive, which does not mean avoiding weak areas and only focusing on the positive. For areas that need improvement, provide clear and easy-to-understand explanations with examples followed by helpful tips to address particular issues. Finally, offer opportunities for peer and self-assessment. This will help promote students’ understanding of their learning and provides opportunities for critical analysis of their own efforts encouraging them to become more autonomous learners.

Learning Strategies

Research shows a positive correlation between strategies that students employ in their learning and their level of success in language acquisition. Successful learners apply strategies that are characterized by an active approach to learning. For instance, they may recite silently in their heads what the teacher says, they may think out an answer in their heads to a question posed to another student, they might closely examine the meaning of the language they are practising, or may actively seek opportunities to use the language outside the classroom either in a passive or active form.

Active learning strategies can be classified in four ways. Firstly, meta-cognitive strategies might include planning a study schedule or reflecting on the success or failure of certain study habits. Cognitive strategies involve techniques such as ways of memorizing vocabulary or using context clues to guess the meaning of words while reading. Affective strategies are characterized by how learners deal with issues such as a lack of motivation or frustration with a perceived lack of progress. Social strategies include the ways students cooperate with other learners or ask questions. For a teacher, it is important to develop some awareness of which particular strategies are more likely to lead to successful language learning and attempt to pass these on to learners who are experiencing difficulties. However, this is not a straightforward process as the specific strategies that work well with one student may not apply to another.

While the ways in which students can have difficulty in learning English are numerous, as a starting point to help your students cope with these challenges, this article has briefly considered three broad but universally relevant areas that affect learners’ ability to succeed. Anxiety, motivation, and learner strategies are all well covered in the academic literature, and it is hoped that this article has sparked an interest in further exploration of the topics covered.

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How to Best Overcome the Challenges of Learning English

Learning English can be challenging, especially when your native language is very different from English! However, if you have an experienced teacher or guide to help you overcome these challenges, learning English can be easier and more effective. At Excel English Institute, all our instructors are chosen and trained to help students learn the language while overcoming the typical challenges associated with language learning . Because Excel faculty and staff have regular training to discuss effective methods to better serve their students when learning grammar, writing , reading and listening, and speaking, students are given tools to learn as easily and quickly as possible. Excel instructors encourage their students to use the following five tips to be successful when learning English.

1. The Name of the Game is ORGANIZATION!

This means that students are encouraged to keep their study spaces and class materials organized. For example, notes and handouts should all be filed or stored according to subject. In other words, notebooks and folders should be separated according to subject. A binder with different sections and dividers is a good way to keep all class materials organized and easy to find.

2. Use It or Lose It!

Students at Excel are given constant opportunities to use their knowledge by practicing in and outside the classroom. Teachers often put students in groups to complete assignments and discuss various topics of interest. Another effective tip Excel’s instructors tell their students is to get out of their comfort zones and get practicing. Looking for opportunities to speak with people who don’t speak the same language will force English learners to use their knowledge while speaking in English. Also, with regular outings to places of interest in the Dallas area , students and teachers can practice language skills while enjoying preplanned field trips .

3. Read, Read, Read!!

Excel’s curriculum is integrated so each subject utilizes materials that require reading in English . Also, students are encouraged to read their favorite books in English, and they often read stories and literature as part of the curriculum. The best way to learn new words and see grammar in context is by reading.

4. Watch Videos Daily!

Excel’s curriculum uses books that have video and audio built into the materials used in class. Guided questions help students gauge their listening and language skills regularly. In addition, students are encouraged to watch videos in English in their free time whether on a streaming service or teacher-recommended programs like “ Learn English with Lucy and Learn English with TV Series ” on YouTube.

5. Social Media Can be Good for You!

While most people are regular users of social media as a pastime activity, English learners are encouraged to use social media to help in learning English. There are a few platforms that are great resources for strengthening language skills. On Facebook, students can go to “ Learn English Online ” and “ English Chat and Learning Club ”. Instagram users can go to “ In English with Love and Pronunciation with Emma ”. Finally, Twitter offers “ BBC Learning English and Grammar Girl ”. There is a wealth of resources to help with language acquisition, and Excel instructors are happy to point students in the right direction.

Finally, Excel teachers look for ways to encourage their students to stay motivated in the process of learning English. They tell their students to think in English instead of translating from their native languages to English, be positive and enjoy the process. So far, this method of teaching has created lasting friendships and countless success stories.

If you would like to learn more about how we help you achieve your language goals at Excel English Institute, give us a call !

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A mixed-methods national study investigating key challenges in learning English as a foreign language: A Chinese college student perspective

Jinyan huang.

1 School of Education, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China

2 School of Foreign Language, Shanghai Dianji University, Shanghai, China

Tiantian Shu

Yongfang zhang.

3 School of Education, Yan’an University, Yan’an, Shaanxi, China

Associated Data

The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors, without undue reservation.

Introduction

This mixed-methods national study has a two-fold purpose: (a) to invite Chinese college students to rate their overall difficulties in the eight areas of English learning, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture; and (b) to invite them to identify their key challenges in learning EFL. Specifically, the following three research questions were asked: (a) what are their overall difficulties in the eight areas of learning EFL? (b) Are there significant differences in rating their overall difficulties in these eight areas across the demographic variables of gender (i.e., male versus female participants) and subject discipline (arts versus sciences versus English subject disciplines participants)? And (c) what are their key challenges in learning EFL?

The participants included a sample of 1,525 freshmen and sophomore students currently studying at seven universities across China. The instrument was a survey that consisted of a five-point Likert scale self-evaluation form and a major essay question addressing their key challenges. The qualitative data can help to probe deeply into the research setting to obtain in-depth understandings about Chinese college students’ English learning; and therefore, they can greatly enhance the quantitative data.

Results and discussion

The quantitative results indicated that listening, speaking, and writing were their three key difficult areas in EFL learning; further, students’ subject discipline (arts versus sciences verse English subject disciplines) had significant effects on their perceived learning challenges in English listening and vocabulary. The qualitative results confirmed that listening, speaking, and writing were their three key challenging areas. Their specific learning challenges in each area were examined. Implications for Chinese college English teachers and administrators are discussed in terms of pedagogy and policy making, respectively.

English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) education is a field that focuses on developing ESL/EFL students’ English language proficiency in the following eight areas: listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture ( Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages [TESOL], 2017 ). Related research has shown that they experience considerable challenges in these areas and these challenges would eventually prevent them from developing their English language proficiency ( Al-Mekhlafi and Nagaratnam, 2011 ; Shen, 2013 ; Chen and Lai, 2014 ; Yang and Chang, 2014 ; Boroujeni et al., 2015 ; Wang and Fan, 2015 ; Chang, 2016 ; Alhaysony and Alhaisoni, 2017 ).

China is a rapidly developing country with more EFL learners than any other countries in the world. English is taught and tested in all colleges and universities across the country ( Liu and Huang, 2020 ; Zhao and Huang, 2020 ). There is no doubt that Chinese college students themselves play an extremely important role in their EFL learning; and they must be responsible for identifying their key challenges first and then developing strategies to cope with these challenges. Therefore, an examination of the key challenges in learning English from a Chinese college student perspective will provide important implications for Chinese college English teachers and college administrators/leaders in terms of EFL pedagogy and policy-making, respectively.

A brief summary of the literature

Many empirical studies examined the challenges faced by EFL students in learning English ( Liu and Jackson, 2008 ; Lovett et al., 2008 ; Zhang and Yin, 2009 ; Bao and Sun, 2010 ; Ma, 2012 ; Gan, 2013 ; Juan and Abidin, 2013 ; Rawlings and Sue, 2013 ; Shen, 2013 ; Chen and Lai, 2014 ; Liang, 2015 ; Ping et al., 2015 ; Wang and Fan, 2015 ; Alhaysony and Alhaisoni, 2017 ; Bawa and Watson, 2017 ; Sang, 2017 ). Specifically, they experience challenges in English listening, speaking, reading, and writing as well as English pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture ( Liu and Jackson, 2008 ; Lovett et al., 2008 ; Zhang and Yin, 2009 ; Bao and Sun, 2010 ; Ma, 2012 ; Juan and Abidin, 2013 ; Chen and Lai, 2014 ; Sang, 2017 ). Since many empirical studies were conducted to examine the challenges faced by EFL students in each area, the researchers decided to choose two studies to review for each area.

Challenges in English listening

Juan and Abidin (2013) found that the main problem faced by Chinese EFL students in English listening is the lack of prior knowledge of English vocabulary, which hinders their understanding in the listening process. In addition, the differences in native speakers’ accents prevent Chinese EFL students from correctly understanding the listening content. Similarly, Wang and Fan (2015) found that processing listening materials was difficult for low-proficiency Chinese learners. Moreover, accent and other varieties of standard English also pose difficulties to Chinese students, as they believe that these factors would increase their challenges in English listening.

Challenges in English speaking

Liu and Jackson (2008) explored Chinese EFL students’ unwillingness to communicate and anxiety in English language classrooms and reported that many of them did not like to risk speaking English in class because they felt anxious in their English language classrooms. Further, by investigating EFL students’ oral English difficulties in China. Gan (2013) found that the perceived difficulties include language defects, oral process, conversational skills and academic speaking conventions, affective influences, and opportunities for students to use English for oral communication in learning contexts.

Challenges in English reading

Lovett et al. (2008) explored whether struggling EFL readers from different primary language backgrounds differed in response to phonologically based remediation. The results indicated that syntactic awareness, and breadth and width of vocabulary were challenging for EFL readers. Further, Shen (2013) investigated technical university EFL learners’ academic reading difficulties, strategies, and learning needs. Most of the participants’ academic reading difficulties could be broadly attributed to deficiency in their language ability and their inability to comprehend content matter. Vocabulary was perceived to be the primary challenge when reading content-area textbooks.

Challenges in English writing

Sang (2017) found that due to the negative impact of the curriculum and syllabus, high-risk standardized tests and the language environment of many Chinese universities, Chinese EFL students find it difficult to apply their English knowledge to writing. In addition, their English writing skills and strategies are also limited. Further, Bawa and Watson (2017) investigated the English writing challenges faced by Chinese EFL students in the United States and found that Chinese EFL students have serious English writing deficiencies due to their lack of language competence and the defects of the complex English language teaching system.

Challenges in English pronunciation

Liang (2015) found that the challenge Chinese EFL students face in pronunciation is the influence of their mother tongue. Because of the negative influence of their mother tongue, their performance of pronunciation in making connected speech was poor. Similarly, Zhang and Yin (2009) reported similar results. They found that mother tongue is the first language interference to Chinese EFL students’ English pronunciation. In addition, Chinese EFL students’ lack of phonological and phonetics knowledge has greatly affected their pronunciation.

Challenges in English grammar

Bao and Sun (2010) suggested that most Chinese EFL students believed that the challenge they faced in English grammar was that they could not remember grammar rules and could not use grammar rules correctly. In addition, students often make mistakes in the use of modal verbs, tense errors, verb noun confusion, and preposition mismatch or loss. Further, Alhaysony and Alhaisoni (2017) investigated grammatical difficulty from the perspective of Saudi Arabia EFL students as well as from the perspective of university teachers. The results showed that some English grammar features were more difficult and some were less difficult than others. For example, the five most difficult English grammar features reported in this study included unreal conditional, participial construction, real conditional, embedded question, and prepositions.

Challenges in English vocabulary

Ma (2012) reported that Chinese EFL students have inadequate vocabulary learning strategies, low motivation, no collaborative learning environment to practice their lexical competence, insufficient exposure to authentic language input, and inadequate teachers’ instruction on social strategies. Further, Ping et al. (2015) investigated Chinese EFL learners’ needs in vocabulary learning. The results suggested that the students possessed insufficient knowledge of high-frequency words and were deficient in using cognitive deep processing strategies and metacognitive control strategies.

Challenges in English culture

Two studies examined EFL students’ English culture challenges ( Rawlings and Sue, 2013 ; Chen and Lai, 2014 ). In Rawlings and Sue’s (2013) study, the constructs of American culture and models of English language taught in Chinese classrooms are compared with the reality of American culture and English communication. It was found that Chinese students may often be unprepared for the challenges they will face, which are often associated with cultural dissimilarities and communicating in the English language. Further, Chen and Lai (2014) explored the influence of universality and specificity of culture on EFL learners’ comprehension of metaphor and metonymy. It was found that cultural differences may result in miscomprehension of metaphors and metonymy.

To sum up, the existing literature examined EFL learners’ challenges in different areas of learning English. However, these studies were based on small scale data, which could limit the generalization of research findings to a specific EFL learning context; furthermore, few studies examined these challenges from the perspective of EFL students. This national study aimed to move forward the research area and provide implications for pedagogy and policy making.

Research purpose and questions

This mixed-methods national study has a twofold purpose: (a) to invite Chinese college students to rate their overall difficulties in the eight areas of English learning, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture; and (b) to invite them to identify their key challenges in learning EFL. Specifically, the following three research questions were asked: (a) What are their overall difficulties in the eight areas of learning EFL? (b) Are there significant differences in rating their overall difficulties in these eight areas across the demographic variables of gender (i.e., male versus female participants) and subject discipline (arts versus sciences versus English subject disciplines participants)? and (c) What are their key challenges in learning EFL?

Materials and methods

The instrument of this study was a survey that consisted of a demographic information section which asked about participants’ gender and subject discipline, a five-point Likert scale rating form, and three essay questions of approximately 300 words each. The rating form invited participants to indicate their perceived difficulty level of each of the eight areas of English learning, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (least difficult) to 5 (most difficult). The first essay question required the participants to specifically describe their key challenges in learning English. The second essay question required them to describe their strategies to cope with these key challenges. The final essay question required them to describe their self-assessment practice in learning English as well as their perceived effectiveness and benefits of self-assessment ( Mok et al., 2006 ; Earl, 2012 ). The qualitative data can help to probe deeply into the research setting to obtain in-depth understandings about Chinese college students’ English learning; and therefore, they can greatly enhance the quantitative data ( Creswell, 2014 ).

The participants included a sample of 1,525 freshmen and sophomore students currently studying at seven universities across China. These seven universities were purposively identified for this study. The criteria for inclusion included (a) it must be a 4-year comprehensive university; (b) it must have more than 20,000 students on campus; and (c) it must have a school of English, where students learn English as their subject discipline. These seven universities are located in the eastern, southern, western, northern, and central parts of China, respectively. They were purposefully selected because they were considered a representative sample of all universities in China in terms of the numbers of schools and students on campus.

A total of 2,000 surveys were distributed to students in these universities, 1,529 completed ones were collected, with a response rate of 76.5%. Among these 1,529 collected surveys, four were considered invalid and excluded for the data analysis. Therefore, a total of 1,525 valid surveys were included in the final data analysis. In addition, these 1,525 participants come from 26 subject disciplines. For the ease of data analysis, these 26 subject disciplines were categorized into arts, sciences, and English subjects.

Among the 1,525 participants, 584 (38.3%) were male and 941 (61.7%) female participants; 514 (33.7%) were freshmen and 1,011 (66.3%) sophomore students; and 747 (49.0%), 528 (34.6%), and 250 (16.4%) were arts, sciences, and English subject students, respectively. These students came from different provinces of China and they had learned English for approximately 10 years at the time of data collection. It is important to note that their prior English learning experiences at elementary and secondary schools varied considerably. For example, some students who had learned English at urban schools might have native English speakers as their English teachers and therefore had more English language exposure than those who learned English at rural schools. For data analysis, participants were grouped by gender and subject discipline for the purpose of examining significant differences.

Data were collected with the assistance of a contact person in each participating university. This contact person was responsible for distributing and collecting the surveys and then shipping to the first author of this study. The participants were provided with information about the study, and they all understood that their participation voluntary and their responses were strictly confidential.

Using SPSS, the five-point Likert scale data were analyzed quantitatively at three different levels. First, the internal consistency reliability of the rating form was calculated. Second, the descriptive as well as group statistics (i.e., the mean and standard deviation) for each area of English was calculated. Third, gender-by - subject discipline ( 2 × 3 ) factorial ANOVAs were performed to examine significant gender, subject discipline, and gender-by-subject discipline interaction effects on their rating of the difficult levels of the eight areas of English learning. It is important to note that since the participants from the seven universities come from different parts of China and their English learning programs are similar, significant differences among schools were not expected; and therefore, demographic variable of school was not included in the quantitative data analysis.

Finally, the essay data were analyzed qualitatively. To ensure data integrity and consistency, the data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet by the first and third researchers who have rich experience in qualitative data analysis including coding. Following that, each essay was color-coded and sorted into different categories and subcategories by the first and third researchers (coders) independently first, and then collaboratively; and finally, conceptually similar content was discussed, grouped together, and then categorized according to the recurring themes. This process was to ensure inter-coder reliability of the qualitative data analysis. To enhance its validity, direct quotes from participants were also incorporated ( Creswell, 2014 ).

This article reports the findings on participants’ key challenges in learning English. The findings on their coping strategies and self-assessment practice have been addressed in separate articles. In this section, the internal consistency reliability of the rating form and the inter-coder reliability of the qualitative data were reported first, followed by the presentation and discussion of Chinese college students’ overall difficulties in the eight areas of English learning (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture), the significant differences across gender and field of study variables, and their key challenges in learning EFL.

The reliability of the rating form

Since Cronbach’s alpha is the most popular measure of internal consistency reliability, it was computed as an indication of the reliability of the rating form. Although the rating form consisted of only eight five-point Likert scale items, it has been shown to be reliable, with a Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient of 0.81.

The inter-coder reliability of the qualitative data

Cohen’s kappa was calculated to assess the inter-coder reliability of the qualitative data. The obtained kappa of was 0.87, indicating that the inter-coder reliability of the quality data was satisfactory.

Descriptive and group statistics

The descriptive and group statistics results are presented in Table 1 . The descriptive statistics reports the mean and standard deviation for the difficulty level of each area of English learning.

Descriptive and group statistics.

As shown in Table 1 , English listening (mean = 3.82), speaking (mean = 3.64), and writing (mean = 3.38) were identified as the most difficult areas for all the participants; whereas English reading (mean = 3.02), vocabulary (mean = 3.07), and pronunciation (mean = 3.26) the least difficult areas. These results confirmed previous research findings about Chinese students’ challenges in English listening ( Yang and Chang, 2014 ; Wang and Fan, 2015 ), speaking ( Liu and Jackson, 2008 ), and writing ( Chang, 2016 ).

For male participants, English listening (mean = 3.84), speaking (mean = 3.59), and writing (mean = 3.38) were identified as the most difficult areas; whereas English reading (mean = 3.07), vocabulary (mean = 3.10), and pronunciation (mean = 3.30) the least challenging areas. For female participants, English listening (mean = 3.82), speaking (mean = 3.71), and writing (mean = 3.35) were identified as the most challenging areas; whereas English reading (mean = 3.01), vocabulary (mean = 3.05), and pronunciation (mean = 3.21) the least challenging areas.

For arts students, English listening (mean = 3.93), speaking (mean = 3.72), and writing (mean = 3.33) were identified as the most difficult areas; whereas English vocabulary (mean = 2.96), reading (mean = 3.06), and pronunciation (mean = 3.27) and culture (mean = 3.27) the least challenging areas. Similarly, for sciences students, English listening (mean = 3.78), speaking (mean = 3.52), and writing (mean = 3.41) were identified as the most challenging areas; whereas English reading (mean = 3.09), pronunciation (mean = 3.15), and vocabulary (mean = 3.13) the least challenging areas. However, for English subject discipline students, English speaking (mean = 3.74), listening (mean = 3.65), and writing (mean = 3.41) and pronunciation (mean = 3.40) were identified as the most challenging areas; whereas English reading (mean = 2.84), culture (mean = 3.17), and vocabulary (mean = 3.21) the least challenging areas.

The gender-by-subject discipline factorial ANOVAs results

Eight gender-by-subject discipline (2 × 3) factorial ANOVAs were performed to examine the significant gender, subject discipline, and gender-by-subject discipline interaction effects on participants’ rating of the difficult levels of the eight areas of English learning. The 2 × 3 factorial ANOVAs for English speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, and culture yielded no significant findings. However, the two-way factorial ANOVAs for English listening and vocabulary did yield significant findings. The results are presented in Table 2 .

The gender-by-subject discipline (2 × 3) factorial ANOVAs for English listening and vocabulary.

** p < 0.01; n.s., not significant.

As shown in Table 2 , the only significant main effect was found for participants’ subject discipline. The gender main effect and gender-by-subject discipline interaction effect were not significant. Specifically, English listening was identified as significantly more challenging for arts subject (mean = 3.93) students than for English subject (mean = 3.65) students ( p < 0.01, effect size = 0.007). Further, English vocabulary was found to be significantly more difficult for sciences subject (mean = 3.13) students than for arts subject (mean = 2.96) students ( p < 0.05, effect size = 0.009).

It is important to note that the obtained effect size was small for each of the two-way factorial ANOVAs which yielded significant group differences. Effect size identifies the strength of the conclusions about groups; and it often provides a more practical reading of the results ( Creswell, 2014 ). The obtained small effect sizes for these ANOVAs suggest that these findings were significant only due the large sample size of this national study. Therefore, these significant differences should be interpreted with caution.

Chinese college students’ key challenges in learning EFL

The essay question required all participants to describe their key challenges in learning EFL. Their essays were coded and then categorized into the following eight areas, i.e., English listening, speaking, writing, grammar, culture, pronunciation, vocabulary, and reading, in the order of their perceived levels of difficulty. The major findings are presented in Table 3 .

Chinese college students’ key challenges in learning English.

Listening challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 738 (48.4%) of them identified English listening as their most difficult area. Their specific listening challenges include (a) a lack of authentic language exposure; (b) unfamiliarity with English culture; and (c) limited listening practice.

A lack of authentic language exposure

Among these 738 participants, approximately two-thirds of them reported that they did not have enough English language exposure while learning. The following are only a few comments made by some of them: “ My English teachers in the secondary schools rarely spoke English in the classroom ,” “ I did not receive much English listening practice while learning English in my high school ,” and “ to be honest, I had very limited authentic English listening materials when I was learning English .”

Unfamiliarity with English culture

Among these 738 participants, about half of them reported that their unfamiliarity with English culture had become an obstacle to their English listening. “ I had great difficulty in comprehending listening materials with English cultural elements ,” and “ I could hardly understand the conversational implicatures because they are heavily associated with English culture ,” are a couple of selected comments made by the participants.

Limited vocabulary

Among the 738 participants, about one-third of them stated that their English listening challenges were caused by their limited English vocabulary. The following statements were selected from a few essays written by these participants. “ I could not make sense of what I was listening to because I did not know many words in the listening materials ,” “ I could not recognize many words and expressions while listening to English texts ,” and “ I always felt anxious in my English listening tests because of my limited English vocabulary. ”

Previous researchers such as Wang and Fan (2015) , and Yang and Chang (2014) did report Chinese EFL students’ difficulties in English listening. They seemed to focus on specific listening challenges but this study on general listening challenges.

Speaking challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 598 (39.2%) of them reported English speaking as their key challenge in learning EFL. Their specific speaking challenges are (a) a lack of English speaking environment; (b) L1 interference; and (c) limited speaking practice.

A lack of English speaking environment

Among these 598 participants, approximately half of them reported that they did not have an English speaking environment while learning EFL. “ I could hardly find anyone who speaks English ,” “ there was no English speaking environment inside and outside the school ,” and “ learning English without speaking it could be disastrous to learning it as a foreign language ,” are a few selected comments made by these participants.

L1 interference

Again, among these 598 participants, about half of them mentioned that Chinese always interferes with their English speaking. There exists a direct translation process when they try to speak English. The following comment is a good explanation of this direct translation process in their English speaking. “ I cannot think in English, I always put everything in Chinese in my mind first, and then translate it into English, and finally speak in out in English .” they did not have an English speaking environment while learning EFL.

Limited speaking practice

Among these 598 participants, about one-third of them commented that limited speaking practice makes their English speaking challenging and difficult. Many of them commented that their English teachers often focus on grammar and reading, without allotting much time for speaking in the classroom. Further, as one of them commented that, “ it is almost impossible to practice my English speaking outside the school .”

Some of these challenges are similar to what Liu and Jackson (2008) had reported about Chinese EFL students’ speaking difficulties. The findings of this study did confirm that Chinese students face considerable challenges in their English speaking learning process.

Writing challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 419 (27.5%) of them reported writing as the most challenging area. Their specific writing challenges include (a) a lack of logical thinking; (b) poor language control; and (c) unfamiliarity with the style of English written communication.

A lack of logical thinking

Among these 419 participants, approximately 50% of them reported that they had challenges in organizing ideas logically in English writing. “ I feel difficult in writing a good paragraph … I know a topic sentence is important, but I have difficulty in stating the topic sentence properly ,” commented by one of the participants. “ I could not connect the paragraphs within an essay logically ,” added by another participant. Other participants also mentioned that they had difficulty in using the correct transition signals within an English essay.

Poor language control

Among these 419 participants, approximately more than 40% of them reported that they had poor language control in English writing. The following comments were selected from their essays: “ I usually could not write long English sentences ,” “ I feel difficult to pick up the right words and expressions in writing an English essay ,” and “ organizing ideas within a paragraph and an essay is challenging for me. ”

Unfamiliarity with the style of English written communication

Among these 419 participants, approximately one third of them reported that their unfamiliarity with the style of English written communication had become an obstacle to their English writing. They had noticed that the style of written communication was very different between English and Chinese. However, the style of Chinese written communication often interferes with their English writing. “ I usually follow the style of writing a Chinese essay when writing an English essay ,” “ I often fail to present my thesis statement at the beginning of an essay ,” and “ I use ‘always’ and ‘never’ frequently in my English writing ,” are just a few comments made by the participants.

Different from what Chang (2016) had reported about EFL doctoral students’ challenges in academic writing, this study examined Chinese college students’ challenges in English writing in general. The findings of this study would have important implications for EFL learning and teaching.

Grammar challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 224 (14.7%) of them reported grammar as the most challenging area. Their specific challenges in grammar are (a) L1 interference; (b) complexity of English grammar; and (c) a lack of interest in English grammar. Some of these results are similar to the research findings by Alhaysony and Alhaisoni (2017) and Al-Mekhlafi and Nagaratnam (2011) .

L1 negative transfer

Among these 224 participants, approximately 45% of them reported that they Chinese grammar interferes with their English grammar learning. For example, they have difficulty in using English articles. One participant commented that “ the use of articles in front of nouns are required in English, but there is generally no such a requirement in Chinese grammar … I often miss the articles when I am writing in English .” Some of them also mentioned that they had encountered great difficulty in English verb conjugation and using the correct tenses in their English writing and speaking.

Complexity of English grammar

Among these 224 participants, about 35% of them reported that the complexity of English grammar had made English grammar learning challenging and difficult. They listed quite a few grammar rules they felt complex and challenging, for example, the agreement between the subject and predicate of a sentence, the verb tenses and voices, the compound and complex sentences, the articles, the prepositions, and prepositional phrases Chinese grammar interferes with their English grammar learning.

A lack of interest in English grammar

Among these 224 participants, about 30% of them stated that they showed little interest in learning English grammar. The following are a few comments selected from their essays. “ I do not like to memorize the grammar rules ,” “ English grammar rules always come with exceptions, which made it hard for me to learning English grammar … therefore, I hate memorizing them [exceptions] ,” “ my English teachers spent a lot of time in the classroom teaching English grammar rules … we are eventually asked to memorize these [grammar] rules ,” and “ learning English grammar is boring .”

Culture challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 189 (12.4%) of them reported that their most challenging area was related to English culture. Their specific culture challenges include (a) limited access to the English culture; (b) Chinese culture transfer; and (c) limited culture teaching. Some of these findings are in conformity with the previous literature ( Rawlings and Sue, 2013 ; Chen and Lai, 2014 ).

Limited access to the English culture

Among these 189 participants, almost 80% of them reported that they had very limited access to the English culture when they learned English in the middle schools. The English textbook became their only access to the English culture. The following are only a few comments made by these participants: “ my understanding of the English culture came from the English textbooks,” “I did not usually watch English movies and TV programs while learning English in the middle schools,” and “I have never spoken to a native speaker of English and am not sure about what to talk about even if I have such an opportunity.”

Chinese culture transfer

Among these 189 participants, about half of them reported that the Chinese culture definitely interfered with their learning of English and its culture. One participant made the following comment: “ I had encountered many difficulties in learning English speech acts, for example, how to respond to compliments. When someone said to me ‘your English is very good’ I would reply ‘my English is poor,’ which sounded very Chinese but awkward and inappropriate in English. ” The cultural difference between Chinese and English also created challenges for Chinese EFL learners. Many participants commented that they could not really understand the conversational implicatures and jokes when they spoke English with native speakers, which could make the conversations very embarrassing.

Limited culture teaching

Among these 189 participants, about 45% of them reported that their English teachers usually did not teach English culture in the classroom. The following are two comments made by these participants: “ my English teacher often focused on reading and grammar in the classroom without specifically touch English culture, to be very honest ,” and “ my [English] teacher chose to skip the teaching of [English] culture even the text contained some [English] cultural elements .”

Pronunciation challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 178 (11.7%) of them identified English pronunciation as their most challenging area in their English learning. Their specific pronunciation challenges include (a) L1 negative transfer; (b) limited authentic input; and (c) limited practice in English pronunciation. These findings provide much more information about Chinese EFL students’ pronunciation challenges than the study conducted by Hui-Ling and Radant (2009) .

Among these 178 participants, approximately half of them reported that the Chinese sound system had a negative impact on their learning of English pronunciation. For example, several speech sounds such as (ae), (ð), (ts), and (dz) in the English sound system cannot be found in the Chinese sound system, which made the learning of these sounds difficult for Chinese students. Furthermore, other English phonetic features such as intonation, assimilation, and word and sentence stresses, as reported by most of them, caused them difficulty in learning English pronunciation because they are not available in the Chinese sound system.

Limited authentic input

Among these 178 participants, about 40% of them reported that they did not have sufficient authentic pronunciation materials while learning English pronunciation. The following is a typical comment made by one participant: “ I had great difficulty in learning English pronunciation due to the very limited authentic input. I am from a remote village where most people cannot speak standard Chinese. My three English teachers in the junior and senior middle schools had strong accents in speaking English. They spoke English differently and I could not tell who had the right pronunciation .”

Limited practice in English pronunciation

Among the 178 participants, about 30% of them stated that they did not have much practice in English pronunciation. Since there are many differences between Chinese and English sound systems, practice becomes important for Chinese students to learn English pronunciation. The comment “ my [English] teachers’ focus was not on pronunciation in the classrooms and we had very limited practice in English pronunciation ” made by one participant became typical and common among the participants.

Vocabulary challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, 126 (8.3%) of them identified English vocabulary as their most difficult area. Their specific vocabulary challenges include (a) difficulty in memorizing; (b) difficulty in understanding the meaning in context; and (c) difficulty in using while writing and speaking. These results confirmed the previous literature on Chinese EFL students’ challenges in English vocabulary ( Ma, 2012 ; Ping et al., 2015 ).

Difficulty in memorizing

Among these 126 participants, approximately 90% of them complained that memorizing English words and expressions were extraordinarily difficult for them. They kept on forgetting the vocabulary they had remembered. One participant commented that “ when I was in the middle schools I tried to memorize [English] words every day but I also forgot them every day … I found memorizing English words tough .” Several participants tried to find the reasons why they felt hard to memorize English words and made the following explanations. The two major reasons were (a) they usually did not know the pronunciation of each word they were trying to memorize and simply memorize its spelling by rote; and (b) they usually did not put the word in a specific context.

Difficulty in understanding the meaning in context

Among the 126 participants, about 70% of them mentioned that they felt difficult in understanding the meaning of a specific word or expression in context even if they knew its Chinese meaning. The following comment was made by one participant: “ I had difficulty in understanding the exact meanings of specific English words and phrases when I was reading a passage with these words and phrases in it. I knew I had remembered their Chinese meanings but I could not construct the meaning of a whole sentence or paragraph .”

Difficulty in word use while writing and speaking

Among the 126 participants, about half of them commented that they felt difficult in using specific English words and expressions correctly when they were speaking and writing in English. Their biggest problem was the lexical collocations, which frequently occurred in their English speaking and writing. In addition, they had difficulty in using such linguistic units as set phrases, idioms, and sayings.

Reading challenges

Among the 1,525 participants, only 98 (6.4%) of them considered reading as their most challenging area. Their specific reading challenges are (a) limited vocabulary; and (b) low reading rate. These findings are similar to what Shen (2013) reported about EFL college students’ reading challenges.

Among these 98 participants, over 90% of them stated that their limited vocabulary caused them English reading comprehension challenges. With limited vocabulary, as indicated by many of them, they could not understand the meaning of each sentence in a passage, and eventually would not be able to comprehend the entire passage.

Low reading rate

Among the 98 participants, about half of them reported that their low reading rate caused them difficulty in English reading, The following comments were selected from their essays: “ I usually focused on every word when I was reading an English text, which made my reading rate really low ,” “ It took me forever to understand even 80% of the text I was reading ,” “ the reason behind it was probably because I read word by word, which made my reading comprehension rate low ,” and “ I realized that I did not have effective reading comprehension strategies and therefore my [English] reading rate was low .”

This article reported 1,525 Chinese college freshmen and sophomore students’ key challenges in learning EFL. The findings suggested that they confronted challenges in all eight areas of EFL learning, i.e., listening, speaking, reading, writing, pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, and culture. Their three key challenging areas included listening (48.4%), speaking (39.2%), and writing (27.5%); whereas the bottom three areas are reading (6.4%), vocabulary (8.3%), and pronunciation (11.7%). In total, they reported 23 categories of key learning challenges across the eight areas of English learning (see Table 3 ).

This study was limited in the following two ways. First, this study was a qualitative method dominant empirical study; and investigated Chinese college students’ key challenges in their English learning from a general rather than specific perspective, which might limit the interpretation and generalization of the findings. Second, many other variables might have been included in this study about their past 10 years’ English learning such as where they came from, their past English test scores, and the specific methods they chose for learning English. However, the qualitative research in education generally involves participants’ self-reflections of their past learning ( Mok et al., 2006 ; Earl, 2012 ) and it does not typically examine the effects of above mentioned variables provides a counter argument to this potential limitation.

In the light of these limitations, the following two conclusions were reached. First, these 1,525 Chinese college students did experience great challenges from all eight areas of EFL learning. Their challenges are not equally distributed across these areas. They experienced considerably more difficulties in English listening and speaking and much fewer difficulties in vocabulary and reading. Second, having an insufficient vocabulary size seemed to be a common problem across all four areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Future research is needed to confirm and validate these findings.

The findings of this study provided pedagogical implications for Chinese college English teachers. For example, it is suggested that they consider adopting specific teaching methods to target students’ weakest areas such as listening, speaking, and writing. The findings of this study also offer policy making implications for Chinese college administrators and leaders. For example, it is suggested that they revise the existing policies or make new policies to either hire more native English teachers or create more opportunities for Chinese college students to study abroad for a period of time. These policies can surely meet students’ learning needs and help them achieve their English learning goals.

There are two possible directions for future research in this area. First, since the key challenges identified in this study were all from students’ perspective, future studies can be conducted to examine Chinese college English teachers’ comments on these challenges. Chinese teachers can also reflect on their own teaching and make adjustments accordingly. Second, future research is needed to conduct a quantitative method dominant study to examine Chinese college students’ key challenges in learning English from both student and teacher perspectives and at a more micro level so that the findings can be generalized to all other colleges and universities in China.

Data availability statement

Ethics statement.

The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Review Committee of the Evidence-Based Research Center of Educational Assessment at Jiangsu University. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.

Author contributions

TS: literature research and review, data entry, preparation, and coding. YZ: conceptualization and data collection. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Analyzing Students’ Difficulties in Writing English Essay

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