English-speaking fluency barriers faced by Bengali-medium students in tertiary education in Bangladesh

Abstract

The present thesis explores the English-speaking fluency barriers encountered by Bengali-medium students as they transition into tertiary education in Bangladesh. Using a qualitative case study design, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with eight students and four teachers from two private university in Dhaka, examining linguistic, psychological, and institutional dimensions of fluency barriers. The findings suggest that recurrent exposure to examination-oriented, grammar-translation pedagogy at the secondary level tends to be associated with limited procedural speaking competence, even though participants had completed 12 years of formal English instruction. Participants also reported psychological barriers including presentation anxiety, perfectionism, and fear of negative evaluation that appear to amplify the linguistic challenges. Mother-tongue influence and a sudden shift to English-Medium Instruction further contributed to what participants described as a "transition shock." Nevertheless, students reported engaging in self-directed strategies, including media exposure and peer practice, while teachers used translanguaging and supportive feedback to mitigate these barriers. The study underscores the need for systemic coordination between secondary and tertiary education, including assessment reform that integrates speaking and listening, teacher-training reform, and university-level bridging provisions.