Challenges faced by Bangla-medium background students in adapting to English-medium instruction at the university level in Bangladesh : an exploration of linguistic and academic difficulties

Abstract

This research paper examines the language and academic issues of students studying in Bangla medium who have now transitioned to English-Medium Instruction (EMI) in higher education institutions in Bangladesh. With the changes in the world brought about by globalization, where the use of English as the major mode of higher education, the students whose background language is Bengali find it difficult to cope with the requirements of studying in a second language that they do not speak fluently. Qualitative methods were used for this study to examine what Bangla-medium students experience linguistically, academically, and in their communication skills when they move to English-medium instruction at university. There were 10 undergraduate students who were chosen as inteviewed in this research and their age was 18-22 who came from Private Universities in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and these participants represented many academic subjects or departments and had diverse gender, economic, and school backgrounds.The Data was analysed thematically. Analysis of the data was conducted by using thematic analysis after the transcription has been completed.Semi-structured interview is used in this research paper. Because courses at the university are taught in English, students gain experience handling the issues linked to EMI. The findings suggest that these students face serious problems with vocabulary acquisition, grammar, understanding of elaborate academic study materials, and academic writing. Along with the barriers of language, there are the emotional difficulties with anxiety, lack of self-confidence, and the fear of committing mistakes in their involvement in class activities, speaking in English, and academic success. As the study results indicate, the main challenges of linguistics that the students encounter are to learn academic vocabulary, comprehending various varieties of English accents, and learn English grammar, particularly when it comes to writing. The results lead to the need to change the policy to be more supportive of such students, which means inclusiveness and leveled access to education.