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Difficulties Facing Children in Learning English as a Foreign Language in the Libyan Context

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English Language Teaching Research in the Middle East and North Africa

Abstract

This study sought to examine the difficulties facing the Libyan children, medically normal, in learning English. To carry out the investigation, the mixed-method approach was adopted. Two questionnaires comprising close-ended and open-ended items were administered to 50 parents and 10 EFL teachers. An interview survey was carried out with 12 pupils from different but representative academic levels. The results of the investigation revealed that for these Libyan children, learning English had been difficult mainly because of their parents’ weak English competence, inadequate teaching strategies exercised on the part of their teachers, learning sans educational means, and the debilitating political situation in their country. The findings of this study are anticipated to help to pinpoint the factors that pose English learning difficulties to the concerned students. This information may prove to be useful in redesigning essential instruction and the relevant teaching strategies for young learners without any performance complications.

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AL-Osta Omar, D., Gaibani, A., Elmenfi, F. (2019). Difficulties Facing Children in Learning English as a Foreign Language in the Libyan Context. In: Hidri, S. (eds) English Language Teaching Research in the Middle East and North Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98533-6_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98533-6_19

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-98533-6

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