International Journal of Education

ISSN 1948-5476
2016, Vol. 8, No. 4

A Study of the Difficulties in Learning of English

Faced by Hindi and Urdu Speaking Students in India
and Indian Expatriates in Saudi Arabia

Qudsia Iqbal Hashmi1,*

1
CCS University, Meerut, India
*Correspondence: CCS University, Meerut, India. E-mail: iqbalqudsia@yahoo.co.in

Received: September 2, 2016 Accepted: September 21, 2016 Published: November 13, 2016
doi:10.5296/ije.v8i4.10292 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5296/ije.v8i4.10292

Abstract
Main aim of the study was to explore and analyze the learning difficulties faced by Hindi and
Urdu speaking-students in India and Indian expatriates in Saudi Arabia. It is generally felt
that learning of English varies in different context. Learners having background of Urdu,
Hindi differ on account of learning achievements. Similarly those who enjoy more English
learning environment may perform better than their counterparts. In order to carry out the
study, three types of subjects were purpose. The study, though was descriptive-qualitative in
nature, quantification was used to arrive at statistical inferences. The results indicated that
most of the learner’s problems arose due to L1 interference on second language learning
process.
Keywords: English as a second language (ESL), learning difficulties, interference, learning
environment, teaching strategies.
 
   

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1. Introduction

India has officially recognized the importance of English, giving it the constitutional status of
‘Associate Official Language’. This status has changed and altered under political and social
pressures in a vibrant society with a democratic structure and due to the presence of many
cultures, languages and religions. By and large, it is enjoying the status of second language in
India. (Khan, 2011, 1248-1257)
English, which had an ‘elite’ and somewhat alien status during the Raj in India has now
grown and assumed the status of a compulsory link language, the lingua franca. At the most
important sphere of language acquisition: education in general and school education in
particular, it has been gradually adopted as a subject, field of study and most importantly the
medium of instruction and examination. It is the medium of instruction in many schools and
functions as the first, second language at secondary and senior secondary levels. Higher
education in the metros and larger and smaller towns is invariably in English.
Studies on learners’ language programmes are important as they are based on empirical
classroom experience. Hence they provide genuine feedback to instructors as well as
instructional designers to create need-based programmes that would benefit different learner
types and enhance their efficacy and competence. Social disparities increase these variations
as in the variation in learners’ exposure to English language and their socio-economic
experiences lead to the difference in their learning. (Khan, 2015, 1-9)
Even years of exposure to English language teaching in school fail to bring them up to
acceptable standards of the language in many schools. The case of Urdu/Hindi speakers
studying in different schools bears greater significance in this context. Such learners remain
deficient in using the English language even in ordinary day-to-day communication. This
problem is becoming more acute because India’s rapidly growing technologically advanced
economy demands a large number of students to pursue professional, technical and academic
programmes which clearly require appropriate knowledge of the target language- English. It
is felt by most pedagogues that traditional teachings and sheer translations of the concerned
texts are not the obvious solution to these problems, as later they would require adequate
grasp of the language to communicate in the work environment as well.
This study intends to present a thesis on a comparative analysis of the difficulties faced in the
learning of English language by Hindi- and Urdu-speaking students in India and Indian
expatriates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The differences and similarities (if any)
encountered by the teachers while dealing with various aspects of English Language
Teaching (ELT) in the system of formal schooling of, children of Indian expatriates, in KSA
and in India have been focused. To be able to undertake such an analytical study, the
researcher has embarked upon a two-stage field work: collecting materials and information
from both KSA and India, including personal visits to schools for purposes of observation
and distributing carefully planned questionnaires to both teachers and students in the target
schools in both countries. The aim has been nothing but to get a neutral perspective on the
subject to evaluate honestly, analyze the data accordingly, and come up with suggestions and
reparative measures to address the difficulties faced by the students due to various reasons.

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An obvious difference between the two languages under study here is their different word
orders due to their respective roots. The Hindi language and its grammatical structure are
derived from Sanskrit. In Hindi, as in some European languages like French, the rules for the
conjugation of verbs are quite different from those in English. Belonging to different families
of languages, namely the Indo-Aryan and the Anglo-Saxon, these differences are bound to be
dissimilar. Hence, there is a basic difference in the order in which words are used in both
languages. In Hindi, the normal order of words can be: Subject, Object and Verb (S-O-V). In
some cases people are found using the following pattern as well: Subject, Verb and Object
(S-V-O). However, English being bound to follow its rule of the sentence structure, does not
usually allow any change in the order of the Subject, Verb and Object (S-V-O).
1.1 Indian Expatriates and Learning English in Saudi Arabia
Schools are the main vehicle for learning English in KSA as elsewhere where it isn’t the first
language. Despite the fact that Indian schools in KSA are operational in its local
socio-cultural setting, teaching-learning of English is not much affected within the
educational setting of the Indian schools.
1.2 Rationale for the Study
Students of different background can face different types of difficulties in the process of
learning English. They can commit specific mistakes in learning English pronunciation,
grammar, spelling, meaning and vocabulary usage. There is a close connection between the
mother tongue of a learner and specific difficulties in learning and the kind of errors a learner
typically commits. (Lado, 1957)
The above issue contributed a lot in the conception of research question of the present study.
1.3 Research Questions
I have equated the learning difficulties faced by the Hindi/Urdu speakers studying English in
India with those who are Indian expatriates and pursuing English in KSA. Therefore, the
questions conceived are:
1- Do the second language learners of English face problems in India and KSA?
2- Do these students face difficulties due to their first language background?
3- Are there other reasons of such difficulties?
1.4 Statement of the Problem
The purpose of studying in detail the errors that repeatedly occur in the learning of English as
a Second Language by primarily Hindi-speaking learners is to focus on the process of
learning. Most research work studies the errors in grammar and syntax (for example, the
difference in word orders in the two languages) that occur while learning second languages,
but while doing this, they do not reflect upon or highlight the effect of the learners’ individual
socio-economic background or linguistic orientation. They also fail to focus on other
important factors such as gender and cultural influences that pose hindrances in the learning

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of English as a Second Language.

The ultimate aim of this research is to shed light on these problems so that proactive
measures can be taken to improve the curriculum and teaching methodology, while taking
cognizance of the needs of the specific target learners. This will serve to make the whole
learning process more effective and realistic. It also hopes to open up avenues for further
research along those lines that have not been taken up in the present research but have been
suggested, which holds true especially in this area of academic research that is yet largely
uncharted.
1.5 Objectives
1. To examine the use of English as First, Second or Third Language in the school curriculum
as defined by various agencies of the state apparatus.
1. To examine the issues that might have been overlooked while designing the
curriculum for the teaching of English in the non -English-speaking world.
2. To study the processes of learning English in India against the backdrop of societal
changes and other relevant factors.
3. To examine whether it is English per se that poses a threat to the native languages and
cultures or whether there are other elements that have become accessible through
English threatening the indigenous socio-cultural fabric?
1.6 Sample
Three schools were selected based on the medium: Hindi, Urdu and English speaking
students. In this research, the focus was on three types of schools which were Hindi, Urdu
and English medium respectively.
1.7 Research Methodology
The present study will involve qualitative research methodology. Qualitative research
employs analytic induction and emphasizes on causes, interpretations and implications.
(Miles & Huberman, 1994.) Before making progress in any field, scholars must possess
description of the phenomenon with which they want to work. The objective of descriptive
research is the determination of the prevailing conditions, practices and attitudes and seeking
accurate descriptions of activities, objects, processes and persons. This domain of qualitative
research is not confined to data gathering alone but includes the identification and
clarification of relationships among variable categories. Descriptive data are usually collected
by administering questionnaires, interviewing subjects, observing events or analyzing
documentary sources. (Dalen and Diabold, 1979)
1.8 Tools Used
The proposed tools to be used in this empirical study are:
(a) Learners’ Notebooks, Test/Examination scripts, Essays and Compositions to test the
comprehension capabilities of learners and their ability to assimilate and reproduce

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information, build upon thoughts and ideas and the ability to communicate them through
creative expression.
(b) Teachers’ corrections marked in the above scripts and comments/remarks given by the
teachers on the scripts or in the report cards to see if they are able to provide valid feedback
and guidance to learners. This information can then be used to make suggestions for
improvement in pedagogical techniques.
(c) Specifically designed assignments, quizzes and questionnaires to test the linguistic
capabilities and competence of learners. These would include exercises in sentence correction,
use of the correct words, situational questions based on everyday experiences and encounters.
(d) The actual subjects of study, i.e., the students whose work and experiences are to be
studied (the figure given—180 students of government schools in Delhi—may be adhered to
or changed as per the scope of the present study).
(e) The prescribed syllabus for Grade V is chosen as it is a standardized syllabus across all
schools.
Hence the purpose and purview of this study is to analyze empirically and in detail the errors
that occur in the learning of English as a Second Language by native speakers of Hindi in
order to look for the reasons for these errors so that efforts and suggestions may be made to
introduce new and more effective pedagogical tools and techniques to improve teaching and
learning of English as a Second Language.
(f) Teacher’s questionnaires
This self developed tool is expected to elicit the teachers’ perception of learning difficulties
and possible reasons. This will add to the findings based on the data gathered through the
students’ sheets and tests.
1.9 Analysis and Interpretation
The data will be analysed and results will be interpreted in accordance with the objectives,
tools and nature of the study.

2. Critical analysis of Pedagogic Issues

2.1 Teaching English Language and Errors Encountered in the Process
The second/foreign language learners usually face various kinds of difficulties in the
learning of English. The areas of difficulties may range from aspects to skills. The following
is a description of learning difficulties in skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing.
2.1.1 Problems in learning ‘listening’
The specific problems that teaching listening bring are not self-evident. And although
research on the skill is limited, some valuable sources offer valid comments on the problems

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involved in teaching listening.

Despite its obvious importance to language learning, the listening skill has always been an
ignored phenomenon.
With the emergence of communicative language teaching and the focus on ability,
proficiency, and skills, the learning and teaching of listening received more attention.
However, listening is not yet an integral part in most of the Indian classroom setting.
2.1.2 Difficulties in speaking
The learners are found facing difficulties in speaking on account of sound, accent, dialect etc.
The importance of teaching speaking has always been felt as the most important productive
skill. In a second/foreign language learning situation, neither teachers nor the students spend
enough time for the learning and practice of speaking skills for many reasons. In addition, the
learners neither possess enough vocabulary nor structure to communicate in the target
language.
As mentioned earlier the target language teacher focus especially on teaching grammar (for
the sake of grammar)and vocabulary items (usually passive) rather than teaching skills in
general and speaking in particular. Both of the communicative focused and unfocused tasks
one has to engage learners in using language pragmatically rather than displaying language.
They seek to develop language proficiency through communication.
2.1.3 Problems in Learning Reading
There are two types of problems in learning reading. Basic reading problems occur when
there is difficulty understanding the relationship between sounds, letters and words. Reading
comprehension problems occur when there is an inability to grasp the meaning of words,
phrases, and paragraphs. Signs of reading difficulty include problems with:

 letter and word recognition

 understanding words and ideas
 reading speed and fluency
 general vocabulary skills

Teaching reading can be an arduous task as it is often difficult to know how to improve
students’ skills. There are different types of reading skills:
 Skimming—reading rapidly for the main points
 Scanning—reading rapidly to find a specific piece of information
 Extensive—reading a longer texts, often for pleasure with emphasis on overall meaning
 Intensive reading—reading a short text for detailed information
These different types of skills are used quite naturally when reading in a mother tongue.

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Unfortunately, when learning a second or foreign language, people tend to employ only
“intensive” reading skills. It is often noticed that students insist on understanding every word
and find it difficult to take any advice of reading for the general idea, or when they do read
longer tracts, it is often only to look for specific information. Students studying a foreign
language often feel that if they don’t understand each and every word they are somehow not
completing the exercise.
In order to make students aware of these different types of reading styles, the teacher is
required to help them identify reading skills that they already apply when reading in their
native tongues. Thus, when approaching an English text, students need to first identify what
type of reading skill has to be applied to the specific text at hand. In this way, valuable skills,
which students already possess, are easily transferred to their English reading.
The use of contextual clues can be one of the best ways to improve students’ reading skills.
Unfortunately, students often insist on understanding each word when reading. Realizing that
a text can be understood in a general sense by using contextual clues can go a long way
towards helping students cope with increasingly difficult texts. At the same time, the use of
contextual clues can also provide a means by which students can rapidly increase their
existing vocabulary base.
2.1.4 Problems in Learning Writing
Children go through several language development stages: toddlers start learning to write in
kindergarten, when they are often given a series of story cards to arrange in order. In early
elementary, the focus is on teaching motor skills and the writing process. By middle school,
students are expected to know how to write, and write well. If they do not possess these tools,
their schoolwork suffers. For instance, middle school classroom work and student homework
in subjects such as science and history require students to first interpret what they read. Then
they are often asked to write on-the-spot essays.
Learning difficulties in writing can involve the physical act of writing or the mental activity
of comprehending and synthesizing information. Basic writing disorder refers to physical
difficulty in forming words and letters. Expressive writing disability indicates a struggle to
organize thoughts on paper. Symptoms of a written language learning disability revolve
around the act of writing. They include problems with:
-neatness and consistency of writing
-accurately copying letters and words
-spelling consistency
-writing organization and coherence
3. Literature Review
The review of the international studies reveals that there are so many issues associated the
learning difficulties faced by the target learners in the process of learning English as a second
language. It was found that code-switching that can be described as the linguistic use of two

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or more languages in a single conversation where the speakers use or at least perceive the
language into which switching occurs. In the same context, some studies indicate that ELF
speakers who face the challenges of managing difference in communication as they come
from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
This situation is best analysed by Bernstein (1971): Not only the pupils come from different
linguistic backgrounds but the same situation prevails in case of teachers. Both of them have
exposure to English outside the class room.
It was also concluded by some researchers that Second language learners often make
systematic errors in grammar, and these errors are usually based upon their first language. A
study describes the academic English language proficiency of immigrant youth after, on
average, 7 years in the United States and models factors that contribute to variation. Findings
show that although differences in individual student characteristics partially explain variation
in English language proficiency, the schools that immigrant youth attended are also
important.
Thus, a complete idea regarding learning difficulties was developed in the area of phonology,
morphology semantics, lexicon and syntax which surely help the present researcher to carry
out her study.
Khan (2003) hypothesized that there was no significant difference between Urdu and Hindi
speaking students in terms of difficulties while English as a second language. The main
objectives of his study were:
1. To ascertain the extent to which the Urdu and Hindi speaking students faced difficulties in
learning English as a second language with special reference to the English grammar, sound
systems, vocabulary, spelling and close items in addition to causes attributed to such
difficulties.
In their article titled, ‘Challenges and Strategies for Teachers and Learners of English as a
Second Language: The Case of an Urban Primary School in Kenya’ (2013), Dhillon and
Wanjiru take up an urban multilingual primary school in Kenya while looking at the many
problems surrounding the acquisition of English as a second language both at the level of the
teachers as well as the learners. Focusing not so much on the content as on the form of
teaching, the researchers highlight the very struggle that goes into changing their way of lives
in order to facilitate a more fluid comprehensive adoption of the language.
Research indicates that teaching students specific strategies to acquire English as a second
language is positively influenced by comprehension of concepts and encouragement of
critical faculty rather than by-rote learning and grammatical and syntactic approaches. One
important model for ESL acquisition is CALLA (Cognitive Academic Language Learning
Approach). This means using learning strategies, age appropriate text, development of
language tools, and overall expansion of knowledge rather than specific learning while using
English, is much more effective than traditional teaching theories.
It was also found that ‘Bilingual learning’ poses a greater challenge than the learning of

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English by native speakers as has become apparent from our discussion in the previous
chapter. Using English regularly and consistently and not the mother tongue as the medium
of instruction can be a reparative measure to counter this problem. However, it could also be
argued that better nonverbal intelligence is not represented in performance-oriented education
and, therefore, the gap between learning and knowledge may be more than what is otherwise
perceived to be. The factors responsible for the level and types of difficulties also vary from
case to case. However, among the prominent factors, the following are some:
-Socio-cultural background,
-Language background,
-Mother-tongue interference,
-Teaching methodology,
-Teacher management
-Textbooks etc.
Agnihotri (1995, 3) suggests some reparative measures to assist language learning in a
multilingual classroom: in order for language learning to be successful, the situation needs to
be informal; the learner should be free from any anxiety; the teacher should essentially be a
friend, observer and facilitator; and most of the learning process should be centred on
meaningful tasks and peer-group interactions. Snowden (2007, p.308) points out that ‘the
qualities in a teacher are key to overall success in the classroom, although concern with the
latest techniques and methods has tended to obscure this fact’. Ken Hyland (2003, 186)
provides a detailed formulation of which errors to target while providing feedback to learners
in order to improve students’ written English related to genre specific, stigmatizing,
comprehension, frequency and so on.
Armendaris in “Writing Anxieties among English as a Second Language Students Enrolled in
Academic English Writing Classes” (2009) takes up the question of learning English as a
second language (ESL) on an academic level and raises the following three important
questions. Firstly, what are the common roadblocks faced by students in the learning process;
secondly, the role played by the teaching methodology employed by teachers and its positive
as well as negative implications. However, studies have shown that the pragmatic strategies
used by ELF speakers include code-switching which is not considered a sign of lacking
language knowledge but instead a strategy that shows creative use of pluro-lingual resources
to enable communication” (Cogo, 2009).
“The development of students’ L2 writing can be influenced by multiple factors such as L1
writing ability, L2 proficiency, and writing experiences in both languages (Kobayashi
&Rinnert, 2008).
Kecskes and Papp (2003) focused on “the influence of L2 on L1 when the L2 is being taught
in a relatively homogenous language community where the student does not have access to
the target culture. Marsh, Hau and Kong (2000) found that “students in Hong Kong who

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received instruction in both Chinese (L1) and English (L2) had stronger L1 skills. The study,
which looked at late immersion, also found negative effects on performance in History,
Geography and Science, all taught in the L2. These findings may well demonstrate the need
for appropriate L2 proficiency and support before content learning begins in the L2.
Having reviewed the above mentioned national/Indian and International studies and literature,
it can be concluded that the learners of the second/foreign language (English) face variety of
difficulties and challenges in the learning process. The review of the above significant
investigations indicated that spellings, vocabulary, sentence structure and comprehension are
major areas in language which need special attention.

4. Data Collection, Analysis and Interpretation

4.1 Data Collection
4.1.1 Assessment- 1
As opposed to a proficiency test, a diagnostic test is not aimed at judging how good one is at
the application of a language on a comparative basis but rather to diagnose the problems that
a person faces in learning and using that language, which was primary aim in designing the
following test which is an objective assessment included a set of fourteen different tests
covering the following:
Identification of correct letter, incorrect words, Spellings test using homophones,
Synonyms-Antonyms test, Sentence identification, Word arrangement, Singular/Plural test,
Tenses test, Pronunciation test using homophones, Word-Meaning test etc.
Not only will be presented a detailed analysis of the performance of the students in the
above-mentioned tests, but also a comparative analysis of Hindi and Urdu speaking students
will be done according to the main focus of my study.
4.1.2. Assessment-2
In an attempt to observe the creative skills of student when it comes to the application of the
second language in writing, my second assessment was primarily a test on their writing skills.
It comprised questions on writing a paragraph on the best movie that you have seen. Why did
you like it so much? Or ‘My Birthday Party’.
A comparative analysis of the performance of the students (3 groups ) in the above mentioned
test was done separately and on the whole. Data collection is a hectic process, but due to the
fact that my sister teaches at Jeddah-KSA, it was possible to collect data. The two schools in
India were located in the south Delhi, Jamia Nagar locality where he researcher resides. So
these data were also gathered in time. A prior permission to conduct the tests was sought
from the school administration.
4.2 Data Analysis
The following is a comparative analysis of the performance of the students from Hindi, Urdu

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and English medium schools based on the data obtained.

Number of Urdu medium Number of Hindi medium Number of English medium
students (U): students (H): students at DPS (E):

80 70 48

4.2.1 Comparative analysis

Table 1. Marks of the students
Groups Average marks of students (correct answers)
spelling Spelling Synonym antonym number meaning Word- Total
(homophone) choice
Urdu 57.3 42 29 47.5 51.3 30.6 23 39.9%
Hindi 39.4 35 8.6 25.8 25.2 14.2 37.2 26.4
English 70.05 81.6 79 91.5 82.5 52.35 51 72.5

4.2.3 Analysis of the teachers’ questionnaires

The following table shows the responses of the questionnaire administered on the English
teachers.
Table 2. Number of responses
SN Statements Agree undecided Disagree
1 29 5 6
2 27 6 7
3 33 3 4
4 26 5 9
5 21 6 13
6 20 4 16
7 19 7 14
8 20 7 13
9 23 5 12
10 18 7 15
11 22 6 12
12 24 5 11
13 23 7 10
14 22 5 13
15 29 4 7

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The data show that most of the teachers agree that teaching/learning of English is not an easy
task. The teachers are of the view that the learners face varied sort of difficulties in the
learning of English as well as the elements of English language. The responses also show that
learning environment in side school as well as outside should be appropriate enough. The
effect of L1 is undisputable, however, direct method may not always be the right method of
teaching in a specific condition.
The graph shows the trend:

Figure 1. Teachers’ Perception

5. Research Questions and Results

I have equated the learning difficulties faced by the Hindi/Urdu speakers studying English in
India with those who are Indian expatriates and pursuing English in KSA, therefore, the
questions conceived are:
1- Do the second language learners of English face problems in India and KSA?
The findings show that all the three groups face problems in the learning of English in
Indian schools as well as international schools in KSA where Indian students pursue
their CBSC affiliated courses. However, the nature of difficulties and the level varies
from context to context. There is a detailed description of the types and amount of
difficulties faced by the target groups( in the chapter of analysis).
The overall result has been summarized as under:

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Table 3. Overall Results

CATEGORY NO. OF NO.OF No. of correct
S.N. TEST ↓ CORRECT CORRECT Answers & %
ANSWERS ANSWERS % (DPS)*
& %(HINDI)* (URDU)*
1. Identification of correct letter test 502(47.8% 835(69.58% 633(87.91%
2. Correction of incorrect words 261(24.85% 548(45.67% 588(81.66%
3. Spellings test using homophones 433(41.2% 631(52.58% 584(81.11%

4. Synonyms test 73(6.9% 284(23.67% 496(86.11%

5. Antonyms test 223(21.23% 456(38% 527(91.49%
6. Sentence identification test 403(38.38% 665(55.41% 596(68.98%
7. Word arrangement test 185(17.61% 541(45.08% 801(83.43%
8. Singular/Plural test 329(31.33% 610(50.83% 595(82.63%
9. Tenses test-I 293(27.90% 816(68% 654(90.83%
10. Tenses test-II 245(23.33% 374(31.16% 629(72.80%
11 Grammar 474(65.83%

12 Pronunciation 262(54.58%

13 Vocabulary-I 251(52.29%
14 Vocabulary-II 276(57.5%

The results show that the English medium school is performing better than even Urdu
medium school which is better than its counterpart-Hindi medium school. Many reasons can
be associated with the results out of which is the L1 interference. In addition, school
environment also contributes to the better results.
Research question- 2: Do these students face difficulties due to their first language
background?
The findings indicate that the type and amount of difficulties faced by the Urdu/Hindi
medium students may be attributed to the L1background, because the DPS-Jeddah school
students don’t face similar level of difficulties. They are rather far better in achievement in
the diagnostic test.
Research question-3: Are there other reasons of such difficulties?
Though there are no actual measures used in the study to find out the reason of difficulties,
yet it can be categorically said that the teaching environment at DPS-Jeddah is far better than
the counterparts: Urdu and Hindi medium students in the two schools chosen from the South
Delhi area.
Research question-4: Are there any solutions to such learning difficulties?

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The findings are indicative of the possible solutions. It has been found that the school
following English as the medium of instruction, and the overall better environment may lead
to far better results. Compared to the Indian scenario, the samples chosen are the students of
those schools which do not exactly teach English through English. In addition, home
environment is not appropriate for the learning of English. They may be from the first
generation learners groups. Thus, the learning becomes troublesome for them. In other words,
a better teaching strategy, teacher development, and environment enhancement is the only
solution for the Urdu and Hindi medium students who performed poorly in the test.

6. Discussion
There are too many observations and only one solution. It cannot be denied that the
performance of students from Hindi and Urdu medium schools at basic tests of their
understanding of English language was overwhelmingly awful. The students had no
understanding of such basic concepts as synonyms, antonyms, punctuation, tenses etc. When
expected to write a simple meaningful sentence on their own, almost all the children failed.
There is no point for political correctness when a reason is sought and presented as the cause
for this unfortunate reality. Young students in Hindi and Urdu medium school cannot speak
correct energy. That they do not have enough confidence to speak in that language in the first
place, is a different story altogether. The problem lies in the teaching methodology alone. It
can be supported by the results of the English medium school located at Jeddah-KSA.
While students from both the schools showed a poor performance, the Urdu medium students
were as a matter of fact exponentially better than their Hindi counterparts. It must be
reiterated that the socio-economic background of these students was very similar, a conscious
attempt on my part to keep the influence of those very important factors the same in both
cases. It is interesting to think what could possibly be the reason for this. In my opinion, it is
because of the relative dominance of Hindi in the social spectrum. While many say that Urdu
is dying a slow death, Hindi is ever-so-strong and good to go. In the Urdu medium school, a
need for knowing English language is felt so as to make it a more inclusive educational
experience for the students for Urdu alone cannot carry them through today’s society. Hindi,
on the other hand, has a lot of pride and a sense of antipathy towards the colonial legacy of
the English language. Because Hindi has a far greater presence in the society vis-à-vis Urdu,
in the school room a basic knowledge of Hindi for the students is considered sufficient for his
overall development.
As a result of this, it can be argues that more importance is given to the teaching of English as
a second language in Urdu schools as compared to the Hindi one and this research with its
extensive details bears testimony to it. The DPS though located at Jeddah where outside
environment may not be very conducive, the learners far better performance can be credited
to the teachers, methods and over all environments at schools. The issue of socio-economic
variations doesn’t even contribute to any significance effect because there is no such issue of
such status consciousness or problems because in KSA, such factors are not at all significant.
However, if one were to talk about both the schools together, it can be concluded that the

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performance of both the groups was shockingly poor, be it Hindi or Urdu. In our schools
where English is not the medium of education, this language is a cat that no one wants to bell.
The only solution to this problem to change the way in which English is being taught as a
second language in Hindi and Urdu medium schools. As mentioned previously in this work in
the section dealing with the methods, the translation method is not a good tool for this
exercise. Students must not be trained to translate words in their head before they can use
them in their sentence. This exponentially reduces the student’s proficiency and keeps him
forever away from the much sought-after fluency.
The overall impact of one’s mother-tongue and connected soci-linguistic variance has been a
matter of concern, however learners’ performance also depend on psychological factors such
as motivation and attitude. Series of work has been done by Khan ( 2011, 2012, 2014a,b,
2015) support the idea of socio-linguistic interferences and psycho-linguistic impact on the
learning of English as a second/foreign language.
It is the need of the hour to adopt the bilingual strategies where a particular concept
simultaneously brings to mind the two words for it from the two languages and the speaker
can use it without any hesitation. It must be understood that cramming word-meanings,
antonyms and complex words can never be the solution to learning a new language.
It is believed among those circles that rote learning can help them to learn how to speak
English, a view that must have been discarded a long time ago. It is only through constant
practice in reading, writing and speaking that can help a student to fully understand and make
use of English language in daily life. Moreover, frequent workshops must be held for the
teachers in every school where they must be acquainted with newer and best methods of
teaching. It is absolutely important that technology must be brought into the fray and teachers
must be taught how to use and include it in their teaching methodology to bring about a more
effective and inclusive learning experience.
It is no secret that English plays an important part in the life of every person in today’s
highly globalized world where it has become a prerequisite for success. Therefore, it is
important that English is introduced at as early a stage of school education as possible so that
the students can inculcate it when it is easier for them to do so. Orthodox and robust methods
of teaching must be done away with and the need to make the students understand exactly
what it is that they are dealing with is imperative in both the short and long run. Students
must be encouraged from a young age to communicate with each other in English as practice
alone is the magic wand to learn English language. There should be greater awareness among
the masses and those holding power in the field of education that English today is not an
option. I hope, with great optimism, that my thesis would help my country to this end.

7. Conclusion
This is a very serious problem which has huge ramifications as far as the future of the
students and our education system is concerned. We are all a part of a system that does not
allow a child to think for himself. A child is bound by his syllabi and the iron fist of the

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person giving it to him. Not only is there no room for creativity and subjectivity, our teaching
methodology focuses entirely on the quantity of education given in terms of time and books,
but not on the quality of teaching. The focus is on the number of hours that a teacher is
teaching, but not even remotely on the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ of the teaching process. While
the student’s attendance holds supreme importance, his/her interest and ‘learning’ is a matter
of no concern. So long as we hold such a utilitarian and reductive approach to our method of
education, the results will continue to be as dismal as they have been in the current research.

8. Recommendations
Based on the results and conclusions, following are some of the recommendations:
1- Diagnostic analysis needs to be done by the concerned teachers of English to
understand the problems,
2- a comparative analysis needs to be performed to deal with the teaching-learning
situations,
3- A proper strategy needs to be evolved to cater to the needs of the bilingual
learners of English,

9. Suggestions for Further Studies

1- An in-depth study may be conducted to explore the factors associated with the
teaching-learning of English in Saudi Arabia,
2- An experimental study may be carried out to see the difference between groups of
different kinds,
3- An evolution of teaching strategy (with technology integration may facilitate
further to come out with fruitful results.

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