DILEMMA OF LEARNERS OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN KENYA

Abstract

To learn a foreign language means to learn a language that is not officially and commonly used in ones usual

habitat. The need to learn a foreign language normally arises as dictated by various factors including profes

sional, academic, personal and socio-economic. The mastering of a foreign language implies the ability of the

learner to put the language into use within various spheres of operation such as speaking, reading and writing;

these corporately define what is referred to as communication skills. These skills are crucial in virtually every

aspect of life. The professional domains, fields of study and circles of social interaction all foreground the mas

tery of language as a means of communication and operation. When the communicative ability is challenged

within given domains and settings, the ripple effect is felt in other related spheres of the individual’s operation.

One such domain is education; when the language of operation is foreign to the learner, a dilemma arises as

to the way forward. A number of private universities in Kenya enjoy an international ethnic variety, including

learners of English as a foreign language. This study looks into the challenges of such students, the strategies

employed in overcoming them and the way forward.