INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEMS AFFECTING ESL LEARNERS’ ACADEMIC ESSAY WRITINGS OF BS STUDENTS AT GC UNIVERSITY HYDERABAD
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68156/53n8hp57Keywords:
English as a Second Language (ESL), English Language Proficiency, Higher Education, Weak Vocabulary, Academic Writing ChallengesAbstract
Academic essay writing is a fundamental component of higher education, yet many English as a Second Language (ESL) learners experience persistent linguistic and organizational challenges that adversely affect their academic performance. This study explores the issues of academic writing of BS students in GC University Hyderabad focusing on grammatical accuracy, vocabulary, coherence, cohesion, organization and academic writing conventions of academic essays. The main goal is to identify the main obstacles that prevent students in essay writing skills and suggest the ways to enhance academic writing teaching. A quantitative research design was used and the structured questionnaire was used to gather data from the BS students of various academic departments in the study using purposive sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to find the prevalence and significance of the identified writing difficulties. The results show that students have many problems in grammar, sentence structure, academic words, paragraph organization, coherence and cohesion, referencing, and critical arguments. These challenges are further complicated by limited exposure to academic writing, lack of feedback, and lack of proficiency in English. This study reveals that providing academic writing through targeted writing workshops, frequent formative feedback, process writing and effective language support can be highly effective in developing students' essay-writing abilities. The results have important implications for English language teachers, curriculum developers, and university administrators in developing pedagogical interventions that will help ESL students successfully develop academic writing skills in the university context. This research aims to equip educators with strategies to help ESL students overcome common difficulties in academic essay writing, while also providing students with the tools needed for success in this area of their academic journey. The purpose of this book is to provide some strategies for educators to address the common challenges faced by ESL students in academic essay writing and to provide some tools for students to succeed in this aspect of academic writing.
Downloads
References
Ahmed, R., & Malik, S. (2025). English academic writing challenges among undergraduate students in Sindh. Pakistan Journal of Language Education, 12(1), 41–59.
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2024). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (6th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Cummins, J. (2000). Language, power and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Multilingual Matters.
Etikan, I. (2024). Sampling techniques in educational research: Recent developments and applications. International Journal of Educational Research, 118, 102134.
Flower, L., & Hayes, J. R. (1981). A cognitive process theory of writing. College Composition and Communication, 32(4), 365–387.
Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2025). How to design and evaluate research in education (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
Graham, S. (2024). The science of writing instruction. Routledge.
Higher Education Commission Pakistan. (2025). National Higher Education Policy and Quality Enhancement Framework. Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.
Hyland, K. (2019). Second language writing (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Hyland, K. (2025). Teaching and researching writing (4th ed.). Routledge.
Hyland, K., & Jiang, F. (2024). Academic writing in a changing educational landscape. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 68, Article 101421.
Khan, A., & Ahmad, S. (2024). English academic writing challenges among Pakistani undergraduate students. Journal of Education and Educational Development, 11(1), 77–96.
Lantolf, J. P., & Poehner, M. E. (2024). Sociocultural theory and the teaching of second languages. Routledge.
Lee, I. (2017). Classroom writing assessment and feedback in L2 school contexts. Springer.
Lee, I. (2024). Feedback and second language writing in higher education. Assessing Writing, 60, Article 100857.
Nation, I. S. P. (2024). Learning vocabulary in another language (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Rahman, M., Ali, S., & Hussain, N. (2025). ESL writing challenges in Pakistani universities: A quantitative perspective. Pakistan Journal of Applied Linguistics, 8(2), 45–67.
Ranalli, J., & Yamashita, J. (2024). Technology-enhanced writing instruction for second language learners. Language Teaching Research, 28(3), 512–530.
Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (Eds.). (2002). Methodology in language teaching: An anthology of current practice. Cambridge University Press.
UNESCO. (2025). Global education monitoring report 2025: Quality learning for all. UNESCO.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Wingate, U. (2024). Academic literacy and writing development in higher education. Studies in Higher Education, 49(6), 1123–1138.
Yin, R. K. (2024). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (7th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jawairiya Qureshi, Dr. Zahid Ali, Muhammad Qureshi , Syyeda Rabia Batool (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
