ESL students’ challenges in Sri Lanka during the transition to remote learning

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has put the world in stand-still and affected many sectors, education sector among them. As a result, students had to stay indoors in their houses and were unable to take classes on campuses.  To ensure no break in studies, the university relied on an online learning platform.  Sri Lankan universities had a number of challenges in streamlining the online learning process. Both instructors and students had to transition to online learning without any preparation or training.  According to the literature review, students faced certain challenges that could be addressed only after bigger measures.  The present study explores the challenges faced by students who studied English as a Second Language (ESL) in a state-owned Sri Lankan university.  Nearly, 500 students took part in the study and valid answers were recorded.  The findings reveal that the students faced challenges related to confidence level, physical and social interaction, where they resided.  The study also reveals that the sudden switch to online classes shows students unpreparedness.