Challenges of Teaching English Language to English language learners at Private Universities in Jordan

Teaching English language in a foreign environment can be a hard task for both ESL teachers and English language learners (ELLs. The current teaching methods used in some of the classrooms in foreign environments are similar to classical teaching methods. Students sit, listen, and wait for the teacher to explain everything related to class. Therefore, ELLs would agree with their teachers most of the time. The result of such a teaching method is not always satisfactory for students because teachers forget the fact that students have different learning preferences and different cultural backgrounds. Consequently, teaching English in such environment challenges ESL teachers and make teaching process difficult. This paper focuses on some of the major challenges in teaching English language at private universities in Jordan. The finding of this qualitative research study showed that the academic level of ELLs was affected by their cultural backgrounds and their first language.