PERCEPTIONS OF UNIVERSITY-LEVEL ESL LEARNERS ABOUT ENGLISH AS AN INTERNATIONAL LANGUAGE

Abstract

This study enquires into the perceptions of ESL students’ about their pronunciation norms, their accents, and comprehensibility in learning English as an international language (EIL).It  used a quantitative, descriptive research design. For this purpose, a sample of 120 ESL students from public and private universities was selected through convenience sampling technique. Data were collected via a structured survey which was comprised of 12 close-ended questions designed to assess students’ attitudes toward pronunciation instruction, accent preferences, exposure to English varieties, and teaching materials. Findings show that leaners prioritize comprehensibility over native-like pronunciation which aligned with the global emphasis on intelligibility in EIL. While 92.5% valued clear pronunciation, 66.7% considered native-like accuracy essential. The learners favored native accents such as British and American but also showed regional preferences, with 72.5% favoring the Pakistani accent. In addition, 60.8% learners acknowledged the importance of exposing students to diverse accents and 54.2% preferred multimedia resources for pronunciation instruction. However, traditional native-speaker norms persist, with 72.5 % supporting teaching non-native varieties of English. Again 60.8 % preferred bilingual ESL teachers for bridging linguistic and cultural gaps. These findings reflect a balance between traditional practices and inclusive approaches, highlighting the ongoing shift toward EIL principles emphasizing diversity and intelligibility..