Understanding Communicative Needs of Second Language Learners in Undergraduate Colleges

For years the English proficiency of Second Language Learners in colleges especially in the rural areas is constantly declining. The medium of instruction and therefore the execution of the mother tongue education is most often the reason attributed to this. The study makes an effort to view the current situation prevalent in some of the colleges locatedaround Mysuru city, Karnataka (a state in India). It aims at examining the learning environment and perceptions of students towards English language learning while highlighting the shift needed from studying English Language as a subject, to learning English as a medium of communication & expression.