A Study on Difficulties Encountered and Perception by English as Second Language (ESL) Learners in Malaysian University Examination Test (MUET)

Abstract

Malaysian University Examination Test (MUET) is one of the English proficiency tests required for students who want to pursue a degree at Malaysian public universities. This test consists of four skill tests, namely listening, reading, speaking, and writing. However, over the past several years, many students who sit for the exam achieved an incredibly low band, and the reasons are not clear. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and difficulties encountered by learners in English as a Second Language (ESL) students in the Malaysian University Examination Test (MUET). Three Malaysian Polytechnic degree-level students who had to re-sit for MUET to complete their degree programme were chosen as the informants. The study applied the qualitative research design, and data were gathered using semi-structured interviews. It was discovered that the students faced the challenges such as preparation, lack of knowledge in vocabulary, grammar, and time constraints in answering the question in MUET. The paper concludes by suggesting that the students are taking steps to overcome MUET-related challenges. Future research is required to investigate the type of teaching methodology that can assist these students prior to MUET.