Libyan students’ academic speaking challenges associated with language anxiety and lack of English prior learning experience could impede Libyan students’ communication abilities in international academic setting. Students need to develop certain learning strategies for academic speaking in response to these factors. Therefore, explanatory mixed-mode research design, the researcher conducted an online questionnaire with 223 respondents, followed by interviews with 15 informants and a focused group discussion. Field notes and member checks were also carried out for triangulation and validation. SPSS, NVivo, and AMOS analyses carried out were correlational procedures and structural equation modelling (SEM) using bootstrapping resampling analyses to investigate the relationships between variables, determine the validity of study models, and test the research hypotheses. It was found that academic speaking strategies are influenced by language challenges when communication language anxiety and prior learning experience mediate the effects of speaking challenges and the implementation of strategies meant to overcome them.

This study examined the academic speaking challenges faced by Libyan students in Malaysian universities, explored the strategies they used to overcome these challenges, and investigated the influence of prior learning experience and language anxiety on their academic communication abroad. The research also highlighted the role of self-regulated learning in helping Libyan students tackle their academic challenges and implement effective communication strategies in their new international academic setting. The study employed an explanatory mixed-mode research design, involving a questionnaire with 223 respondents, interviews with 15 informants, and a focused group discussion. Field notes and member checks were used for validation. Correlational procedures, structural equation modeling (SEM), and bootstrapping resampling analyses were conducted to examine the relationships between variables, validate study models, and test research hypotheses. NVivo analysis was utilized to code and generate themes from interviews, focus group discussions, and field notes. Findings revealed that Libyan students in Malaysian universities displayed strong self-regulated learning characterized by positive motivation and self-awareness, enabling them to overcome communication challenges through the implementation of various strategies to achieve academic success. The study also demonstrated that language challenges, language anxiety, and prior experience influenced the adoption of academic speaking strategies. These results emphasize the need for stakeholders to address the negative prior experiences faced by Libyan international students and highlight the importance of further research on previous experiences and emotional factors to gain a deeper understanding of the learning experiences of international EFL students in higher education institutions.

Academic listening and interaction in international educational settings are essential for academic success. International students’ language proficiency and prior practice in their home countries either facilitate or impede their academic success. Thus, internationalization has become a desirable trend among learners to further their studies in overseas institutions where English is the medium of instruction. Overseas education allows international students to gain new knowledge and improve their academic skills in various academic fields. However, a lack of English communicative competence and comprehension impedes learners’ academic and communicative success. As a result, international students look for strategies to help them overcome their academic comprehension challenges. This paper explores and better explains EFL international students’ academic listening challenges and strategies to motivate stakeholders to support international students in furthering their studies overseas. Thus, this paper reviews related literature on academic listening strategies through the traditional literature review process. Therefore, this paper explores and better explains EFL international students’ academic listening challenges and strategies to motivate stakeholders to support international students in furthering their studies overseas. The discussion of findings reveals that international students face challenges with understanding others in academic discourse. These challenges are due to their lack of prior English listening practice in their home countries. Thus, international students rely on strategies to overcome communication challenges and improve academic listening comprehension skills (i.e., memory, cognitive, and social strategies). The findings should encourage administrators of international institutions, researchers, and other stakeholders to revamp pre-sessional English language programs and conduct more research on international students’ language learning experiences to help them succeed in their overseas study programs.