COMMUNICATIVE ADAPTATION AND PEDAGOGICAL CHALLENGES IN TEACHING ENGLISH ACROSS INTERNATIONAL HIGHER EDUCATION

Abstract

The research is grounded in a linguodidactic framework and draws on classroom observations, analysis of student performance, and reflective teaching practices in an international academic setting. Particular attention is given to the interaction between students’ prior linguistic experience, cultural communication patterns, and the expectations of English-medium instruction. The study analyzes common difficulties related to pronunciation, pragmatic competence, discourse organization, and participation in academic communication.The findings indicate that many challenges arise not from insufficient language proficiency, but from differences in communicative norms, academic conventions, and cognitive approaches to language use. In response, the study highlights the importance of pedagogical strategies that integrate language instruction with communicative practice, including discourse-based tasks, role-based interaction, contextualized vocabulary work, and explicit instruction in academic communication norms. Such approaches facilitate the development of adaptive communicative competence and support students’ integration into international academic environments. The study contributes to the field of English for Specific Purposes and international education by proposing a structured approach to teaching English that emphasizes communicative flexibility, intercultural awareness, and professional relevance. Its implications are relevant for educators working in multilingual classrooms and for the design of curricula that reflect the realities of global higher education.