Improving EFL Teaching in Higher Education: A Review of Challenges and Evidence-Based Recommendations

Abstract

This study provides a narrative review of contemporary challenges in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in higher education across diverse international contexts. It synthesizes evidence from peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025. The analysis identifies six interrelated domains of difficulty: student-related factors (proficiency, motivation, anxiety), cultural and linguistic diversity, pedagogical and methodological constraints, community attitudes and perceptions, curriculum and assessment systems, and teacher, technological, and institutional limitations. Rather than representing isolated barriers, these challenges interact across policy, institutional, pedagogical, and learner levels. Positive attitudes toward English often coexist with critiques of inequality; Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is endorsed in policy but undermined by exam-driven curricula; and technology promises innovation yet exacerbates inequities without adequate training and infrastructure. The review argues that sustainable improvement depends on systemic coherence across policy, institutional governance, curriculum design, teacher development, and learner-centered practice rather than isolated interventions. Future research should expand comparative research across underexplored regions, employ longitudinal designs to assess the durability of reforms, and critically examine the role of emerging tools such as artificial intelligence (AI) in language instruction. By integrating evidence across diverse educational contexts into a coherent multi-level framework, the study contributes a holistic perspective on improving EFL teaching in higher education.