English proficiency: Key to educational opportunities for Cambodian students
Keywords:
English, English proficiency, educational opportunities, Cambodian studentsAbstract
Cambodia has experienced some changes in the foreign language landscape in its recent history before having English as the most popular foreign language at present. However, research has shown that the English proficiency of Cambodians is low, which is troubling considering the role of English in educational opportunities. This article provides a brief historical background of foreign languages in Cambodia and explains how English opens doors to educational opportunities as it is the language of the internet and the Massive Open Online Courses. Moreover, as a global lingua franca, English serves as a language for overseas educational opportunities and research and publication. The article concludes with a word of caution regarding the embrace of English
and the need to preserve the Khmer language.
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