Being proficient in a second language can present difficulties for adult immigrants (Hu, 2016; Chand, 2021; Islam, Ahmad & Islam, 2022; Amoah & Yeboah, 2021; Steber & Rossi, 2021); oral proficiency is considered the most challenging because it demands the display of multiple abilities (complexity, accuracy, and fluency, Kuiken & Vedder, 2018) that have to be used immediately and in real time to have a successful social interaction. It has been observed that many adult Mexican immigrants in the U.S. present low levels of oral proficiency in English, regardless of their geographical proximity and the number of years living in the country. This phenomenon may be the result of multiple factors (social, emotional, or cultural ones). Our purpose was to explore the reasons for the lack of oral proficiency. We conducted a qualitative phenomenological study and, by using a semi-structured interview, collected the experiences of four adult Mexican immigrants: 3 females, one age 64 and two age 54, and one male age 57. They have lived in the U.S. for more than 15 years. Findings revealed that the need for communication as well as personal experiences during social interaction of the immigrants in an English-speaking environment may favor or not the development of the oral skill in English as a second language.
