Introduction

English as a Second Language (ESL) reading is of paramount importance as it serves as a gateway to academic, professional, and social integration in English-speaking environments. Proficient ESL reading skills enable individuals to comprehend and communicate effectively, fostering academic success and career advancement. In an interconnected world where English is a global lingua franca, ESL reading proficiency facilitates access to a vast repository of information, diverse cultures, and international opportunities. It empowers individuals to participate fully in academic pursuits, navigate professional landscapes, and engage meaningfully in cross-cultural interactions. ESL reading proficiency is not merely a linguistic skill but a key to unlocking doors of knowledge, communication, and global connectivity.

Takac (2008) states that even when English language learners understand the importance of a word during retention, they frequently encounter difficulties. Jargon learning challenges can be solved with the aid of drilling, cards, and other crucial tools that include the fundamental components of the target words. Some students have their own strategies for handling word recall. The use of unnecessary methods causes a lot of obstacles to students' academic presentations.

Children who do not know the basics of words may find it difficult to read, speak, and acquire other language-acquisition abilities related to the English language (Elttayef & Hussein, 2017). According to Walter (2004), jargon is an important component of all languages. Words have a crucial role and serve a variety of purposes, including reading certain messages and recording information in physical copy. Words are very helpful in letting the reader know what the writer has written.

Arias (2003) asserts that jargon should be committed to memory, which calls for a gap between words. A few principles, including repetition, dispersal, pacing, mental profundity, picturing, and recovery, are

characterized by the memory exam due to the lack of rules that ensure that the words will never again occupy a place in a person's mind. According to Thornbury (2006), these guidelines consider the commemoration cycle while partnering words collectively.

According to Zare (2012), "Students' significant role during language learning has been repeatedly confirmed by second language securing" (p. 162). Similarly, Ravindran (2016) suggests that "to make their English learning more successful, students ought to take on different learning draws near, methods, and modes." Lee (2010) stated that students "can assist understudies with learning all the more effectively and foster their learning independence" regarding learning approaches.

The world has become a smaller, more interconnected place where innovation has changed everything, including the way English is taught as a second language (Ravindran, 2016). Numerous techniques for language learning, such as second language acquisition systems, have been developed and are now commonly acknowledged as innovative means of instruction. According to Koondher (2015), browsing is an ongoing, thoughtful, and dynamic activity that allows students to construct new knowledge from what they already know. Unmistakably, the text shows a shift in focus from language acquisition approaches to instructional systems as understanding is concerned with the cognitive domain where critical thinking has been focused as twenty-first-century skills in different studies in Pakistani context (Jamil & Muhammad, 2019; Jamil et al., 2020; Jamil et al., 2021a, 2021b; Jamil et al., 2022).

Due to this shift, language-learning systems are now said to have a focal situation in second language acquisition (Liyanage, 2004). Most Pakistani schools still teach English using the antiquated punctuation interpretation method; language learning systems are rarely taken into consideration (Warsi et al., 2011). The focus of second or unknown dialect advancements these days is less on teaching techniques and more on how teachers and students achieve their goals.

According to O'Malley & Chamot (1990), language-learning systems are particular factors or behavioral patterns that people engage in to comprehend, acquire, or even retain information. It takes more than just scanning and detachedly comprehending sentences to read with cognizance. Children require a broad vocabulary of terms that they can appropriately use and understand to label their experiences and insights. The foundation of proficient reading is laid by the depth and breadth of a child's vocabulary. According to Tomlinson (2007), spoken jargon makes references to words that are used in reading.

If a child has even a passing knowledge of jargon, even those with unusually vast vocal vocabularies may struggle greatly when reading words on paper. Kelly (2006) argued that elocution raises two important difficulties. It is not immediately disregarded; rather than being firmly organized, it will typically be responsive to a particular subject that has come up in the study hall. He clarified further that the negative impacts of neglect that elocution will typically face may not be the result of teachers' disinterest in the subject but rather their feeling of ambiguity about how to teach it.

The primary diagnosis made by the study was of the pupils' reading problems. The study was carried out quantitatively, using a rating scale in the data gathering form. Every elementary school in the Gujranwala district served as the study's population. The accessible population for this study consisted of all primary school instructors. Multistage random sampling was employed to select a representative sample. Teachers were given access to a self-structured 5-point Likert scale. The questionnaire was distributed for data collection after being verified by experts. The gathered information was examined, and the findings are listed below:

In the Pakistani context, there are different studies conducted likewise in this context like English textbooks analysis used in state schools (Khokhar et al. 2022), English language teachers’ attitudes towards instructional policy in public secondary schools (Muazzam et al. 2021), Islamic habitus in English language textbooks produced by Pakistani boards (Khokhar et al. 2020); practices of elementary school teachers for developing English language competencies (Aamer et al.; 2019).

The study's worth lies in documenting the detailed nature and number of challenges faced by students across both school systems using teachers' perceptions as a metric. It allows the identification of areas, such as pronunciation and comprehension, that require urgent interventions to improve foundational English reading skills. The research also analyzes if gender disparities exist in the prevalence of reading difficulties, thus highlighting subgroups that necessitate targeted remedial programs. Furthermore, the comparative public-private school analysis is particularly perceptive for directing resource distribution and policy reforms.

The topic permits attention because reading ability strongly influences further language development and academic performance. Weak English reading skills tend to weaken the long-term education and career prospects of students, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds studying in underfunded public schools. Hence, it is important to diagnose areas of struggle, so remedial measures can be taken at the key primary school stage. The geographic focus on Gujranwala district also fills the context-specific research gap, complementing national-level investigations on the subject.

Table 1

Comparing the opinions of teachers in public and private schools about students' pronunciation issues