<![CDATA[Purpose: The goal of this study is to investigate the students’ life experience, the challenges and opportunities they undergo in English as Lingua Franca (ELF) communication, as well as the influence of these experiences on their confidence, motivation, and identity as English users. Methodology: This qualitative study explores EFL students’ perception of practicing English in real-time communication with international interlocutors during the video conference dialogues on global issues. Data were collected and triangulated from semi structured interviews with eight students as interviewees, observation notes compiled during the international video conference sessions, and students’ reflective writings. In analysing the data, thematic analysis was employed to identify the recurring patterns across the data sources. Results: The findings present that students viewed English as a primary tool for international communication rather than as an academic subject, prioritizing intelligibility and meaning-making over native-like norms and grammatical accuracy. The data also reveal that participants discover linguistic and intercultural difficulties, such as diverse accent variation, lack of academic vocabulary, speed of communication, and spontaneous responses. However, these existing challenges boosted the development of communicative strategies and willingness to communicate. Moreover, repeated participation in real-time international video conference contribute to gradual improvements in confidence, motivation, and sense of legitimacy as English users. Applications/Originality/Value: This study emphasizes the pedagogical meaning of learners’ participation in authentic international video conferences and highlights the urgency of integrating ELF-oriented practice toward English language education. By centralizing students’ voices, this research provides a deeper comprehension of English in real-life communicative practice, especially in global education settings.]]>
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