As one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, English in Malaysia is also an important language for both national and global operations widely used in the aspects of business, education, and international relations. Due to such importance, there is constant concern towards the English language performance of students at all levels of education, and it is one of the issues addressed in the Malaysian Education Blueprint 2013-2025. This paper sought to answer the question of ‘What are the factors contributing to students’ English language performance?’, with specific reference to students from the religious education background at an Islamic-based public university in Malaysia. Derived from a larger study, this paper reported the qualitative findings gathered from interview sessions with a total of 47 English teachers, English and content subject lecturers as well as students regarding the factors contributing to the students’ English language performance. Findings revealed 4 main themes of internal features or inner components that influence the students’ English achievement which are: (1) teacher attributes (2) learner determination (3) learner beliefs / attitudes and (4) ‘I don’t understand’. The findings of this study reveal the needs to explore new areas to address the issue of students’ English language performance, particularly those of religious background education. It also has broader implications for the global community, which makes it critical for educators and policymakers to collaborate in developing new strategies and resources to help learners overcome the challenges and develop the language skills they need to thrive in today's interconnected world. With that, it is hoped that students are able to access the same opportunities for success as their peers, regardless of their linguistic or cultural background.

‘The English Language Education in Malaysia: An Agenda for Reform 2015-2025’ is a blueprint initiated by The Ministry of Education (MOE), Malaysia, currently launched in 2016. The key pledge to this blueprint is the alignment of Malaysia’s English Language Education System with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). CEFR is a benchmark for an international standard that focuses on developing learners who are able to communicate and interact in any language, in this instance, English. The focal point of the Malaysian education reform is to adopt the CEFR levels as the guiding beacon or regulating framework for curriculum development, issues regarding learning materials and the measurement of learning outcomes. In keeping with this reform, the study aims to understand English language teachers’ views on the English language proficiency courses in a local university, in Malaysia, based on CEFR scales. The study employs a quantitative approach, where surveys were distributed to twenty-five English language teachers. The data is then analysed quantitatively by frequency counts and percentage. Data shows there are variations in teachers’ views towards English language proficiency courses, and this may not necessarily fit into the CEFR standards targeted for university learners. The result of this study acts as preliminary data for further research on the link between English language course content and CEFR standards, as well as expected English language proficiency of university learners. Through this study, it is hoped that future design of teaching and learning materials that contribute to ‘proficient’ learners at the end of university years, can be developed. Keywords Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), teaching and learning, language proficiency, English language curriculum

‘The English Language Education in Malaysia: An Agenda for Reform 2015-2025’ is a blueprint initiated by The Ministry of Education (MOE), Malaysia, currently launched in 2016. The key pledge to this blueprint is the alignment of Malaysia’s English Language Education System with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). CEFR is a benchmark for an international standard that focuses on developing learners who are able to communicate and interact in any language, in this instance, English. The focal point of the Malaysian education reform is to adopt the CEFR levels as the guiding beacon or regulating framework for curriculum development, issues regarding learning materials and the measurement of learning outcomes. In keeping with this reform, the study aims to understand English language teachers’ views on the English language proficiency courses in a local university, in Malaysia, based on CEFR scales. The study employs a quantitative approach, where surveys were distributed to twenty-five English language teachers. The data is then analysed quantitatively by frequency counts and percentage. Data shows there are variations in teachers’ views towards English language proficiency courses, and this may not necessarily fit into the CEFR standards targeted for university learners. The result of this study acts as preliminary data for further research on the link between English language course content and CEFR standards, as well as expected English language proficiency of university learners. Through this study, it is hoped that future design of teaching and learning materials that contribute to ‘proficient’ learners at the end of university years, can be developed. Keywords Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR), teaching and learning, language proficiency, English language curriculum