Context and Purpose: Linguistic shift in general education and the use of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) at the primary level poses a large language barrier to the learners of other languages. This paper particularly examined the academic, psychological and social impacts of this impediment on learning in public primary schools in Lahore, and covered students whose first language comprised of Urdu, Punjabi, Saraiki, and Pushto and also covered the experiences of immigrant and foreign student groups. The study sought to find out the exact dimensions of challenge that students and teachers encounter because of the discrepancy between multiple home languages and high-status language of instruction.
\nMethodology: This paper utilized quantitative research design approach through a survey instrument. Three primary schools in district of Lahore, one government and two of the privates, had a sample of 200 students, including Class 5 to Class 6. The questionnaire was administered through a survey on Google Forms, and the data thus were gathered into a structured 5-point Likert scale questionnaire (Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree). The tool was aimed at assessing the self-reported level of comprehension difficulty, academic motivation, self-confidence, and social interaction level of the students in reaction to the language barrier. The analysis of the data was based on descriptive statistics (frequency, mean) and inferential statistics to determine significant correlations between language proficiency and learning outcomes.
\nKey Findings: The comparison showed that there was a statistically significant negative relationship between the perceived language barrier and the academic performance. The most important findings showed that: (1) learners have huge problems with understanding teacher instructions and content covered in classes and they have to rely on their classmates more than usual. (2) Language barrier negatively affects the motivation of students and reduces self-confidence in classrooms. (3) Most students said that they strongly believed that performance would be improved in case the main medium of instruction was in their mother tongue (Urdu).
\nConclusion and Recommendations: The results highlight the fact that the existing EMI policy on the primary level produces considerable drawbacks, making the holistic learning and equity difficult. This paper has found that the language barrier is not just a barrier to academics, but also to psychology and social barriers. It is advised that the educational authorities should adopt dual language scaffolding programs, teacher training in translanguaging strategies, and another longitudinal study to review the language policy in the Pakistani public primary schools, to encourage learning and conceptual mastery in the English language and conceptual mastery.