Reports on a study of barriers to success in learning English as a second language (ESL). The study incorporates data gathered from case studies of two Korean children (aged five and seven years), from the results of writing and reading tests of English administered to academically successful Korean high school students, and from the language proficiency achievement levels of two groups of Korean college freshmen taught English by different methods emphasizing oral and written skills, respectively. The findings of the study support the idea that the secret to learning English naturally is to effectively accumulate naturalistic experiences in using English for actual communication. It is proposed that this instructional approach helps students functionalize static knowledge about English for better oral and written performance. Specific techniques and approaches for promoting communicative language skills are outlined for ESL teachers. (MSE)