Investigating the Difficulties in Teaching and Learning English as Foreign Language in Rural Areas

Abstract

Nowadays English language has become the most used language in the world. The Algerian educational system has always had ambitious plans to improve the teaching and learning of English. However, teachers and pupils at rural areas find it hard to learn that language. Thus, this study seeks to investigate the difficulties encountered by both teachers and learners in teaching and learning English at rural areas. It also aims at suggesting some solutions to overcome these problems and facilitate the processes of teaching and learning English. This study is built on two main assumptions. First, English foreign langage teachers and pupils at Boulouika Mohammed Ben Lekhder and Terkhash Mohammed in Bouraoui Belhadef face many difficulties that may affect negatively their attitudes toward the teaching and learning of English . Second, applying effective strategies that help teachers and learners to overcome these difficulties may enhance the teaching and learning of English in rural areas. To collect data for this study, two research tools were used. On the one hand, a questionnaire was submitted to Forty (40) Baccalaureate pupils selected randomly from two distinct rural schools namely Boulouika Mohammed Ben Lekhder and Terkhash Mohemmed in Bourawi Belhadef. On the other hand, an interview was conducted with four teachers of English from the two pre-mentioned schools. According to the obtained results, teachers at rural areas face some difficulties that affect their teaching process as ill-equipped libraries, technological challenges, and cultural challenges. Similar to teachers, pupils at rural areas encounter many difficulties in their learning of English such as lack of motivation, lack of vocabulary and lack of exposure over English. Depending on the results obtained, some pedagogical recommendations are suggested.