Difficulties in Teaching English Language to Grade Nine at the Fundamental Stage in Misurata City

Abstract

This research paper attempts to identify some problems and difficulties that impact the teaching of English language in grade nine in four fundamental stage schools in Misurata city. The study tries to explore what barriers and obstacles learners and teachers might face in the learning-teaching process. The research methodology underlying this research paper is a questionnaire. The questionnaire is administered to three sample groups: teachers, students, and inspectors of English. The presentation of the results of the questionnaire showed an illustration of several difficulties and problems that are encountered in the process of teaching English as a foreign language in the fundamental stage. These problems in brief are: the high number of students in class, the lack of qualified English teachers who could teach the syllabus appropriately, some teachers do not follow the instructions available in the teacher's book, the interference of the Arabic language on the English language, the students’ feeling when asked to speak in English, pronouncing some English sounds, and learning the English writing system. The results and discussion of the study suggest how to overcome these difficulties and problems by following the modern teaching strategies and approaches and their implications in classrooms.