A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degre "Licence en Langue et Littérature Anglaises"

Résumé,

This study set out to assess the problems encountered in learning the speaking skill, the prblems that students and teachers come across in the process of teaching and learning this skill. It also sought to assess the strategies that could be used to mprove the speaking skill. In my mehodology, I wrked on pupils and teachers from Bujumbura Mayorship to whm I a administered two different questionnaires. Among 125 pupils of the Arts second Form at three different schools, 45 were chosen to answer the questonnaire and gave the teachers' questionnaire to all the 3 teachers of the Arts second Form. This sudy found out hat the limited time alloed to the speakng skill, the lack of opportunities to practce the language, the inadequate eaching materials and the fear of making errors while speaking English are among he problems faced when teachers are executing their duties. This study also found out hat the large number of sudents in the target class and the pronunciation were the problems that teachers and pupils encountered in the process of teaching and learning the speaking skill. In the light of my findings a number of recommendations are addressed varous stakeholders in the education sector in Burundi