A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree«Licencié en pédagogie appliquée, agrégé de l'enseignement secondaire en anglais»

RÉSUME,

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between learners' socio-economie status and English performance. It was intended to investigate how socio-economie factors affect Basic School English learning/teaching through living conditions, teacheing/leaning materials and large class size. This study was carried out on 146 respondents, that is; 136 learners and 10 teachers in selected basic schools of Giheta commune, in Gitega province. The research hypitheses were the following: 1) Learners' and teachers' living conditions affected learning. 2) English learning materials influence much the English learning process. 3) Large class size does not have an impact on English learning. After analyzing data from learners' and teachers' questionnaires, parents' interview, classroom observation and headmasters' discusion, the researchers discovered that English learning/teacheing condition are influenced by socio-economie factor. Hence, parents' income; schools resources, lack of materials, poor knowledge, great number of pupils and difficult class management are among factors that influence negatively the learners' performance in English. Here a number of recommendations were made to teachers, headmasters, the government, parents, learners and future researchers.