A dissertation submetted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree "Licence en Langue et Littérature Anglaises"

This study investigated the linguistic challenges which First Form Arts pupils encounter in their process of Learning English as a foreign language. It was intended to find answers to some questions set as research questions and on which the research was based. These questions were : Do the linguistic environments hinder the mastery of English Language in Bueundi ? To what extent do first and second languages affect the learning of English as a foreign language in Burundi ? How important are reading and listening to the Englsih language learning ? Are pupils motivated when learning English in formal linguistic environment ? Are the Burundi secondary schools linguistically equiped to enhance the ELL ?

In order to get answers to those questions, two categories of informants (pupils and teachers) and two research instruments (observation and questionnaire) were used. Pupils were observed in natural milieu for the researcher to notice himself which languages were used by pupils out of the classroom setting. It was revealed that English was used at a low level if compared to Kirundi and French and this was rooted in the status English has in Burundi, that is, foreign language though it is not the only one foreign language and the natural environment which doesn't facilitate the learning of English. Both pupils and teachers were also observed in classroom to see whether pupils get enough time to practice their English in class but also the classroom observation enabled the researcher to observe how Englsh was taught and how teachers managed to motivate their pupils.

As far as the questionnaire was concerned, 160 copies of pupils questionnaire were administered to 160 pupils and 24 copies of teachers' questionnaire were distributed to 24 English teachers from the selected schools in three (3) provinces namely Bubanza, Cibitoke, and Bujumbura mayorship. Let's mention that all the distributed copies were handed down fully completed. After the analysis of the collected data and the dressing of the findings, conclusion and recommendations were drawn and based on the findings.