Abstract

This investigation focuses on the key roadblocks that hinder the students from acquiring the English language through the English language in the outlying rural areas of Iraq. For this purpose, 150 students were taken as the research sample from different primary and secondary schools located in the rural areas of Iraq. The students were selected to provide a representation of the intended demographic, i.e., they were a cross-section of rural learners. The students had to fill in a questionnaire developed for the purpose of the study that was structured so as to recognize and analyze the various linguistic, environmental, and instructional issues these students were facing. The findings disclose the specifics of the major obstacles to the acquisition of the English language in the countryside that revolve around but are not limited to the lack of qualified English teachers, which is a continuation of invalid exposure to English only in the school atmosphere, and the lack of learning materials like textbooks, audiovisual aids, and internet connectivity. The data demonstrate the difficulty of pronunciation for the pupils, the acquisition of vocabulary, and reading comprehension, mainly due to the limited exposure to the English language and the practice and the interaction that the students had. This conclusion is based on the students' responses to the questionnaire items.