This study basically aimed at identifying the problems of teaching and learning English in the high schools of Isfahan, Iran. The data needed for the study were extracted from the standardized questionnaires given to 200 randomly selected students from the high schools of Isfahan and their English teachers constituting the two groups of participants in this study. The instruments used to gather the data were two closed questionnaires, one for the students and the other one for the teachers. The

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... questions included in the questionnaires covered some major problems on the part of the students, teachers, textbooks, teaching methods, and the tests. To analyze the data and specify the problems, the chi-square test was applied. The test was performed to see if the differences among the proportions of the participants who chose different responses to the same questions were significant. Through the statistical analysis of the results, numerous problems regarding the teachers, the learners, the textbooks and the methods were revealed, such as: teachers do not use teaching aids during teaching, school libraries are not well equipped to be of service for the learners of English, classrooms are poor in terms of facilities and physical conditions, the teachers do not teach in English, the English textbooks are not suitable for the students' level of proficiency, and the Ministry of Education does not honor the hard-working teachers, and many more. To remove the problems to the extent possible, some suggestions were provided. Index Terms-City of Isfahan, high schools, Iran, problems of teaching and learning English JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE TEACHING AND RESEARCH © 2012 ACADEMY PUBLISHER 103 JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE TEACHING AND RESEARCH © 2012 ACADEMY PUBLISHER 107 Results of whether the inconsistency in using British and American English by different teachers is problematic 75% of the English teachers believe that the inconsistency in using British and American English by different teachers is problematic. Results of whether only the English textbooks are taught 60% of the English teachers tend to use other sources in teaching where as only 40% of the English teachers only use the English textbooks in classes. Results of whether a pre-test is given to the students 60% of the English teachers do not give a pre-test to their students. Results of the allocation of some time to solve the students' problems in learning English 45% of the teachers allocate no time to solve the students' problems related to their learning English. Results of whether the teachers' manual is available or not 70% of the teachers claimed that the teachers' manual is not available. Results of whether the teachers' manual will be useful 70% of the English teachers agree that the teachers' manual will be useful. Results of whether the lack of existence of teachers' manual will have a negative effect on teaching procedure. 70% of the English teachers indicated that the lack of existence of teachers' manual will have negative effect on teaching procedure. Results of Lesson plans 70% of the English teachers use lesson plans. Results of using the students' mother tongue in class 90% of the English teachers use Farsi to a great extent (more than two thirds). Results of the necessity of having a second job 95% of the teachers stated that the salary of the teachers is not sufficient and that they need a second job. Results of the need for a group of English professors to solve the teachers' problems in teaching 85% of the English teachers stated that they feel a need for a group of experts on English to solve their problems in teaching. Results of the Effect of the Students' family help to solve their problems with English 90% of the English teachers stated that the students' family help has a positive influence on the learning of the students. Results of the appropriateness of 1 st grade of guidance school for starting the learning of English 95% of the teachers believe that first grade of guidance school is not appropriate for starting the learning of English. Results of Elementary school or before will be the appropriate time to start learning of English 100% of the English teachers indicated that the appropriate time to start learning English will be the elementary school or before. Results of the effects of students' economic status on their learning of English 50% of teachers believe that there is a direct relationship between the students' economic status and their learning of English. In other words, those who have a better financial status may learn the English language better than those who have a poor economic status. Results of Grading of the English textbooks' materials from easy to difficult 40% of the teachers indicated that the materials in the English textbooks do not proceed from easy to difficult. That is, the students may come across more difficult materials before the easier ones. Results of whether the drills of English textbooks are presented in a mechanical, meaningful, and communicative order 90% of the English teachers believe that the drills of English textbooks are not presented in a mechanical, meaningful, and communicative order Results of Deficiency in obtaining the translations of the new words 40% of the English teachers indicated that there is a deficiency in obtaining the translations of the new words in English textbooks. Results of whether the English textbooks are of good quality in terms of illustrations, pictures, colors, etc. 85% of the teachers of English believe that the English textbooks do not enjoy good quality in terms of illustrations, pictures, and colors. Results of the availability of educational aids at schools 75% of the English teachers stated that the educational aids are not available at the high schools they are teaching. Results of Administering oral examinations in high schools 90% of the English teachers claim that it is not possible to administer oral examinations with regard to high-school facilities and circumstance (such as space, audio-visual aids, etc.), despite the fact that the students are required to pass an oral examination as one of their school subjects. Results of Factors causing problems in doing oral drills and administering oral examinations A great majority of the teachers believe that all the four types of factors-shortage of time (90%), lack of facilities (100%), over sized classes (75%), and not enough students or teachers' interests (85%), cause problems in doing oral drills and administering oral examinations. Results of the quality of classrooms in terms of size ,light ,color, ... 65% of the teachers declared that the classrooms in which they are teaching are not of a good quality in terms of size, light , color, etc. Results of the average number of students in classes 90% of the teachers indicated that their English classes comprise of more than 30 students, which is a very high number for a language class. Results of consideration of the students' individual differences by the educational system All the English teachers agreed on the fact that "the educational system does not consider the individual differences among the students in terms of their levels of language proficiency". In other words, the students with different levels of language proficiency are studyin g in same class and are taught the same materials. Results of the possibility of doing oral drills Most of the English teachers have confessed that they do not pay any attention to oral drills. Results of Sufficiency of the teachers' salary None of the English teachers believe in the sufficiency of their salary. Results of whether the educational systems gives different values to different teaching qualities None of the English teachers believe that educational system pays attention to different teaching qualities. Results of whether the English textbooks are appropriate for the students' mental abilities 95% of the teachers believe that the English textbooks have not been designed in conformity with the students' level of mental abilities. Results of the authenticity of the English textbooks 95% of the English teachers believe that materials in the English textbooks are not authentic. Results of the sufficiency of the English class time All English teachers expressed that the English class time is not sufficient at all. Results of whether the English tests are in conformity with the goals of teaching English set by the ministry of education Majority of the teachers agreed that the English tests are not in conformity with the goals of teaching English set by the ministry of educations. JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE TEACHING AND RESEARCH © 2012 ACADEMY PUBLISHER 108 According to the results it can be seen that no pre-test is administered in the classes with more than 40 students. On the other hand, in 78% of the classes with fewer than 30 students pre-tests are given to the students. Thus, there is a major interaction between these two variables. The effect of "the average number of students in a class" on " doing oral drills" "The average number of students in a class" has a great effect on "doing oral drills". The effect of "doing oral drills" and "using educational aids" on each other The results clearly show that all the teachers who are interested in doing oral drills, use educational aids for the betterment of the students' learning English JOURNAL OF LANGUAGE TEACHING AND RESEARCH © 2012 ACADEMY PUBLISHER 109 ANOVA TABLES The effect of "teacher's economic status" on the "quality of their teaching" Omid Tabatabaei is an assistant professor at the English department of the Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Iran and currently the Head of the English Department in that university. His areas of interest are testing and assessment, research methodologies, psycholinguistics, language acquisition, and syllabus design. He has published and presented papers in international conferences and journals. Ali A. Pourakbari is an M.A. graduate majoring in TEFL from Islamic Azad University, Najafabad Branch, Iran. He lived in the U.S.A for more than twenty five years and completed his BSc. in Civil Engineering and MBA from Gonzaga University, Washington, U.S.A. His areas of interest are TESL/TEFL, law, management, counseling and engineering projects.