This article examines the challenges experienced by Arabic-speaking students and lecturers at meeting the proposed learning outcomes in English Literature (EL) at a residential university in Algeria. An overview of the history of foreign languages (French and English) in the curricula in Algerian schools and tertiary education institutions has been provided to identify possible contributing factors and underlying causes of the challenges faced in teaching and learning EL today. The authors believe that current practice and attitudes towards foreign language teaching and learning have not developed in a vacuum, but need to be positioned within the context of past events. Three overarching factors that emerged from the empirical dimension of the study that appears to inhibit success in EL studies were inappropriate teaching strategies, inadequate language proficiency and poor student self-efficacy.