The teaching of English as a second/foreign language to Arab students has received considerable attention during the past decade. The use of English as a medium of instruction in the Arabian Gulf has become prominent but has only recently been examined academically. In Kuwait, the need to learn and use English is emerging. Attention toward how English is learned and taught is considered important for students' achievement of success and teachers' awareness of learners' needs. Many Arab students consider English difficult to learn, and as such, it has an impact on students' motivation and attitude toward learning English. Students are often able to communicate effectively in educational and social settings, but struggle with reading, writing, speaking, and listening. This study aims to identify challenges to learning and teaching English in Kuwait. Using the Attitude/Motivation Test Battery, we measured various components of the socio-educational model of second language (L2) acquisition through students' self-reported communicative competence. We found that all items of the socio-educational model play a role in L2 learning. However, parental encouragement is perceived to play the most significant role during the development of motivational intensity, desire to learn English, and attitude toward learning English.