Strengthening Arabic Literacy Instruction: A Cross-National Mixed-Methods Study in the UAE and Jordan

• In Event: Language, Literacy, and Learning: Evidence from Education Reforms

Proposal

Teaching Arabic Literacy Teaching is challenging, especially during early grades, and teachers experience a host of issues pertaining to students' engagement, curriculum inflexibility, and insufficient pedagogical solutions. These are alongside the morpho-syllabic nature of Arabic and the absence of effective professional development designs for Arabic literacy. This research explores these issues based on teachers' insights and provides a practice-based training intervention to develop instructional capacity in Arabic literacy. Research Questions 1. What are the primary challenges Arabic language instructors experience teaching literacy in early-grade classes? 2. In what ways does involvement in a focused, context-responsive teacher education program influence their literacy pedagogy? Theoretical Framework The research builds on sociocultural learning theory (Vygotsky, 1978), multimodal theories of literacy that foreground the synesthetic involvement of the visual, oral, and performative modes in meaning-making (Narey, 2017), and language development theory that underlines the paramount significance of early, interactive oral language experience in underpinning reading comprehension and intellectual growth (Hruby, 2020). Additionally, it aligns with the findings of PIRLS 2021, which recognize the imperative need of early intervention initiatives to fill long-standing gaps in literacy achievement, especially in Arabic-speaking environments (Education and Training Evaluation Commission, 2023). Methodology A mixed-methods study was carried out in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, and Irbid, Jordan, involving Arabic language teachers. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Heads of Arabic department to explore classroom challenges in Arabic literacy instruction. In the quantitative-intervention phase, a group of teachers participated in a targeted professional learning program focused literacy’s strategies. Post-training data included both qualitative reflections and classroom artifacts, as well as quantitative measures of instructional changes, all of which were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis and descriptive statistics. Findings The qualitative phase yielded initial evidence of Arabic language teachers' issues, from interviews with Arabic department heads. Problems that surfaced included students' low motivation, limited access to differentiated literacy materials, and pedagogical training deficits in literacy instruction. Over the intervention duration, initial reflection and class notes of teachers show heightened sensitivity and usage of evidence-based literacy approaches, specifically guided play and shared reading. Although complete analysis of quantitative data is ongoing, emerging trends point towards favorable changes in teaching confidence and integration of interactive practices in literacy lessons.

Author

• Ibrahem Mohammad Alamoush, Sharjah Education Academy