anew approach for teaching the arabic language

Abstract

Abstract Some scholars have claimed that computers do not assist either teachers or their students in the language leaming process. This research seeks to evaluate the contribution and effectiveness of selected Intemet-based programmes to learning Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) and to determine the nature of any learning problems encountered by the leamers. The population for this research comprised undergraduate students enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine at the Kuantan Campus of the International Islamic University Malaysia. The study sample consisted of 164 students all of whom were of a similar background in terms of race, culture and first language (Bahasa Malaysia) and all had attained an advanced level in AFL. Both the control group and the experimental group comprised 82 students. The course objectives and the topics to be covered were the same for both groups. The control group students received traditional classroom instruction while the experimental group students’ instruction was provided via two Web-based Arabic computer- assisted language learning (CALL) programmes selected by the researcher after a thorough evaluation of a variety of Web-based Arabic CALL programmes. Data was collected using a pre-test/post-test, a questionnaire and an interview. The pre-test/post-test, in the same format and using identical questions and sentences and including a written task and three dictated passages, was administeredto both groups to assess the extent of each group’s improvement. The questioimaire was administered to the experimental group only and was the main source of feedback about how the students viewed their exposure to the selected Web-based learning material. In addition to the questionnaire, an individual interview was conducted with each member of the experimental group to gather more subjective information that the questionnaire could not easily gather. The students whose Arabic language instruction was provided via the selected Web-based programmes achieved significantly better grades than those achieved by members of the control group. In addition, their knowledge of culture and vocabulary was superior to that of the control group. Their responses to the questionnaire and to the individual revealed

very strongly positive attitudes towards Web-based Arabic CALL and high levels of motivation to leam. While this research study is the first of its kind to be undertaken in Malaysia, it is the hope of the researcher that it will serve to: (1) stimulate others working in the field of Arabic CALL to undertake studies that will contribute to further advances in the teaching of AF L, and; (2) assist and encourage designers and developers of Arabic CALL programmes to continue to work towards the achievement of excellence. As a consequence of his students’ experiences with the selected Websites, the researcher custom-designed an AFL CALL programme for use by subsequent intakes of undergraduate Medical students at the International Islamic University Malaysia. Refinement and further development of this programme is on going. The need for language teachers to be provided with appropriate training in CALL including the integration of Web—based programmes into language curricula was also recognised as a crucial factor in maximising the potential of the lntemet in teaching AF L.