The Learning Process of Arabic Speaking Skills as a Foreign Language in Formal Education Settings: Complexity and Determining Factors
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.28918/jhnktw32Abstract
Speaking skills (mahārah al-kalām) are one of the primary objectives of learning Arabic as a foreign language; however, their development within formal educational contexts continues to face various challenges. These challenges are not limited to linguistic aspects but are also influenced by speaking anxiety, limited Arabic-speaking environments, less communicative teaching approaches, and the suboptimal use of technology. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the development of Arabic speaking skills as a foreign language and to identify effective instructional strategies based on findings from previous studies. This research employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method guided by the PRISMA 2020 framework. Data were obtained from Scopus, SpringerLink, DOAJ, and Google Scholar, covering publications from 2015 to 2025. Of the 1,022 articles initially identified, 50 studies were included for analysis after the removal of duplicates, screening, and eligibility assessment. The selected studies were thematically analyzed using the Braun and Clarke framework. The findings indicate that the development of speaking skills is influenced by the interaction of five main domains: linguistic, psychological, sociocultural and environmental, pedagogical, and technological. Communicative approaches, such as Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and Project Based Learning (PjBL), were consistently associated with improved speaking proficiency, while speaking anxiety emerged as one of the major inhibiting factors. The use of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL), and technology-supported project based learning also expanded opportunities for practice and enhanced learner participation, although their effectiveness was influenced by teachers’ digital literacy and the availability of technological infrastructure. Therefore, Arabic speaking instruction needs to be developed holistically and contextually by simultaneously integrating these five domains.
Keywords:
References
Abuhussein, Haya Fayyad, et al. “Utilizing Remote Speaking Tasks for Tackling Foreign Language Anxiety.” Cogent Education 10, no. 2 (2023): 2238150. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2023.2238150.
Afriati, Intan, et al. “Grammar and Translation Methods in Arabic Language Learning: Theory and Practice.” MADINA: Journal of Islamic Studies 2, no. 1 (2025): 1–8. https://doi.org/10.62945/madina.v2i1.741.
Al-Qahtani, A. “The Relationship between Speaking Anxiety and Oral Performance among Arabic Learners.” Frontiers in Psychology 14 (2023): 1173041. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1173041.
Aqil, Abdurrahman Ahmad, et al. “Social Support and Arabic Language Fluency: An Analysis of Student Interaction Quality.” Lahjatuna: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Arab 4, no. 2 (2025): 118–132. https://doi.org/10.38073/lahjatuna.v4i2.2603.
Benlaghrissi, Hassane, and Lachhab Meriem Ouahidi. “The Impact of Mobile-Assisted Project-Based Learning on Developing EFL Students' Speaking Skills.” Smart Learning Environments 11, no. 1 (2024): 1-30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00303-y.
Braun, V., and V. Clarke. Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide. London: SAGE Publications, 2021.
Canale, M., and M. Swain. “Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing.” Applied Linguistics 1, no. 1 (1980): 1–47. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/I.1.1.
Ellis, Rod. Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003.
Gardner, R. C. Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitudes and Motivation. London: Edward Arnold, 1985.
Haq, Alsadika Ziaul, et al. “Technology Integration in Arabic Language Learning: A Literature Review on the Effectiveness of E-Learning and Mobile Applications.” Journal of Research in Instructional 4, no. 2 (2024): 481–494. https://doi.org/10.30862/jri.v4i2.473.
Hong, Quan Nha, et al. “The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) Version 2018 for Information Professionals and Researchers.” Education for Information 34, no. 4 (2018): 285–291. https://doi.org/10.3233/EFI-180221.
Horwitz, Elaine K., Michael B. Horwitz, and Joann Cope. “Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety.” The Modern Language Journal 70, no. 2 (1986): 125–132. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4781.1986.tb05256.x.
Kitchenham, B., and S. Charters. Guidelines for Performing Systematic Literature Reviews in Software Engineering. Keele: Keele University, 2007.
Krashen, S. D. Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1982.
Kukulska-Hulme, Agnes, and Lesley Shield. “An Overview of Mobile Assisted Language Learning: From Content Delivery to Supported Collaboration and Interaction.” ReCALL 20, no. 3 (2008): 271–289. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0958344008000335.
MacIntyre, Peter D., and R. C. Gardner. “The Subtle Effects of Language Anxiety on Cognitive Processing in the Second Language.” Language Learning 44, no. 2 (1994): 283–305. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1994.tb01103.x.
Page, Matthew J., et al. “The PRISMA 2020 Statement: An Updated Guideline for Reporting Systematic Reviews.” BMJ 372 (2021): 71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71.
Piaget, J. The Construction of Reality in the Child. New York: Basic Books, 1954.
Puasa, Baiduri, Jamaludin Sardi, and Nur Fatiha Mohd Ramli. “I-Kalam: A CEFR-Based Mobile Gamification App for Arabic Speaking Skills.” European Proceedings of Educational Sciences (EpES 2023): 751–762. https://doi.org/10.15405/epes.23097.55.
Pulungan, Erka, et al. “Strategies for Developing Arabic Speaking Skills (Mahārah Kalām) at Private Islamic Senior High School: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.” IDEAS: Journal on English Language Teaching and Learning, Linguistics and Literature 14, no. 1 (2026): 2768–2777. https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.10815.
Ryding, Karin C. Teaching and Learning Arabic as a Foreign Language: A Guide for Teachers. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2013.
Shaharuddin, Hanis Najwa, et al. “The Level of Student Anxiety in Arabic Speaking Skills.” International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science 8, no. 8 (2024): 2563–2571. https://doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8080195.
Siemens, G. “Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age.” International Journal of Instructional Technology and Distance Learning 2, no. 1 (2005): 3–10. http://www.itdl.org/Journal/Jan_05/article01.htm.
Stoller, Fredricka L. “Establishing a Theoretical Foundation for Project-Based Learning in Second and Foreign Language Contexts.” In Project-Based Second and Foreign Language Education, edited by Gulbahar H. Beckett and Paul C. Miller, 19–40. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing, 2006.
Syafitri, Nila Sari, et al. “Enhancing Arabic Speaking and Writing Skills through Project-Based Learning.” al Mahāra: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Arab 12, no. 1 (2026): 163–184. https://doi.org/10.14421/almahara.2026.0121-09.
Vygotsky, L. S. Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1978.
Downloads
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Alsinatuna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
