ARABIC CULTURE REPRESENTATION IN INDONESIAN ARABIC LANGUAGE TEXTBOOKS: A CASE STUDY OF AL-ARABIYA BAINA YADAIK

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33650/pjp.v13i2.15079
Authors

(1) * Ahmad Maghfurin   (Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang, Central Java)  
        Indonesia
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


This study examines the integration of cultural elements in Al-Arabiyya Baina Yadaik and its role in enhancing students’ linguistic competence and intercultural awareness. Using qualitative content analysis with a semiotic and discourse approach, this research explores how the textbook represents Arab identity, social norms, spirituality, and moral values through textual and visual elements. The findings reveal four key themes: 1) the representation of visual identity through clothing such as abaya and thobe, reinforcing connections between language and social customs; 2) depictions of social norms and traditions, including greetings, hospitality, and communal celebrations like Eid; 3) religious and spiritual representations emphasizing Islamic practices such as prayer, Qur’anic recitation, and sacred sites; and 4) the transmission of philosophical and moral values through proverbs and ethical teachings that reflect Arab wisdom and social expectations. While the textbook successfully integrates language with cultural learning, its emphasis on Islamic elements may pose challenges for non-Muslim learners, highlighting the need for a more inclusive cultural perspective. This study underscores the importance of expanding cultural representation in Arabic language education to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the Arab world.


Keywords

Arabic Culture; Language Textbook; Cultural Representation



Full Text: PDF



References


Albirini, A. (2014). Toward understanding the variability in the language proficiencies of Arabic heritage speakers. International Journal of Bilingualism, 18(6), 730-765. https://doi.org/10.1177/1367006912472404

Alwaely, S. A. & Al-Jasari, M. F. (2022). Students’ involvement level in Arabic language textbook communication for cycle one in the united Arab emirates. Journal of Intercultural Communication, 33-40. https://doi.org/10.36923/jicc.v22i2.50

Bose, P. & Gao, X. (2022). Cultural representations in Indian english language teaching textbooks. Sage Open, 12(1), 215824402210821. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440221082102

Byram, M. (1997). Teaching and assessing intercultural communicative competence. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.

Byram, M. (2015). Culture in foreign language learning: The implications for teachers and teacher training. In W. M. Chan, S. K. Bhatt, M. Nagami, & I. Walker (Eds.), Culture and foreign language education: Insights from research and implications for the practice (pp. 37–58). De Gruyter Mouton.

Byram, M. & Wagner, M. (2018). Making a difference: language teaching for intercultural and international dialogue. Foreign Language Annals, 51(1), 140-151. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12319

Canale, G. (2021). The language textbook: Representation, interaction & learning: Conclusions. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 34(2), 199–206. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.1797081

Cox, J. G., Lynch, J. M., Mendes, N., & Zhai, C. (2019). On bilingual aptitude for learning new languages: the roles of linguistic and nonlinguistic individual differences. Language Learning, 69(2), 478-514. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12341

Daud, N. & Pisal, N. (2014). Permasalahan pertuturan dalam bahasa Arab sebagai bahasa kedua. Gema Online Journal of Language Studies, 14(01), 117-133. https://doi.org/10.17576/gema-2014-1401-08

Derakhshan, A. (2021). ‘should textbook images be merely decorative?’: cultural representations in the iranian efl national textbook from the semiotic approach perspective. Language Teaching Research, 28(1), 79-113. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168821992264

Díaz, A. R., & Callahan, L. (2020). Intercultural communicative competence and Spanish heritage language speakers: An overview from the U.S., Australia and Europe. Journal of Spanish Language Teaching, 7(2), 150–162. https://doi.org/10.1080/23247797.2020.1847408

Edres, N. (2022). Religion, ideology, and nation-building in Jordanian textbooks and curricula for the teaching of Arabic language. Lingue Culture Mediazioni - Languages Cultures Mediation (LCM Journal), 8(2). 81-100. https://doi.org/10.7358/lcm-2021-002-edre

Fauzi, M. & Zakiyah, Z. (2021). The values of integration-interconnection in the material of Arabic textbook for islamic senior high school in Indonesia. Al-Ta Rib Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Arab Iain Palangka Raya, 9(1), 67-84. https://doi.org/10.23971/altarib.v9i1.2584

Ghafor, O.F. (2020). Exploring the perceptions of kurdish efl university students towards culture as the fifth language skill. Studies in English Language and Education, 7(1), 70-82. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v7i1.15813

Harbi, A. (2022). Arabic diglossia and its impact on the social communication and learning process of non-native arabic learners: students’ perspective. Arab World English Journal, (283), 1-46. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/th.283

Ho, Y.‐R. (2021). Exposing colonial representations: Analysis of portrayals of Indigenous culture in Taiwan's language textbooks. Race Ethnicity and Education, 24(6), 856–875. https://doi.org/10.1080/13613324.2018.1538123

Hua, X., Hu, G., & Liu, F. (2023). The cultural representation of Chinese-speaking groups in US-produced Chinese as a foreign language textbooks. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 43(1), 126–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2021.1889971

Kaliska, M. (2022). ‘Cultural activities’ in foreign language teaching: A multimodal perspective on Italian language textbooks. Italian Studies, 77(4), 470–486. https://doi.org/10.1080/00751634.2022.2051926

Khaizal, N., Nasir, M., Rahimi, N., & A-Rahman, F. (2021). Speaking sub-skills exercise and its teaching techniques: document analysis of Arabic textbooks. Creative Education, 12(09), 2159-2166. https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2021.129165

Kim, D. (2020). Learning language, learning culture: Teaching language to the whole student. ECNU Review of Education, 3(3), 519-541. https://doi.org/10.1177/2096531120936693

Kramsch, C. (1993). Context and culture in language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Kress, G., & van Leeuwen, T. "Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design." Routledge, 2006.

Kress, G., & van Leeuwen, T. (2020). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design (3rd ed.). London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003099857

Kuraedah, S., Gunawan, F., Alam, S., Ubaidillah, M., Alimin, A., & Fitriyani, F. (2023). Gender representation in government-endorsed Arabic language textbooks: insights from indonesia. Frontiers in Education, (Vol. 7, p. 1022998). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2022.1022998

Kusumaningputri, R., & Widodo, H. P. (2018). Promoting Indonesian university students' critical intercultural awareness in Indonesian tertiary EAL classrooms: The use of digital photograph‐mediated intercultural tasks. System, 72, 49–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2017.10.003

Lendo, S.J., Widodo, H.P., Fadlilah, S., Qonnita, T.R,. (2023). Cultural representation in German as a foreign language textbooks used in Indonesia: A critical social semiotic analysis. Foreign Language Annals, 56(3), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12716

Li, S. (2014). The associations between language aptitude and second language grammar acquisition: a meta-analytic review of five decades of research. Applied Linguistics, 36(3), 385-408. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amu054

Mahfud, C., Astari, R., Kasdi, A., Mu’ammar, M., Muyasaroh, M., & Wajdi, F. (2021). Islamic cultural and Arabic linguistic influence on the languages of Nusantara; From lexical borrowing to localized Islamic lifestyles. Wacana, Journal of the Humanities of Indonesia, 22(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.17510/WACANA.V22I1.914.

McKay, S. L. (2003). Toward an appropriate EIL pedagogy: Re‐examining common ELT assumptions. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/1473-4192.00035

Munawwaroh, I., Munir, Z., & Mudarris, B. (2024). Strengthening Brand Image of Pesantren Based on Two-Way Symeirical Model Through Generation Z. Managere: Indonesian Journal of Educational Management, 6(1), 54-69. https://doi.org/10.52627/managere.v6i1.430

Mundiri, A., Putri, D. F., & Abdullah, A. (2024). Innovative approach in curriculum development; improving education and training programs through multidimensional strategies. PEDAGOGIK: Jurnal Pendidikan, 11(2), 178-193. https://doi.org/10.33650/pjp.v11i2.9290

Nurbayan, Y., Sauri, S., & Sanusi, A. (2021). Developing an international standardized arabic language education curriculum: introducing a conception-focused design and outcome. Al-Ta Rib Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Arab Iain Palangka Raya, 9(2), 155-172. https://doi.org/10.23971/altarib.v9i2.3264

Oktafatricia, E., Aslamiyah, S., Syahrir, S., & Amiruddin, A. (2022). A study of arabic textbooks for madrasah tsanawiyah. Jurnal Al Bayan Jurnal Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Arab, 14(2), 421-437. https://doi.org/10.24042/albayan.v14i2.9671

Riadini, U. & Cahyono, B. (2021). The analysis of the culture-related contents in an indonesian english textbook. Ijeltal (Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics), 5(2), 285. https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v5i2.711

Risager, K. (2021). Language textbooks: Windows to the world. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 34(2), 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.1797767

Saville-Troike, M. (2003). The ethnography of communication: An introduction. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.

Sercu, L. (2005). Intercultural Competence in Foreign Language Education: Questions of Theory, Practice and Assessment. Language and Intercultural Communication, 5(3-4), 224-245.

Setyono, B., & Widodo, H. P. (2019). The representation of multicultural values in the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture‐endorsed EFL textbook: A critical discourse analysis. Intercultural Education, 30(4), 383–397. https://doi.org/10.1080/14675986.2019.1548102

Sihombing, T. H. J., & Nguyen, M. X. N. C. (2022). Cultural content of an English textbook in Indonesia: text analysis and teachers’ attitudes. Asian Englishes, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/13488678.2022.2132131

Skinner, B. F. "Verbal Behavior." Cengage Learning, 1957.

Sodiq, S. (2024). The hidden Indonesian language literacy curriculum in Arabic language textbooks for islamic junior high school. Ijaz Arabi Journal of Arabic Learning, 7(1), 2620-5947. https://doi.org/10.18860/ijazarabi.v7i1.25049

Sun, W., & Kwon, J. (2020). Representation of monoculturalism in Chinese and Korean heritage language textbooks for immigrant children. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 33(4), 402–416. https://doi.org/10. 1080/07908318.2019.1642346

Tayyara, A. e. (2020). The practicability of proverbs in teaching Arabic language and culture. Language Teaching Research, 26(4), 799-819. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362168819895253

Thomure, H. T. & Speaker, R. B. (2018). Arabic language arts standards: revolution or disruption?. Research in Comparative and International Education, 13(4), 551-569. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745499918807032

Tolinggi, S. (2020). Pengembangan kurikulum bahasa arab berparadigma integrasi-interkoneksi mengacu kkni dan sn-dikti. Al-Ta Rib Jurnal Ilmiah Program Studi Pendidikan Bahasa Arab Iain Palangka Raya, 8(2), 177-200. https://doi.org/10.23971/altarib.v8i2.2104

Ubaidillah, U., Mundiri, A., & Baharun, H. (2023). Empowering Teacher Competence through Guidance in Religion-Moderated Literacy. GEMEINSCHAFT: Journal of Social and Community Engagement, 1(1), 37-49. https://doi.org/10.71392/gjsce.v1i1.46

Utami, F. & Salamah, U. (2019). Augmented reality application of hijaiyah letters in Arabic sign language and Indonesian sign language (sibi). Jurnal Resti (Rekayasa Sistem Dan Teknologi Informasi), 3(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.29207/resti.v3i1.693

Uzum, B., Yasan, B., Zahrawi, S., Bouamer, S., & Malakaj, E. (2021). A comparative analysis of cultural representation in collegiate world language textbooks (Arabic, French, and German). Linguistics and Education, 61(February), 100901. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.linged.2020.100901

Xiao, Z. & Su, X. (2021). A cross-national analysis of cultural representations in english textbooks used in china and germany. Sn Social Sciences, 1(4). 91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-021-00088-8

Xiong, T., & Peng, Y. (2020). Representing culture in Chinese as a second language textbooks: a critical social semiotic approach. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 34(2), 163–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2020.1797079

Cheng, Y., Yao, S., & Zhang, Y. (2022). The Effects of Feedbacks on Chinese Learners’ English Learning Process: A Quantitative Analysis in Linguistics Correctness. In 2021 International Conference on Education, Language and Art (ICELA 2021) (pp. 557-561). Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.220131.100

Zhang, H., Li, X., & Chang, W. (2022). Representation of cultures in national English textbooks in China: A synchronic content analysis. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1–21. https://doi.org/ 10.1080/01434632.2022.2099406


Dimensions, PlumX, and Google Scholar Metrics

10.33650/pjp.v13i2.15079


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2026 Ahmad Maghfurin


This work is licensed under a CC BY-SA

Published by Institute for Publication, Research, and Community Service of Nurul Jadid University, Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia.