Abstract:
In many Lebanese private schools, students are more frequently exposed to and encouraged to use English or French across academic subjects, often leading to a diminished perception of Arabic as an intellectually or socially valuable language. This dynamic can negatively impact learners’ motivation, engagement, and identity formation around the Arabic language. The study explored the classroom factors, and the levels of engagement and motivation middle school students experience in the Arabic class. The findings of this study offer meaningful implications for Arabic language instruction, particularly in contexts where Arabic, though native, may hold less sociolinguistic prestige compared to other languages such as English or French. The strong predictive role of Subject Perception (SP) and Teacher–Student Relationship (TSR) in this study suggests that when students view Arabic as interesting, useful, and meaningful—and when they feel emotionally supported by their Arabic teacher—they are more likely to be motivated and actively participate in class. Therefore, Arabic instruction should not only focus on linguistic competence but also aim to reframe learners’ perceptions of Arabic by connecting the language to culturally relevant, personally engaging content and affirming its contemporary relevance. Teachers play a crucial role in this process by modeling positive attitudes toward Arabic, creating emotionally supportive classrooms, and promoting intrinsic motivation through innovative, student-centered teaching approaches.
