Challenges in Learning Arabic Grammar for Non-Native Speakers: University Students’ Perspectives in Indonesia and Malaysia / تحديات تعلم القواعد العربية للناطقين بغيرها: آراء الطلبة المرحلة الجامعية في إندونيسيا وماليزيا

Muhimmatul Mukaromah, Khadijah Binti Hassan, Radhwa Binti Abu Bakar, Yasir Bin Ismail, Abdulrahman Alosman

Abstract


Learning Arabic grammar is often considered one of the biggest obstacles for non-Arabic-speaking students. This study aims to identify the main challenges in learning Arabic grammar from the perspective of university students in Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as to compare the perceptions of students in both countries. This study uses a descriptive quantitative approach involving 75 respondents (60% from Indonesia and 40% from Malaysia), the majority of whom are first-year students. Data were collected through a questionnaire covering four dimensions of challenges: linguistic-structural, pedagogical-methodological, psychological-motivational, and technical-resource. The findings show that 73.3% of students face significant difficulties, especially in the complexity of textbook material (Mean 3.75) and structural differences between Arabic and their native languages. Statistical tests show no significant difference between the perceptions of Indonesian students (Mean 3.22) and Malaysian students (Mean 3.25), indicating the homogeneity of challenges in the region. However, students showed high openness to the integration of digital technology (Mean 3.81). This study concludes that curriculum reform focused on digital-interactive and applied approaches is urgently needed to bridge the gap between grammar theory and real-world communication practices.


Keywords


Arabic Grammar; Challenges; Indonesian University Students; Malaysian University Students; Non-Native Speakers

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18860/ijazarabi.v9i4.40041

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Copyright (c) 2026 Muhimmatul Mukaromah, Khadijah Binti Hassan, Radhwa Binti Abu Bakar, Yasir Bin Ismail, Abdulrahman Alosman

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