Difficulties In Learning Arabic Among Fast Track Students And Implications For The Development Of Responsive Learning Modules

Abstract

This study examines the direct implications of the need to develop a more effective and responsive Arabic Language teaching and learning module design for Fast Track SPM program students. The design of a module should be based on an analysis of student needs, language proficiency levels and clear and measurable learning objectives. This quantitative study with a survey design involves 251 respondents from five Fast Track SPM program institutions. Purposive sampling was used and the research instrument was a questionnaire that was analyzed descriptively and correlatively. The findings indicate that there are several issues faced by students in learning Arabic, including not knowing the answer format, lack of vocabulary, not understanding the question requirements and insufficient practice. Additionally, the findings indicate that 74.1% of students face a high level of difficulty in learning Arabic (M = 4.136), while 96.0% express a high need for specific modules (M = 4.566). Correlation analysis shows a significant positive relationship between the level of difficulty and the need for the module (r = 0.258, p < 0.001). The regression analysis shows 35.1% (R² = 0.351). This analysis shows that the need for the Arabic language module (Y) is only influenced by two variables, namely the content factor of the Arabic language module (X2) and the difficulty of learning Arabic (X3). Overall, the study findings indicate the need for the development of a specific and systematic Arabic language module to support the mastery of vocabulary, grammar and communication skills of Fast Track SPM students.