This section is about teachers’ reported use of Arabic in the classroom. We will discuss here a couple of areas which are related to their use of Arabic in situations such as: explaining different aspects of language, teaching tactics, management and giving instructions, and communication and socializing.
A. Explaining Different Aspects of Language
Table 4.40: Explaining Different Aspects of Language
Statement Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never M SD
Q.68 I use English to explain difficult concepts.
n 4 10 3 1 0
2.06 0.80 % 22.2% 55.6% 16.7% 5.6% .0%
Q.78 I use Arabic to define new vocabulary items.
n 0 2 5 7 4
3.72 0.96 % .0% 11.1% 27.8% 38.9% 22.2%
Q.79 I use English to explain the relationship between English and Arabic.
n 4 5 5 3 1
2.56 1.20 % 22.2% 27.8% 27.8% 16.7% 5.6%
Q.80 I use Arabic to explain difficult grammar points.
n 0 0 5 9 4
3.94 0.73 % .0% .0% 27.8% 50.0% 22.2%
Q.88 I use English synonyms to explain difficult
vocabulary.
n 7 7 4 0 0
1.83 0.79 % 38.9% 38.9% 22.2% .0% .0%
Explanation of aspects of language is used in many, if not all classrooms; but do the different aspects require different languages? A highly statistically significant result at [p-value=.001] indicates in Table 4.40. English is reported to be used by the majority of the teachers to explain different language aspects; although they use Arabic, to some extent, to clarify difficult grammar points and to introduce new words. For instance, 7 teachers (38.9%) selected always, 7 (38.9%) often, 4 (22.2%) sometimes, none of them chose rarely and never with Q.88 ‘I use English synonyms to explain difficult vocabulary’; while, in Q.78 ‘I use Arabic to define new
vocabulary items.’ none of teachers selected always, 2 (11.1%) often, 5 (27.8%) sometimes, 3 (16.7%) rarely and 4 (22.2%) never. Furthermore, none of the teachers selected always and often, 5 (27.8%) sometimes, 9 (50%) rarely and 4 (22.2%) never with Q.80 ‘I use Arabic to explain difficult grammar points.’ Hence it is clear that English dominates in such a function, yet to explain difficult grammar points and new words Arabic, it is used rarely.
B. Teaching Tactics
Table 4.41: Teaching Tactics
Statement Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never M SD
Q.69 I use English to introduce new material.
n 7 8 2 0 1
1.89 1.02 % 38.9% 44.4% 11.1% 0% 5.6%
Q.73 I use Arabic to give suggestions on how to learn more effectively.
n 0 0 6 6 6
4.00 0.84 % 0% 0% 33.3% 33.3% 33.3%
Q.75 I use Arabic to check
for comprehension. n 0 1 5 7 5 3.89 0.90
% 0% 5.6% 27.8% 38.9% 27.8% Q.81 I use Arabic more with
lower level students.
n 1 0 8 7 2
3.50 0.92 % 5.6% 0% 44.4% 38.9% 11.1%
Q.82 I use Arabic in order to save time.
n 0 2 5 5 6
3.83 1.04 % 0% 11.1% 27.8% 27.8% 33.3%
Q.83 I consciously avoid the use of Arabic during lessons.
n 8 5 5 0 0
1.83 0.86 % 44.4% 27.8% 27.8% 0% 0%
We now turn to what teachers report about their use of Arabic in teaching tactics throughout the lesson. Table 4.41 shows that the majority of teachers resort to English to introduce new materials, however, in other tactics such as providing suggestions on how to learn effectively, checking comprehension, teaching low level students and saving time, Arabic is used (sometimes-rarely). For example, 7 teachers (38.9%) chose always, 8 (44.4%) often, 2 (11.1%) sometimes, none of them selected rarely, 1 (5.6%) never with Q.69 ‘I use English to introduce new material’. However, in Q.81 ‘I use Arabic more with lower level students’, 1 teachers (5.6%) selected always, 0 (0%) often, 8 (44.4%) sometimes, 7 (38.9%) rarely, 5 (27.8%) never. Also, 2 teachers (11.1%) selected often, 5 (27.8%) sometimes, 5 (27.8%) rarely, 6 (33.3%) never with Q.82 ‘I use Arabic in order to save time’. Moreover, in order to check comprehension, the majority of teachers (12, 66.7%) chose (rarely-sometimes).
Table 4.42: Differences between Participants’ Attitudes according to their Qualification
Highest Academic Qualification n Mean Rank P
Master’s Degree 10 6.85
.033
PhD 7 12.07
Table 4.42 indicates that there is differences between teachers who hold PhD degrees and teachers with Master’s degrees with the use of Arabic in order to check
comprehension and/or save time. Significant differences are observed from a Mann-
Whitney test [at p-value= 0.33] and (mean rank Master’s degree=6.85 vs
PhD=12.07). This indicates that teachers who hold Master’s degrees resort to Arabic (sometimes) more than teachers who have PhD degree (rarely) in such a situation.
C. Management and Giving Instructions
Table 4.43: Management and Giving Instructions
Statement Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never M SD
Q.70 I use Arabic to manage students’ behaviour.
n 0 3 4 8 3
3.61 0.98 % 0% 16.7% 22.2% 44.4% 16.7%
Q.72 I use English for assessment details and class outlines.
n 6 9 1 1 0
1.82 0.81 % 35.3% 52.9% 5.9% 5.9% 0%
Q.74 I use English to give instructions about exercises or homework.
n 9 6 2 0 1
1.78 1.06 % 50.0% 33.3% 11.1% 0% 5.6%
Q.77 I use English to carry out small-group work.
n 6 7 3 1 1
2.11 1.32 % 33.3% 38.9% 16.7% 5.6% 5.6%
Q.84 In exams, I give the instructions in Arabic.
n 0 2 2 5 9
4.17 1.04 % 0% 11.1% 11.1% 27.8% 50.0%
The set of questions here concerns teachers’ reports of using Arabic in management and giving instructions. Clearly, Table 4.43 reveals the highly statistically significant result at [p-value=.001] that the majority of teachers use English to give instructions and management; even though the tolerance of using Arabic advocated in functions such as managing students’ behaviour. For instance, in Q.74 ‘I use English to give instructions about exercises or homework.’ 9 teachers (50%) selected always, 6 (33.3%) often, 2 (11.1%) sometimes, 0 (0%) rarely, 1 (5.6%) never.
Table 4.44: Differences between Participants’ Reports of Using Arabic according to their L1
First Language n Mean Rank P
Arabic 13 7.31
.003
English 5 15.20
Table 4.44 indicates that there is a highly significant difference between Arab teachers and non-Arab teachers over resorting to Arabic at [p-value= 0.03] and (mean rank Arab teachers=7.31 vs none-Arab teachers=15.20) according to the
Mann-Whitney test. This points out that Arab teachers claim to use Arabic
(sometimes) in management and giving instructions more than non-Arab teachers, who use Arabic (rarely –never) in such situations.
D. Communication and Socializing
Table 4.45: Communication and Socializing
Statement Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never M SD
Q.71 I use English to tell jokes to students.
n 3 8 7 0 0
2.22 0.73 % 16.7% 44.4% 38.9% 0% 0%
Q.76 I use Arabic to praise students in order to motivate them.
n 0 0 4 6 7
4.18 0.81 % 0% 0% 23.5% 35.3% 41.2%
Q.85 I use humorous Arabic expressions when I want to ‘entertain’ my students.
n 1 2 7 7 1
3.28 0.96 % 5.6% 11.1% 38.9% 38.9% 5.6%
Q.86 I allow students to use Arabic while discussing topics related to everyday matters.
n 0 1 6 6 5
3.83 0.92 % 0% 5.6% 33.3% 33.3% 27.8%
Q.87 I use Arabic to help students feel more comfortable and confident.
n 0 0 6 7 5
3.94 0.80 % 0% 0% 33.3% 38.9% 27.8%
To communicate and socialize with students, Table 4.45 shows that the majority of teachers use Arabic and allow students to use Arabic, to a degree, in communication and for emotional purposes; however, they use English if they want to tell jokes in the classroom. For example, none of the teachers selected always or often, 4 (23.5%) sometimes, 6 (35.3%) rarely, 7 (41.2%) never with Q.76 ‘I use Arabic to praise students in order to motivate them’; while 1 teacher (5.6%) chose always, 2 (11.1%) often, 7 (38.9%) sometimes, 7 (38.9%) rarely, with Q.85 ‘I use humorous Arabic expressions when I want to ‘entertain’ my students’; although, in Q.71 ‘I use English to tell jokes to students’, 3 teachers (16.7%) selected always, 8 (44.4%) often, 7 (38.9%) sometimes, 0 (0%) rarely and never.
Table 4.46: Differences between Participants’ Reports of Using Arabic according to their L1
First Language n Mean Rank P
Arabic 13 7.77
.026
English 5 14.00
By running a Mann-Whitney test,
Table 4.46 shows that there is a significant difference between Arab teachers and non-Arab teachers in using Arabic in communication and socializing at [p-value= .026] and (mean rank Arab teacher=7.77 vs mean rank non-Arab teachers=14.00). Therefore, Arab teachers use Arabic more often (sometimes) than non-Arab teachers (rarely-never) in socializing and communicating in such as topic not related to the lesson.