Tripartite Barriers in Arabic Grammar Instruction: A Phenomenological Study of Methodological, Curricular, and Learner-Related Challenges in a University-Affiliated Islamic Dormitory

Hambatan Tiga Dimensi dalam Pembelajaran Tata Bahasa Arab: Studi Fenomenologis atas Tantangan Metodologis, Kurikuler, dan Faktor Pembelajar di Ma’had Berbasis Perguruan Tinggi

Abstract

Purpose - This study investigates the challenges of Nahwu (Arabic grammar) instruction at Ma’had Al-Jami’ah IAIN Kerinci, Indonesia, focusing on three interdependent dimensions: instructional methodology, curriculum content, and learner characteristics. Existing research has largely examined these dimensions in isolation, leaving unresolved how they interact within a single institutional setting. This study addresses this gap by treating the three dimensions as mutually reinforcing barriers within a university-affiliated Islamic dormitory context.

Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative phenomenological design was employed, drawing on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews with 12 students and 3 instructors, 8 sessions of non-participant classroom observation conducted over 4 weeks, and document analysis of the Matan Al-Jurumiyah textbook and institutional curriculum materials. Trustworthiness was established through source triangulation, member checking, and reflexive journaling. Ethical clearance was obtained from IAIN Kerinci, and all participants and their guardians provided informed consent before data collection.

Findings/results – Thematic analysis reveals four interconnected challenges: limited conceptual scaffolding within the discussion-based instructional method; inadequate contextualization of classical curriculum content, particularly Matan Al-Jurumiyah; perceived abstraction and irrelevance-driven low learner motivation; and systemic misalignment between pedagogical practice and digital learning preferences of contemporary students. These challenges do not operate independently—each compounded the others, producing a learning environment in which persistence with Nahwu is cognitively costly and motivationally unrewarding. Representative student accounts illustrate this compounding dynamic: one participant described feeling “less motivated in class because the teaching method lacks detailed explanation” while simultaneously experiencing Nahwu as “hard to apply in practice,” capturing the simultaneous operation of methodological, curricular, and motivational barriers.

Originality/value - This study is the first to examine methodological, curricular, and learner-characteristic challenges as an interdependent, cooperative system within a university-affiliated Maʿhad context in Indonesia. Drawing on Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory and the Zone of Proximal Development, it proposes an integrative reform matrix combining technology-enhanced learning, contextualized Qurʿanic and Hadith content, and scaffolded student-centered pedagogy. This study makes three specific contributions: (1) an empirically grounded tripartite barrier model that demonstrates the interdependence of method, content, and learner characteristics; (2) a four-dimension reform matrix applicable to comparable Maʿhad institutions across Indonesia; and (3) evidence from a resource-constrained regional Islamic HEI context not previously examined in the Nahwu literature. Study limitations—including the single-site design, cross-sectional data, and absence of quantitative outcome measures—constrain transferability; future experimental and multisite comparative research is needed.

Paper type – Research paper