Improving Arabic Writing Skills “Jawlah Lughawiyyah”: An Analysis

Abstract

Since the 2000s, the efforts of the various parties offering learning Arabic whether in schools, higher education institutions, and associations related to the field of language are seen growing. For example, the j-QAF program was introduced to improve the quality of education to produce a skilled multilingual learner. The main problem faced by the students in mastering the language is the failure to master the vocabulary of the Arabic language as well as motivation factor and a negative perception toward learning Arabic. To produce good writing, precise vocabulary selection is vital in the delivery of a clear meaning. Moreover, the use of the five affective senses through activities outside the classroom which are relaxed, structured, and fun can have a positive impact on the improvement of language acquisition. So one alternative medium that is Jawlah Lughawiyyah concept of language activities outside the classroom that implements the seven stages of language learning have been conducted toward non-native speakers in Sekolah Menengah Agama Sultan Zainal Abidin dan Sekolah Menengah Agama Khairiah, Terengganu. The main objective of this study was to identify the level of students’ writing skills before and after attending Jawlah Lughawiyyah activities. A total of 30 Form Four students from each school were randomly selected and some of them have undergone this activity. The process of data collection through pre- and posttest was conducted on a sample and was analyzed using qualitative methods: Wikispaces and quantitative scoring rubric, t-test. The findings showed that there were significant improvements in writing skills from 14.3 % up to 17.5 %. Therefore, this study suggests that a Jawlah Lughawiyyah activity was practiced in the process of teaching and learning the Arabic language, particularly involving non-native speaking students.