Learning Arabic Language: Motivational Factors of Students in Singapore

Learning Arabic Language: Motivational Factors of Students in Singapore

Mariyam Bee Binte Abu Bakar

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8120373

Received: 17 December 2024; Accepted: 24 December 2024; Published: 25 January 2025

ABSTRACT

Rising awareness of the value of learning a foreign language has led to many learning foreign languages for various reasons. While globalisation has motivated many to learn one or two foreign languages to enhance their skills and capability in various aspects, such as business, society, education, politics, and society, some are driven by a sense of personal achievement that they want to attain. This paper examines the motivational factors influencing students at Nanyang Technological University to learn Arabic as a foreign language.

This study aims to identify the intrinsic and extrinsic factors influencing students’ motivation and achievement in learning a foreign language. It examines aspects such as demographics, fields of study, and the underlying reasons for enrolling in language courses. The researcher adopts a quantitative approach, utilizing survey analysis to gather responses from 45 students across various years of study, specialisations and faculties. The results reveal a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic motivational factors influencing students’ engagement in foreign language learning, encompassing accomplishment factors, knowledge factors, religious factors, and expected learning outcomes. The findings will help more educators, curriculum developers, and language institutes in teaching and developing their syllabi.

Keywords: Arabic language learning, student motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, foreign language acquisition, language learning outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Arabic learning in Singapore has a long history, closely tied to the arrival and establishment of the Muslim community in the region. Key milestones in the development of Arabic learning in Singapore include the period between the 16th to 19th centuries, especially with the arrival of Muslim traders from the Middle East, India, and the Malay Archipelago, where the Arabic language became important for religious and commercial reasons. Informal religious education, including the learning of Arabic, was conducted in mosques and homes during this time.

There are currently six full-time Islamic schools (madrasahs) in Singapore that offer Arabic Language as one of its subjects. They are Al-Arabia, Al-Junied, Al-Irsyad, Al-Maarif, Alsagoff, and Wak Tanjong (Mokhtar, 2010). Arabic is also taught at Arabic centres, institutions and private lessons to adults and children (Muzzammil, 2020). Additionally, some local universities offer Arabic language courses as an elective module.

Singapore’s government has been promoting and encouraging its residents to become multilingual, if not bilingual, throughout its history. This has been shown through the inclusion of second languages in schools and foreign languages in the curriculum by the Ministry of Education under the Department of the Ministry of Education Language Centre (MOELC), founded in 1978 to offer French and Japanese as Third Languages. As more languages were eventually offered in MOELC, the Arabic Language began to be offered beginning in 2008.

Various factors contribute to the desire to learn languages. Some individuals are motivated to learn a targeted language to advance their careers while others are motivated more so by the need to understand culture and its underpinnings through the use of the targeted foreign language. Motivation has always been an important factor in determining students’ interest in language learning (Abu Bakar, Sulaiman, & Muhammad Rafaai, 2010; Gardner & Lambert, 1959). It is an internal force that drives a learner to gain mastery of the complexity of the language and spend years learning it (Ghenghesh, 2010; Dörnyei, 2001). There are two main categories of motivation as described by the self-determination theory, namely extrinsic and intrinsic. (Deci & Ryan, 1985; Ryan & Deci, 2000; Abu Bakar et al., 2010) Behaviours driven by intrinsic motivation originate from within the individual and are characterized by the pleasure and fulfilment derived from participating in an activity. In contrast, extrinsic motivation involves engaging in an activity to attain a specific outcome, such as gaining a reward or avoiding a penalty. Rather than being mutually exclusive or entirely distinct, these motivational orientations exist along a continuum. (Abu Bakar et al., 2010)

Although the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic is complex, both extrinsic and intrinsic motivation factors influence the study of foreign languages. An individual may also want to reach a personal milestone in the targeted language, which provides an internal incentive to learn it. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation is derived from external factors beyond an individual’s inner self or intrinsic nature. For example, an individual may be motivated to learn a language if the learning is driven by external benefits such as grades or praise unrelated to the learning itself; learning or doing well is required to achieve the predetermined rewards (Mikail, 2009; Abu Bakar et al., 2010; Ghenghesh, 2010; Sumi & Sumi, 2019).

There are similar studies conducted on Arabic-related subjects in Singapore. However, the focus of these studies was mainly on the teaching of the Arabic Language instead of the motivation of learners. For example, Mokhtar (2010) conducted a study entitled: “Madrasahs in Singapore: Bridging between their Roles, Relevance and Resources” to gather the views of astatize, or religious teachers and students respectively, on the roles, relevance and resources needed for the madrasahs in Singapore. Tan and Abbas (2009) explored the Singapore government’s initiatives to reform madrasah education with the introduction of student-centred pedagogies through their study entitled: “The ‘Teach Less, Learn More’ Initiative in Singapore: New pedagogies for Islamic religious schools?”. Another study that focussed on the Arabic teaching structure in Singapore was conducted by Muzzammil (2021), who investigated the application of technology in knowledge delivery in the form of a blended learning approach.

This paper aims to explore the motivation of forty-five students who took the Arabic module, ranging from basic to advanced levels, offered at the Centre for Modern Languages of the School of Humanities at Nanyang Technological University (NTU). At NTU, the Arabic language or any other foreign language is not a compulsory module but can be taken by students to fulfil their degree requirements. Since there are various studies found learning Arabic a compulsory requirement (Abu Bakar, et al., 2010; Muñoz-Restrepo, Ramirez, & Gaviria, 2020), this study fills the gap in looking at the motivation of non-compulsory students learning the Arabic language.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Motivation can be defined as an inner drive that encourages the learner to follow a certain path. It is responsible for initiating the learning process and subsequently acts as the driving force to sustain the learning process through the long and arduous years it takes to learn a language (Ghenghesh, 2010; Dörnyei, 2001). Different levels of motivation also affect the learning process and the passion to keep learning for a long time (Aliyu, Rouyan, & Noor, 2018). Brosh (2013) reiterated that while some learn additional languages for career advancement, others are driven by the connection to the language’s culture, and history, or for religious purposes, which was also supported by Abdullah, Sulaiman, Sulaiman, and Abdullah (2015). Generally, motivation can be scattered along a spectrum of self-determination levels, from low to high. In the Self Determination Theory (SDT), there are two types of motives, namely intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsically motivated behaviours originate from within the individual and are characterized by the pleasure and fulfilment experienced while engaging in an activity. In contrast, extrinsic motivation refers to engaging in an activity as a means to achieve an external outcome, such as obtaining a reward or avoiding a penalty. (Abu Bakar et al., 2010; Sumi & Sumi, 2019; Mikail, 2009).

Linking SDT with the desire to learn languages, Oxford and Nyikos (1989) have found that motivation has the highest impact on strategies to do with learning languages. On the other hand, Mikail (2009) found that there is a strong correlation between extrinsic motivation and the purpose of using language beyond the classroom. Hence, the overall use of language learning strategies is strongly associated with high motivation and interest, particularly intrinsic interest in using the language outside of the classroom. In general, researchers believe that motivation is critical to the success of learning activities.

Intrinsic Motivation

Intrinsic motivation has been cited as one of the strongest factors shaping motivation as it has to do with the feelings of satisfaction and enjoyment either through expansion of knowledge, self-achievement, or gaining a satisfying experience (Abu Bakar et al., 2010; Abdullah et al., 2015; Federmeier & Huang, 2020).

It is also found that the state of a student’s motivation is contributed by the social environment one belongs to (Mikail, 2019; Gardner & Lambert, 1972). Hence, the orientation of a person’s motivation can be attributed to the state of the world and the culture that the student is living in. Razi & Rahmat, (2020) also found that the culture to which the student belongs may also drive him or her to study a foreign language. Using the example of Arabic learners, they postulated that Muslims are motivated to learn Arabic if they feel encouraged to immerse themselves in Islam as a religion. These learners might feel obligated to learn Arabic to integrate into the Islamic religion.

The Arabic language is a liturgical language used by more than 1.2 billion Muslims worldwide. Hence, the desire to learn Arabic to read the Quran and other religious texts is the major factor for Muslims and religious students (Brosh, 2013). Religious motivation also has now been added as another item in studying the motivation of learners (Abu Bakar et al., 2010). Strong religious motives have been found in students of Arabic. This shows how students’ worldviews of their religion, specifically Islam for Arabic learners, can be a consideration for those who want to understand how Arabic students can be motivated to study the language. Many non-Arabic speakers who are Muslims are learning Arabic to better understand and embrace their religion or see it as a prerequisite to understanding Islam better. This group is considered an ‘overwhelming majority in non-Arabic-speaking communities and nations. (Mikail, 2009; Brosh, 2013). Razi et al. (2020) also regard religion as part of the culture by defining it as “a person’s local circumstances and beliefs”. They also found that many non-Arabic-speaking Muslims are learning Arabic to immerse and integrate themselves into the religion, as a prerequisite to their Muslim identities.

It is also an internal force that pushes a learner to act in going through the difficult and time-consuming years of learning a foreign language (Ghenghesh, 2010; Dörnyei, 2001).

Extrinsic Motivation

In past research, it has been found that multiple motivational factors drive students to take up a foreign language such as Arabic. For example, studies done by Huang, Hsu, and Chen (2015) showed that Taiwanese students who learn foreign languages are usually driven by reasons to do with culture or a “social traditional identity”. These are demonstrated by the factors that motivate students to learn languages such as Japanese and German, which are usually taken for practical reasons, such as getting a job that requires the language, or French and Korean, which are popular among those who want to learn more about the respective cultures (Lu, Zheng, & Ren, 2019).

Apart from the cultural factor, motivation to learn a foreign language can also stem from external gains or returns such as obtaining a degree, for work, rewards, and other reasons (Abdullah et al., 2015; Razi et al., 2020; Federmeier et al., 2020). Curriculum requirements are considered as the pushing factors that lead students to learn Arabic. For example, Muñoz -Restrepo et al., (2020) found that young non-native Arabic speakers are required to take non-native Arabic lessons as a second language in the UAE Education Curriculum. The quality of their learning is also monitored to ensure high standards. Thus, academic needs or reasons can foster the motivation to study a foreign language. Similar to educational reasons, employment, which is a form of extrinsic motivation, can also be a reason to drive someone to learn a foreign language such as Arabic (Brosh, 2013; Abdullah et al., 2015; Razi & Rahmat, 2020; Federmeier & Huang2020).

Extrinsic motivation, as the name suggests, refers to external rewards.  It may not be what the student enjoys doing or learning but may help the student achieve a targeted goal. (Abdullah et al., 2015; Mikail, 2009). For instance, students may be driven to study and perform well to earn good grades or academic honours, which serve as external incentives that encourage them to put in extra effort, even if they lack a genuine interest in the subject matter (Adamma, Ekwutosim, & Unamba, 2018). Students may also be motivated to learn specific subjects or skills because they enhance future career prospects or earning potential, rather than being driven purely by personal interest (Thohir, 2017). Furthermore, extrinsic motivation also refers to behaviours that are instrumental or done to achieve outcomes separable from the behaviours themselves. Sumi and Sumi (2019) further explained that extrinsic motivation is divided into four types based on self-determination: external, introjected, identified, and integrated regulations, in decreasing order of self-determination.

METHODOLOGY 

This study used a survey method to achieve its research objectives. According to Sekaran (2003), using a scale of choices is suitable for surveys because it allows for easy and quick responses from participants. Therefore, this study employed a five-point Likert scale (1-Strongly Disagree, 2-Disagree, 3-Neutral, 4-Agree, and 5-Strongly Agree). The questionnaire was divided into three parts:

• Part A collected demographic information such as gender, race, religion, nationality, Arabic language background, and family members who know Arabic
• Part B consisted of five sections addressing factors of concern including religion, knowledge, accomplishment, expected learning outcomes, and overall motivation;
• and Part C included open-ended questions about challenges faced while studying Arabic and suggestions for improving Arabic education.

The questionnaire was adapted from Abu Bakar et al. (2010) and reviewed by experts for readability, feasibility, style, formatting, and language clarity (Taherdoost, 2016). After incorporating expert feedback, the finalized questionnaire was distributed to 45 students studying Arabic at NTU via a Google survey link shared on WhatsApp. Data collection took 33 days and the data was analysed using SPSS. Despite the relatively small sample size of 45 respondents, this study on the motivational factors influencing Arabic language learning at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) offers several significant contributions to the field. It explores the motivations of Singaporean undergraduates learning Arabic as an elective, providing insights into a unique context distinct from prior research, which often focuses on mandatory language courses or other educational settings.

To ensure the reliability of the instrument, a reliability test was conducted. Reliability refers to the consistency of a measuring instrument (Taherdoost, 2016), commonly assessed using the Cronbach Alpha coefficient, which is appropriate for Likert scales (Taber, 2018). A reliability score of 0.8 or above is considered acceptable (Taherdoost, 2016, Taber, 2018). The results showed that all measurement items were reliable, meeting the required alpha value, as shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Reliability Analysis

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

Descriptive information for the sample of this study is provided in Table 2. Most students who participated were recent students (26.7%, n = 12); students from earlier semesters have graduated and were not contactable. More male students participated in this survey compared to female participants, i.e., 53.3% (n = 24) and 46.7% (n = 21) respectively. 60% (27) of the students who took Arabic at NTU comprised mostly Malays, followed by Indians, Chinese, Arabs, and others.

Most respondents who took Arabic were Muslims (91.1%, n = 41) while some small percentages include Christians (2.2%, n = 1), Buddhists (2.2%, n = 1), Taoists (2.2%, n = 1) and others (2.2%, n = 1).

The high number of Muslims who took up Arabic stems from the habit of learning Quranic recitation at a young age through formal and informal “Ngaji” sessions or weekend Madrasah (weekend Islamic classes). The results showed that 77.8% (n = 35) of students had some experience learning Arabic before joining the Arabic language module at NTU.

Table 2. Descriptive Statistic

As discussed in the previous section, this study focuses on factors motivating NTU students to enrol in Arabic courses. The factors include religion, knowledge, accomplishment, and expected learning outcomes. For faith as a motivation for the students, this study indicates that around 23 students strongly agreed that the main reason for enrolling in the Arabic Course is to strengthen their faith.

Table 3. Factor Motivating Arabic Learning at NTU

Figure 1. Religion Factor

The results indicated that religion was a significant factor, with 82.2% of respondents (20 strongly agree and 17 agree) saying that they learnt Arabic to understand their prayers, while only 4.4% (2 participants) disagreed. Similarly, 84.4% (21 strongly agree and 17 agree) expressed a desire to understand the words of God, with minimal disagreement at 4.4% (2 participants). Understanding the Quran showed equally strong motivation at 82.2% (20 strongly agree and 17 agree), while only 6.7% (3 participants) disagreed. The desire to strengthen faith garnered 77.8% positive responses (18 strongly agree and 17 agree), with 6.7% (3 participants) expressing disagreement. Notably, neutral responses remained consistently low across all religious factors, ranging from 4.4% to 8.9% (2-4 participants), demonstrating clear religious factors among the majority of learners.

Figure 2 Knowledge Factor

The data reveals compelling motivations for Arabic language learning, with understanding Arabic culture receiving the highest positive responses at 91.67% (70.83% strongly agree and 20.83% agree), followed by the desire to communicate when travelling to Arab countries at 89.29% (64.29% strongly agree and 25% agree). The general interest in learning a foreign language garnered 82.14% positive responses (53.57% strongly agree and 28.57% agree), while the academic interest in Arabic morphology and linguistics showed 74.07% positive responses (51.85% strongly agree and 22.22% agree). Notably, disagreement rates were minimal across all categories, with only foreign language learning showing 7.14% disagreement and Arabic morphology showing 3.7% disagreement, while neutral responses ranged from 8.33% to 22.22%, indicating an overwhelmingly positive attitude toward Arabic language acquisition and cultural understanding.

Figure 3 Accomplishment Factor

The data analysis revealed that respondents are motivated by both personal challenges and professional goals. In terms of mastering a non-Latin language, 82.2% responded positively (with approximately 15 participants strongly agreeing and 12 agreeing), while only 3 participants disagreed. For resume enhancement, 71.1% showed positive responses (12 participants agreeing and 10 strongly agreeing), with 8 participants remaining neutral. Regarding job prospects in Arab countries, 75.6% expressed agreement (14 participants strongly agreed and 12 agreed), though 5 participants strongly disagreed. The desire to communicate with Arab partners received slightly lower but still significant positive responses at 68.9% (16 participants strongly agreeing and 9 agreeing), with 6 participants expressing disagreement. The challenge of learning a difficult language motivated 73.3% of respondents (13 participants agreeing and 10 strongly agreeing), while only 2 participants strongly disagreed.

Figure 4 Expected Learning Outcome

The Expected Learning Outcome data reveals three distinct results from the participants’ Arabic language learning experience. A substantial majority of 73% of participants indicated that they appreciate the beauty of the Arabic language, highlighting the aesthetic appeal as the primary outcome. The second most significant outcome shows that 17% of participants reported that learning Arabic has awakened their spirituality, suggesting a deeper personal connection to the language. Lastly, 10% of participants gained increased confidence in their Arabic speaking and writing abilities, demonstrating the practical benefits of their language learning journey.

FINDINGS & DISCUSSIONS

Intrinsic Factor

As this study discovered, one of the intrinsic factors that have been found in this research is the religious factor among various factors that influenced students’ motivations to learn Arabic. The religious factor was a significant factor, with a high percentage of students strongly agreeing or agreeing that understanding the Quran, the words of God and prayers, and strengthening their faith were key motivations for learning Arabic. Additionally, students expressed a genuine interest in learning a foreign language and understanding its associated culture. This result is in line with the findings of Abu Bakar et al (2010).

Another intrinsic factor that this study found is related to personal and professional goals (Accomplishment factor). Many respondents strongly agreed or agreed that mastering a non-Latin language, enhancing their resumes, and improving job prospects in Arab countries were important motivations. While fewer prioritised communication with Arab partners, most gained confidence in speaking and writing Arabic and appreciated the language’s beauty. Moreover, a significant portion felt that learning Arabic had enhanced their spirituality, reflecting both personal growth and linguistic appreciation. The results were consistent with the literature reviewed, particularly in extrinsic motivation where students learn a language such as Japanese and German for practical reasons, such as getting a job that requires the language, or French and Korean, which are popular among those who want to learn more about the respective cultures (Lu et al., 2019).

Similar to findings from a study conducted in Malaysia, intrinsic motivations are prominent among students learning Arabic, particularly for engaging more deeply with their faith and understanding religious texts (Abu Bakar et al., 2010). However, while Abu Bakar’s study focuses on students in a Malaysian tertiary institution where Arabic is a mandatory subject, the participants in this study are enrolled in a tertiary institution where Arabic is offered as an elective module. This elective nature provides students with the autonomy to select Arabic based on their interests and goals, rather than fulfilling institutional requirements. As a result, the motivations observed in this study may encompass a broader spectrum of self-directed and individualized reasons for learning the language.

Extrinsic Factor

While the intrinsic factor is important, external motivations also play a significant role, such as the desire to understand Arabic culture, improve job prospects, and enhance communication with Arab partners. This finding aligns with a similar study conducted in Korea, where students took up Arabic as an elective module. The study revealed that many students pursued Arabic to enhance their employability. This motivation has grown significantly since the September 11, 2001 attacks, which increased the demand for Arabic speakers in various sectors, including government and business (Kong, Shin, Lee, & Kim., 2020).

Accomplishment factors, such as mastering a non-Latin language and enhancing resumes, also drive students to learn Arabic. The expected outcomes showed that learners gain confidence in speaking and writing Arabic and appreciate its linguistic beauty, indicating both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in pursuing Arabic studies. Arabic language instructors in South Korean universities recognized that students’ motivation is primarily driven by job prospects, parental guidance, cultural curiosity, and personal aspirations for higher education.

Additionally, sociocultural factors, such as media influence, Confucian values, and academic competitiveness, also shape students’ motivation (Kong et al., 2020). While the participants in this study are exclusively undergraduates, Kong’s study includes observations from teachers, as well as input from students and graduates. Despite this slight difference in participant profiles, the motivations for learning Arabic remain consistent across both studies, focusing on cultural understanding, mastery of a foreign language, and enhancing resumes to improve job prospects. The findings from both studies highlight the significant role of sociocultural factors in motivating students to learn Arabic, emphasizing the impact of media, Confucian values, and academic competition. Despite the differences in participant demographics, the consistent motivations—cultural understanding, language mastery, and career enhancement—suggest a universal appeal of Arabic studies among learners. This alignment reinforces the need for educational institutions to consider these motivational factors when designing language programs to better engage students.

In conclusion, this study highlights the interplay between intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in driving students to learn Arabic, revealing a diverse range of personal, religious, cultural, and professional factors. Intrinsic motivations, such as a desire to strengthen faith, understand religious texts, and appreciate the language’s beauty, are complemented by extrinsic factors like career aspirations, cultural curiosity, and resume enhancement. These findings align with previous research, emphasizing the universal appeal of Arabic studies for both spiritual and practical purposes. By understanding and addressing these motivations, educational institutions can design more engaging and effective Arabic language programs that cater to the diverse needs and interests of their students.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The research highlights that the motivation to learn Arabic among students is multifaceted, encompassing both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. As students engage with the language, they not only enhance their career prospects and fulfil academic requirements but also cultivate a deeper appreciation for Arabic culture and its linguistic nuances. This dual motivation underscores the importance of understanding learners’ diverse backgrounds and aspirations, which can inform educators and curriculum developers in tailoring their teaching approaches. Ultimately, fostering a supportive learning environment that acknowledges these varied motivations can lead to more effective language acquisition and a richer educational experience for students pursuing Arabic studies.

The primary objective of this study was to explore the motivational factors influencing students at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in their pursuit of learning Arabic. This study revealed that motivations were largely driven by cultural understanding, personal achievement, and career advancement. The results indicate a strong appreciation for the Arabic language among learners, highlighting the importance of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivations in language acquisition.

The study faced several limitations that impacted the generalisability and scope of its findings. First, the small sample size of 45 students may not adequately represent Arabic learners at other universities. Additionally, the sample was limited to full-time undergraduate students taking Arabic as an elective, excluding part-time learners and those from other educational backgrounds, such as madrasahs. The study also focused on specific motivational factors without incorporating broader theoretical frameworks or examining interactions between variables, such as socio-economic status and prior language experience.

To address these limitations, future research should include larger, more diverse samples from multiple institutions and a broader demographic range. Incorporating additional theoretical perspectives, such as socio-cultural theory, could provide deeper insights into language learning motivations. Expanding the range of variables and exploring their interrelationships would further enrich the understanding of factors influencing Arabic language acquisition.

In conclusion, this research provides valuable insights for educators and curriculum developers in tailoring Arabic language programs to better align with student motivations, ultimately enhancing the learning experience

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