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Listening to Arabic as a Foreign Language: Challenges and the Role
of Augmented Reality in Enhancing Comprehension
Hanis Najwa Shaharuddin
1
, Fitri Nurul'ain Nordin
1
, Muhammad Hatta Shafri
1*
, Fudzla Suraiyya
Abdul Raup
1
, Mohamad Rofian Ismail
2
, Khairubarieyah Anshar
3
1
Akademi Pengajian Bahasa, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Selangor, Malaysia
2
Akademi Pengajian Bahasa, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Dungun, Malaysia
3
Kolej Islam Muhammadiyah, Singapore
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.910000599
Received: 27 October 2025; Accepted: 02 November 2025; Published: 19 November 2025
ABSTRACT
Listening skill is a fundamental component in the acquisition of Arabic as a foreign language. However,
students often face challenges in mastering this skill due to linguistic, pedagogical, and affective factors. This
study was conducted to identify the level of motivation, difficulties, and psychological aspects among students
in learning Arabic listening skills, as well as to examine the relationship between motivation and difficulties. A
quantitative research design was employed using a questionnaire distributed to 261 students from the Social
Sciences cluster at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, who were taking Arabic as a third
language. Purposive sampling was used to select the respondents. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29
to obtain mean scores, standard deviations, and percentages. The findings revealed that students demonstrated
a high level of motivation to master listening skills, particularly in distinguishing Arabic sounds. Nevertheless,
they encountered difficulties in comprehending complex oral input such as lecturers’ lectures and faced
limitations due to the lack of authentic audio materials in the teaching process. Correlation analysis indicated
that there was no significant relationship between students’ motivation and their level of difficulty in learning
Arabic listening skills (r = 0.051, p = 0.411). This suggests that motivation alone is not sufficient to overcome
pedagogical and linguistic challenges. From an affective perspective, some students were found to have low
confidence in practicing listening skills, which in turn affected their learning effectiveness. Therefore, the
study suggests the integration of Augmented Reality as an innovative strategy to strengthen the teaching of
Arabic listening skills through the provision of authentic materials, interactive simulations, as well as
enhancing students’ motivation and confidence.
Keywords: listening skills, Arabic language, learning difficulties, language comprehension, augmented reality
INTRODUCTION
Listening is a fundamental skill in second language acquisition, including Arabic. However, non-native
learners often face challenges in mastering this skill due to linguistic factors, a lack of learning strategies, and
psychological influences. Listening is considered the foundation of language acquisition, as it serves as the
gateway to mastering speaking, reading, and writing. Unlike reading or writing, which can be carried out in a
controlled manner, listening requires the immediate and simultaneous processing of meaning. In learning
Arabic as a foreign language, these challenges are further intensified by the complex phonological features of
Arabic, its root-and-pattern-based morphological system, and the existence of diglossia that distinguishes
between the standard language and daily dialects (Mohd Sidek and Mikail, 2017). Consequently, listening is
not merely the reception of sounds, but rather involves higher-level cognitive processing.
The mastery of any language requires learners to acquire four fundamental skills: listening, speaking, reading,
and writing. However, among these four, listening is often underestimated and regarded as a passive skill that
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learners will naturally acquire during classroom instruction (Mohammed, 2022). As a result, listening tends to
receive less direct pedagogical attention compared to reading or grammar. This perception has led to a scarcity
of teaching materials specifically designed for listening practice, which in turn contributes to students’ limited
proficiency in this skill.
Listening, however, is not an automatic process but a highly complex cognitive activity that demands focused
practice and meaningful input. Without sufficient exposure to authentic listening materials, learners struggle to
recognize phonetic nuances, process connected speech, and comprehend spoken discourse in real-life contexts
(Mohd Sidek and Mikail, 2017; Aljadani and Almaliki, 2024). The neglect of this skill in formal instruction
creates a gap between students’ strong motivation to learn and their actual ability to process auditory input
effectively.
To address these challenges, the integration of technology into listening instruction has gained increasing
attention. One innovation that has attracted significant interest is the use of Augmented Reality (AR). AR
technology overlays virtual elements such as text, audio, and images onto real-world environments, thereby
enriching learning experiences to be more interactive and immersive (Chen and Tsai, 2012). In the context of
Arabic listening skills, AR can be employed to simulate authentic communicative situations — such as
interactions in classrooms, restaurants, or airports — thus providing learners with opportunities to practice
listening to oral input within contexts that closely resemble real life. In addition, AR supports learning theories
such as Krashen’s Comprehensible Input (1985), which emphasizes the importance of meaningful input, and
Paivio’s Dual Coding Theory (1986), which explains that combining visual and auditory input enhances
comprehension and memory retention. Therefore, AR functions not only as a teaching aid but also as a tool to
boost learner motivation, reduce boredom in listening activities, and provide more contextualized learning
experiences.
Overall, the application of AR in Arabic listening instruction offers an innovative solution to the linguistic,
pedagogical, and affective challenges highlighted in previous studies. It also paves the way for more effective
listening instruction models that align with the needs of 21st-century learners.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Listening Skill Issues
A review of past studies reveals that listening skills in Arabic have been examined from various perspectives,
including linguistic aspects, learning strategies, affective factors, and pedagogical dimensions. From the
phonological and linguistic perspective, non-native learners often struggle to distinguish certain Arabic sounds
that do not exist in their mother tongue. For instance, emphatic consonants and vowel length distinctions
greatly affect word meaning; failure to recognize these differences can lead to misinterpretation in
communication (Al-Busaidi, 2012). Additionally, in terms of morphology, Arabic’s unique root-and-pattern
system demands a high level of cognitive processing to determine the meaning of words that can take multiple
forms (Ryding, 2014).
Furthermore, the contrast between Modern Standard Arabic and the various local dialects of native speakers
poses a significant barrier. Students are typically taught in the standard variety but encounter diverse dialects in
daily interactions, media, and authentic materials. This makes it difficult for learners to understand variations
in vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence structures (Azka et al., 2024). Authentic spoken discourse also
involves connected speech and vowel reduction, which differ from the slow, clear, and structured recordings
commonly used in classrooms. This creates a gap between formal learning experiences and real-life
communication (Mohd Sidek and Mikail, 2017).
From a pedagogical standpoint, listening practice in Arabic language instruction is often not emphasized as
much as reading or grammar. Teaching materials are usually limited to recordings or texts from textbooks,
while authentic input such as interactive dialogues, media broadcasts, and real communication are rarely
employed (Field, 2008). As a result, learners mostly practice listening in artificial contexts, which are difficult
to transfer to real-life situations.
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In terms of learning strategies, research indicates that students tend to employ metacognitive strategies to
comprehend listening input, particularly problem-solving strategies. However, the use of mental translation
strategies has declined among learners, in line with contemporary teaching approaches that encourage direct
processing in the target language rather than heavy reliance on mental translation (Al-Hawamdeh and Al-
Khawaldeh, 2023). This reflects a shift from traditional strategies to more authentic and communicative
approaches.
Beyond linguistic and strategic factors, personality traits and affective elements also play an important role.
Barnabas, Rafli, and Rasyid (2021) found that listening anxiety, low self-confidence, and working memory
load negatively affect students’ ability to process input effectively. Extroverted learners are more likely to use
social strategies such as group discussions and active cognitive strategies during listening tasks. In contrast,
introverted learners display lower levels of engagement, tend to be more passive, and make less use of social
strategies. These factors directly influence the effectiveness of listening practice, as learners’ attitudes and
classroom roles determine the extent to which language input is actively processed.
The Role of Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) has gained increasing attention in language education due to its potential to merge
real-world environments with interactive digital information such as audio, text, and images. This technology
can make language learning more immersive, contextual, and experience-based (Parmaxi and Demetriou,
2020). In the context of listening skills, AR is believed to help learners better comprehend auditory input
through multimodal integration, immediate feedback, and enhanced intrinsic motivation.
Several studies have shown that AR can improve overall language performance, including listening skills. A
meta-analysis by Xiao et al. (2022) reported that the use of extended reality (XR, encompassing AR/VR) had a
significant impact on language learning, with a high effect size (≈ 0.82). This impact stems from more
interactive and enjoyable learning experiences, which in turn encourage learners to pay greater attention to
listening materials. In a more specific study, Chen and Tsai (2012) found that integrating AR to present real-
world objects alongside relevant audio helped learners understand spoken messages more accurately, thanks to
dual coding support (audio + visual).
Mechanistically, AR enhances comprehension in several ways: (i) multimodal anchoring that links visual and
auditory information; (ii) provision of authentic contexts that facilitate meaning inference; (iii) control over
audio pace and replay functions; (iv) immediate feedback during interactive tasks; and (v) increased learner
motivation and attention through more engaging experiences (Parmaxi and Demetriou, 2020).
AR also plays a role in providing authentic communicative situations that emphasize situated learning. By
simulating daily scenarios such as markets or restaurants, learners can practice understanding oral input in
contexts that closely resemble reality (Majid and Salam, 2021). This approach not only facilitates top-down
strategies, such as making inferences based on context, but also supports bottom-up strategies in recognizing
phonemes and vocabulary (Field, 2008). The ability to control audio tempo and repeat recordings within AR
applications further reduces cognitive load and provides opportunities for repeated practice, a crucial factor in
improving listening accuracy (Vandergrift and Goh, 2012).
Beyond linguistic aspects, AR has been shown to positively influence learner motivation and engagement.
Several literature reviews highlight that AR use in language classrooms enhances interest, confidence, and
social interaction, directly reducing listening anxiety (Parmaxi and Demetriou, 2020; Frontiers, 2024).
Barnabas et al. (2021) also emphasize that affective factors play a major role in listening success; thus, AR can
serve as a medium to balance both cognitive and affective aspects.
In conclusion, the literature indicates that AR has strong potential as an effective facilitator for Arabic listening
instruction, as it integrates multimodal input, authentic contexts, and interactive features that foster learner
motivation.
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MATERIALS AND METHOD
Research Design
This study employed a quantitative survey design to investigate the challenges faced by students in acquiring
Arabic listening skills. The quantitative approach was chosen as it enables the collection of numerical data that
can be statistically analyzed to provide a general overview of students’ patterns and levels of difficulty
(Creswell and Creswell, 2018).
Participants
The sample was selected through purposive sampling, focusing specifically on students who took Arabic as a
third language from the Social Sciences cluster. A total of 261 students from Universiti Teknologi MARA
(UiTM), Shah Alam, Selangor, participated as respondents. The sample size was determined based on Krejcie
and Morgan’s (1970) table, which recommends a minimum of 260 respondents for a population exceeding 800
students. Therefore, the number of respondents (n = 261) was deemed sufficient and representative of the
population.
Instrument
A structured questionnaire was used as the research instrument. Prior to full-scale administration, a pilot study
was conducted on a subset of respondents to examine the reliability of the questionnaire. The results yielded a
Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.908, indicating a high level of reliability (Pallant, 2020). This value
confirmed that the instrument was consistent and appropriate for actual data collection.
Data Collection
The questionnaire was distributed to the targeted respondents to collect data regarding their demographic
background and difficulties in Arabic listening. Participation was voluntary, and respondents provided their
input anonymously to ensure accuracy and honesty in responses.
Data Analysis
The collected data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29.
Descriptive analyses, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, were applied to describe
respondents’ demographic profiles as well as their levels of listening difficulty. The interpretation of mean
scores followed four levels of classification: low, moderately low, moderate, and high (Nunnally and Bersten,
1994). Table 1 below presents the distribution of mean score values and their interpretations.
Table I Interpretation Of Mean Score Values
Mean Score Range
Interpretation
1.00 – 2.00
Low
2.01 – 3.00
Moderately Low
3.01 – 4.00
Moderately High
4.01 – 5.00
High
Inferential statistics in the form of Pearson correlation analysis were used to determine the relationship
between students’ motivation and the difficulties they face in learning Arabic listening skills.
RESULTS
Demographic Analysis
The demographic profile of respondents was analyzed to provide a clearer understanding of the background of
students involved in this study. A total of 261 students from the Social Sciences cluster at Universiti Teknologi
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MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam participated as respondents. The demographic variables considered include
gender, age, year of study, prior exposure to the Arabic language, and knowledge of augmented reality. The
descriptive analysis was conducted using frequency and percentage values. The distribution of respondents
across each demographic category is presented in Table 2.
Table II Demographic Analysis
Variable
Category
Percentage %
Gender
Male
22.2
Female
77.8
Age
18-22 years old
88.9
22-27 years old
10.7
28-32 years old
0.4
Experience of learning Arabic
1-2 years
52.1
3-5 years
13.8
5 years and above
34.1
Knowledge of Augmented Reality
Yes
44.8
No
55.2
Total
100
Based on the responses to the questionnaire, the findings were recorded by examining the frequency and
percentage values obtained. Out of the 261 respondents involved in this study, 58 respondents (22.2%) were
male students, while 203 respondents (77.8%) were female students. In terms of age, 232 respondents (88.9%)
were between 18–22 years old, 28 respondents (10.7%) were between 23–27 years old, and only 1 respondent
(0.4%) was between 28–32 years old. With regard to experience in learning Arabic, 136 respondents (52.1%)
had 1–2 years of experience, 36 respondents (13.8%) had 3–5 years of experience, while 89 respondents
(34.1%) had more than 5 years of experience learning Arabic. As for knowledge of Augmented Reality (AR),
117 respondents (44.8%) reported being aware of AR, whereas 144 respondents (55.2%) had no prior
knowledge of it.
Analysis of the Purpose of Learning Arabic Listening Skills
Based on the administered questionnaire, the analysis of the purpose of learning Arabic listening skills was
conducted by examining the mean scores and standard deviations for each item.
Table III Analysis of the Purpose Learning Arabic Listening Skills
No.
Item
SD
D
LA
A
SA
Mean
SD
Interpretation
B1
To recognize the sounds of
Arabic letters.
00%
10.4%
176.5%
9837.5%
14555.6%
4.48
0.636
High
B2
To distinguish the sounds of
Arabic letters.
00%
10.4%
135.0%
10239.1%
14555.6%
4.50
0.612
High
B3
To understand simple
sentences used in class.
00%
10.4%
166.1%
10038.3%
14455.2%
4.48
0.630
High
B4
To understand questions
asked in class.
00%
10.4%
2810.7%
8231.4%
15057.5%
4.46
0.698
High
B5
To comprehend classroom
conversations and
discussions.
00%
00%
259.6%
9034.5%
14655.9%
4.46
0.665
High
B6
To understand the content of
videos and recordings in
Arabic.
00%
10.4%
2710.3%
8532.6%
14856.7%
4.46
0.693
High
B7
To understand lecturers’
explanations in class.
00%
20.8%
238.8%
9436.0%
14254.4%
4.44
0.686
High
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B8
To draw conclusions from
what is heard from audio and
multimedia materials.
10.4%
10.4%
207.7%
9636.8%
14354.8%
4.45
0.687
High
Total Mean
4.46
0.573
High
Based on Table 3 above, all items recorded high mean scores ranging between 4.44 and 4.50. Out of the eight
items under the first construct, the highest mean was obtained for Item 2 (To distinguish the sounds of Arabic
letters) with a mean of 4.50 and a standard deviation of 0.612. This was followed closely by two items with
equally high means: Item 1 (To recognize the sounds of Arabic letters) and Item 3 (To understand simple
sentences used in class), both with a mean of 4.48 and standard deviations of 0.636 and 0.630 respectively.
Next, three items recorded the same mean value, namely Item 4 (To understand questions asked in class), Item
5 (To comprehend classroom conversations and discussions), and Item 6 (To understand the content of videos
and recordings in Arabic), each with a mean of 4.46 and standard deviations of 0.698, 0.665, and 0.693
respectively. The lowest mean in this construct was observed in Item 7 (To understand lecturers’ explanations
in class) with a mean of 4.44 and a standard deviation of 0.686.
The findings also show that the highest percentage of agreement among respondents was recorded in Item 2
(94.7%, 247 respondents), Item 3 (93.5%, 244 respondents), and Item 1 (93.1%, 243 respondents). Conversely,
the highest percentage of disagreement was found in Item 7 and Item 8, both at 0.8% (2 respondents).
Meanwhile, the item with the highest percentage of “less agree” responses was Item 4, at 10.7% (28
respondents). Overall, the findings for this construct — the purpose of learning Arabic listening skills —
recorded a high overall mean value of 4.46 with a standard deviation of 0.573.
Analysis of the Level of Difficulty in Learning Arabic Listening Skills
Based on the administered questionnaire, the analysis of the level of difficulty in learning Arabic listening
skills was conducted by examining the mean scores and standard deviations for each item.
Table IV Analysis of the Level of Difficulty in Learning Arabic Listening Skills
No.
Item
SD
D
LA
A
SA
Mean
SD
Interpretation
C1
There is no specific audio for learning
Arabic vocabulary in the book.
145.4
%
238.8
%
9636.8
%
7629.1
%
5219.9%
3.49
1.073
Moderately
High
C2
There is no specific audio for learning
Arabic phrases in the book.
135%
228.4
%
9335.6
%
8432.2
%
4918.8%
3.51
1.047
Moderately
High
C3
There is no specific audio in learning
Arabic dialogues/hiwar in the book.
155.7
%
259.6
%
9937.9
%
7227.6
%
5019.2%
3.45
1.082
Moderately
High
C4
There is no specific audio for practicing
Arabic listening skills in the book.
197.3
%
2610.0
%
8030.7
%
7629.1
%
6023.0%
3.51
1.162
Moderately
High
C5
There are no study aids other than books
in learning Arabic listening skills.
238.8
%
3814.6
%
7829.9
%
7528.7
%
4718.0%
3.33
1.185
Moderately
High
C6
Lack of understanding of the
pronunciation of Arabic letters learned
in class.
3513.4
%
5019.2
%
8633.0
%
5320.3
%
3714.2%
3.03
1.226
Moderately
High
C7
Lack of understanding of the
pronunciation of Arabic words learned
in class.
3212.3
%
4617.6
%
8331.8
%
6023.0
%
4015.3%
3.11
1.226
Moderately
High
C8
Lack of understanding of the
pronunciation of Arabic phrases learned
in class.
3312.6
%
3714.2
%
9235.2
%
6023.0
%
3914.9%
3.13
1.209
Moderately
High
C9
Lack of understanding of simple Arabic
sentences used in class.
3212.3
%
5119.5
%
9636.8
%
4818.4
%
3413.0%
3.00
1.182
Moderately
High
C10
Lack of exposure to multimedia Arabic
listening skills materials.
207.7
%
4015.3
%
7629.1
%
6324.1
%
6223.8%
3.41
1.220
Moderately
High
C11
Learning listening skills only focuses on
176.5
218.0
8030.7
7829.9
6524.9%
3.59
1.139
Moderately
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the lecturer reading Arabic sentences or
phrases found in the book.
%
%
%
%
High
C12
Lack of confidence to practice Arabic
listening skills.
2610.0
%
3312.6
%
8030.7
%
6524.9
%
5721.8%
3.36
1.234
Moderately
High
C13
Lecturers place less emphasis on
teaching Arabic listening skills.
5420.7
%
5922.6
%
8733.3
%
3413.0
%
2710.3%
2.70
1.230
Moderately
Low
Total Mean
3.27
0.892
Moderately
High
The findings in Table 4 show that out of the total 13 items, 12 items recorded a moderately high mean (3.00–
3.59), while only 1 item recorded a moderately low mean of 2.70. The item with the highest mean was C11
(Learning listening skills is limited to the lecturer’s reading of Arabic sentences or phrases found in the
textbook) with a mean value of 3.59 and a standard deviation of 1.139. This was followed by two items,
namely C2 (No specific audio provided for learning Arabic phrases in the textbook) and C4 (No specific audio
provided for listening skill exercises in the textbook), with mean values of 3.51 and standard deviations of
1.047 and 1.162, respectively. The item with the lowest mean was C13 (Lecturers place little emphasis on
teaching Arabic listening skills), with a mean value of 2.70 and a standard deviation of 1.230.
The results also recorded the highest percentage of agreement among respondents for C11 (54.8%, 143
respondents), followed by C4 (52.1%, 136 respondents). The item that recorded the highest percentage of
disagreement was C13 (43.3%, 113 respondents), followed by C9 (31.8%, 83 respondents). For the “less
agree” category, the highest percentage was recorded in C3 (37.9%, 99 respondents). Overall, the findings for
this construct — the level of difficulty in learning Arabic listening skills — recorded a moderately high mean
value of 3.27 with a standard deviation of 0.892.
The Relationship Between Students’ Motivation and the Level of Difficulty in Learning Arabic Listening
Skills
Table V Results Of The Pearson Correlation Test On The Relationship Between Motivation And Difficulties In
Learning Arabic Listening Skills
Construct
Pearson Correlation (r)
Significant Level
N
Students’ Motivation and the Level of Difficulty in
Learning Arabic Listening Skills
.051
.411
261
*p<0.05
Based on Table 5 above, a Pearson correlation test was conducted to examine the relationship between
students’ motivation to learn Arabic listening skills and the difficulties encountered in learning Arabic listening
skills. The findings revealed no significant relationship between motivation and listening difficulties (r =
0.051, p = 0.411), as p > 0.05.
DISCUSSION
The findings on the purpose of students learning Arabic listening skills (Table 3) reveal that the majority of
students are highly motivated to develop this competence. The item with the highest mean score was the ability
to recognize Arabic sounds, which clearly demonstrates that students are aware of the importance of phonetic
mastery as a fundamental basis for acquiring listening skills in Arabic. This is particularly relevant since
Arabic sounds differ significantly from those in students’ mother tongue. El Moussaoui and Belhaj (2023)
emphasize that learners and teachers alike view bottom-up processing—focusing on sounds and words—as an
essential prerequisite before engaging with higher-order comprehension processes.
There are two strategies commonly employed in listening comprehension: bottom-up processing, which
focuses on decoding sounds and words, and top-down processing, which involves activating background
knowledge and context. Based on the current findings, students appear to emphasize the bottom-up strategy as
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a prerequisite before engaging in deeper listening tasks. This approach is consistent with recommendations by
Fachriza et al. (2022), who argue that effective listening instruction should balance both strategies by
beginning with simpler phonetic recognition before moving to more complex contextual understanding.
Another item that scored highly was students’ desire to understand simple sentences in class. This indicates the
need for mastery of basic linguistic input before progressing to more advanced comprehension of longer texts.
Krashen (1985) similarly asserts that comprehensible input is key to language acquisition, and learning is most
effective when input is pitched at a level appropriate to learners’ current ability. However, the relatively lower
mean score for understanding lecturers’ formal explanations suggests that students face greater challenges
when processing more complex and less repetitive input. Boyle (1984) explains that academic lectures
represent one of the most difficult listening tasks, given their reliance on academic vocabulary and rapid
speech delivery.
The findings on the level of difficulty in learning Arabic listening skills (Table 4) indicate that pedagogical
factors have a significant impact on learning effectiveness. The highest-scoring difficulty items concerned the
lack of audio resources and the reliance on lecturers reading directly from texts. This reflects students’ need for
a variety of authentic listening inputs. The absence of such resources limits their ability to experience realistic
communication situations. Mahmoud and Oraby (2023) note that listening is often marginalized in classroom
practice, with instruction overly dependent on written texts, thereby neglecting key features of spoken
discourse such as pronunciation, intonation, and tempo.
Given these limitations, the use of Augmented Reality (AR) appears to be a promising innovation to support
students in learning Arabic listening skills. AR can provide more dynamic and authentic materials by
integrating accurate audio pronunciation with visual cues, such as animated mouth movements, to help
students imitate sounds more effectively. This supports bottom-up processing while simultaneously enhancing
top-down comprehension through meaningful contextual visuals. Furthermore, AR allows for simulated real-
life listening situations—for instance, virtual dialogues in a classroom or restaurant setting—which provide
more authentic input compared to simple lecturer readings.
The results also reveal that one of the lowest-scoring items was the perception that lecturers do not emphasize
listening skills in class. While this item scored relatively low overall, 23% of respondents still agreed,
indicating that listening instruction is not always prioritized. This finding echoes Hawamdeh and Al-
Khawaldeh (2023), who found that in the teaching of Arabic as a foreign language, listening skills are often
sidelined in favor of grammar, reading, and translation. This gap illustrates the mismatch between students’
high motivation (Table 3) and the weaker pedagogical support they receive (Table 4).
To address these issues, the integration of AR into listening instruction is strongly recommended. AR not only
diversifies teaching approaches without overburdening lecturers but also supports student-centered learning by
encouraging learners to interact with listening tasks independently, such as responding to interactive questions
or recognizing sounds through AR applications (Noor Syazana Che Ismail and Abdul Aziz, 2023).
In addition to pedagogical factors, the findings of this study revealed the influence of affective aspects in
mastering Arabic listening skills. Item C12 showed a moderately high mean, indicating that students felt less
confident when performing listening tasks. This suggests that a considerable number of students lack
confidence in practicing Arabic listening skills. Such feelings of low confidence may be attributed to linguistic
challenges, particularly the phonetic differences between Arabic and the learners’ mother tongue, as well as
limited experience in formal learning contexts such as structured classes and examinations.
Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis emphasizes that negative emotions, including anxiety and lack of
self-confidence, may block linguistic input from being effectively processed. This aligns with Vandergrift
(2007), who highlighted that metacognitive and affective dimensions are strongly interconnected in listening.
Learners with low confidence often avoid active engagement in listening activities, thus limiting their potential
to improve their listening performance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
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The implication of these findings is that affective challenges require targeted teaching strategies. Educators
should not only provide authentic audio materials but also foster opportunities for students to practice listening
in a safe, engaging, and low-anxiety environment. For instance, the integration of Augmented Reality (AR)
technology can create interactive simulations of real-life communication scenarios, enabling students to engage
with listening tasks more confidently and effectively. Such approaches can reduce anxiety, increase motivation,
and ultimately enhance learners’ listening competence in Arabic.
In summary, while students display strong motivation and interest in acquiring Arabic listening skills,
challenges such as lack of authentic audio materials, reliance on texts, and insufficient instructional emphasis
on listening continue to hinder progress. Effective teaching approaches should therefore incorporate authentic
materials, audio, video, metacognitive strategy training, and the integration of technologies such as AR. AR, in
particular, offers clear advantages by delivering accurate sound input, authentic simulation through interactive
scenarios, and greater learner engagement—ultimately reducing students’ dependence on the lecturer as the
sole source of oral input.
Based on the results of the correlation analysis between students’ motivation and their difficulties in learning
listening skills, no significant relationship was found. This indicates that the level of students’ motivation is not
statistically related to the difficulties they face in learning Arabic listening skills. The results suggest that
highly motivated students do not necessarily experience fewer difficulties, and students with lower motivation
do not necessarily face greater challenges in developing listening proficiency.
Furthermore, the findings indicate that motivation alone is insufficient to overcome the linguistic and
pedagogical challenges faced by learners. Although students demonstrated a high level of motivation, they still
encountered several issues such as limited access to authentic audio materials, phonetic differences between
Arabic and their mother tongue, and varied teaching methods employed by lecturers. This aligns with
Krashen’s (1982) Affective Filter Hypothesis, which posits that while motivation is an important affective
factor that supports language acquisition, it cannot lead to significant language improvement if linguistic input
is insufficient or incomprehensible.
From an implicational perspective, the findings emphasize that motivation alone is not the sole determinant of
success and comprehension in Arabic listening skills. Instead, teaching strategies should focus on providing
authentic input, interactive activities, and a low-anxiety learning environment. The use of Augmented Reality
(AR) technology, for example, can enhance learning by offering contextual, engaging, and immersive listening
experiences. Such approaches combine students’ motivation with meaningful and enjoyable learning (Noor
Syazana Che Ismail & Abdul Aziz, 2023).
Overall, the non-significant correlation suggests that motivation by itself does not determine students’ success
in mastering Arabic listening skills. Effective learning requires a combination of affective factors,
metacognitive strategies, and innovative approaches that give students the opportunity to practice Arabic
listening actively and authentically.
CONCLUSION
This study reveals that students are highly motivated to learn Arabic listening skills, particularly in
distinguishing sounds and letters, which form the foundation of comprehension. However, their motivation is
hindered by pedagogical challenges, including limited authentic audio resources, overreliance on text-based
instruction, insufficient emphasis on listening activities by lecturers, and lack of confident in performing
listening tasks. These barriers suggest that the issue lies not in learner willingness but in the instructional
approaches employed. Augmented Reality (AR) offers a promising solution by providing multimodal input,
authentic simulations, and interactive practice that enhance both comprehension and motivation. By integrating
AR into listening instruction, educators can bridge the gap between learners’ strong motivation and the lack of
pedagogical support. Therefore, adopting innovative, learner-centered approaches enriched with authentic and
technologically enhanced materials is essential to improving Arabic listening competence and ensuring
effective language acquisition.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the GIA grant amounting to RM5000,
Grant No.: 600-TNCPI 5/3DDF (APB) (027/2024), which made this research possible.
Conflict Of Interest
The authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest involved with any parties in this research study.
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