CHALLENGE AND SOLUTIONS IN LEARNING ARABIC AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE IN INDONESIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS: LESSONS FROM THE JORDANIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Abstract

This comparative study examines the challenges of Arabic language learning in Indonesian elementary schools and explores effective practices from Jordan that can be adapted to theIndonesian context. Employing a qualitative approach with case study design, the research involved observations, interviews, and document analysis in selected elementary schools in East Java,Indonesia, and Amman-Irbid, Jordan. The findings reveal significant pedagogical gaps between the two countries, with Indonesian schools predominantly using traditional grammar-translation methods while Jordanian schools implement communicative-integrative approaches. Key challenges identified in Indonesia include inadequate teacher competence in both linguistic and methodological aspects, limited learning resources and technology, and low student motivation due to insufficient contextualization. The study demonstrates that teacher quality emerges as the most critical factor in learning effectiveness, alongside the necessity for cultural contextualization and meaningful learning experiences. Drawing from Jordanian best practices, this research proposes comprehensive strategies categorized into short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions, emphasizing teacher capacity development, curriculum reform, technological integration, and indonesia-Jordan institutional collaboration. The study concludes that improving Arabic learning quality requires a paradigm transformation from traditional to communicative-contextual approaches, creative adaptation of international best practices to local contexts, and sustained investment in teacher professional development supported by systemic policy frameworks.