Arab Students’ Perceptions of Diglossia

This essay explores the perceptions and beliefs of native Arabic speakers regarding the educational challenges posed by diglossia. The participants of a survey conducted for this research were native Arabic speakers who studied the Standard Variety (SV) for twelve years within a formal school setting in one of the Arab cities in the center of Israel. The data were collected through a questionnaire and follow-up semistructured interviews with participants and teachers to add significant depth to the findings and conclusions. The questionnaire consisted of fourteen qualitative questions aimed to elicit participants’ perceptions and beliefs toward the process of learning the SV and the role that their mother tongue, ʿāmmiyya, played in that process. The findings reveal that most participants perceive SV as important because it is the language of the Qurʾān and prayer, a unifying force for the Arab region, as well as an essential element for acquiring literacy skills. However, they dislike the experience of learning it in school, viewing it as a difficult and tedious language to learn. They also believe that their mother tongue hinders more than supports the learning of SV.