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A survey study conducted by Dr. Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al-Mahsani from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at the Faculty of Humanities - King Khalid University - has invited a group of medical students to review the decision to teach medicine and science in English. The study also showed the ability of the Arabic language to maintain relevance despite stiff competition from other languages.
This study attempts to shed light on the extent to which native Arabic speakers are connected to their mother tongue through research that begins in the educational institution and starts with the various surrounding influences, starting from a sample of medical students who directly interact with English.
The study began with a theoretical framework to give an idea of the movement of the Arabic language in the face of challenges through the ages. Then, the investigation centered on two axes on which the questionnaire on the subject was built.
The first axis tackled "The status of the Arabic Language in the Hearts of its Native Speakers." It focused on a sample of students who have learned another language through their study in the Medical College and the English language department and who are above the third level. The purpose of forming this sample was to measure their connection to their mother tongue under the influence another language. Several indicators measured results.
The second axis dealt with the role of the other language as a contributing factor towards the decline of the role of the Arabic language. The study tried to measure this through several indicators, starting with the challenges of academic institutions, and the impact of the social and cultural environment of the study sample. The study adopted a descriptive-analytical approach and concluded with several significant results. It proved that native Arabic language speakers are still very proud of their mother tongue and they believe that their language is able to cope with technical challenges despite the dominance of other languages. Furthermore, the study manifested the size of the problems surrounding the Arabic language and offered solutions to promote attachment to said language.
The importance of the study lies on its limitless potential to help Arabic language specialists to measure the extent to which native Arabic speakers belong to their mother tongue in light of contemporary variables. The study also makes specialists, through statistic measure, able to figure out the real status of the Arabic Language and the problems and challenges that impede the promotion of this status thereby hindering the opening of the Arabic Language department in different scientific and medical specialties.
The study showed a number of results, the most important of which was the high percentage of student pride in their mother tongue and their ability to cope with the contemporary language while emphasizing the students' desire to learn science and medicine in their mother tongue. The study uncovered the weakness of the role of Arab institutions and disciplines and their methods in supporting the students' belonging to the classical language. It also revealed the positive impact of Quranic memorization workshops and children's programs in the first stages of education. Equally important, the study revealed the positive impact that news channels that speak classical Arabic have on students.
The study also called for reconsidering the decision to teach medicine and science in English. The results of the statistical study showed a great desire among the students to be taught in Arabic. Similarly, some medical professionals seconded that desire. The study advised increased supervision of the childhood stages of learning and the use of children’s TV programs. Furthermore, the study stressed the need to review the supervisors of the Holy Quran memorization workshops because of their substantial impact on the language of students through the questionnaire.
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