Arabic Language Teaching for Children Based on Gender Equality Values

Abstract

The pursuit of Arabic language proficiency is a reflection of lifelong learning experiences as well as efforts during schooling. Learning the mother tongue is an integral part of people's understanding of culture, history, and current society. This paper examines the role of   gender equality and proactive attitudes in teaching Arabic to children in a typical Indonesian school environment. The aim of this research is to explore gender awareness when teaching Arabic  as an official subject in full-day schools. This research uses descriptive-analytical methods, data includes observation techniques, and textbook reviews. Data was collected through analysis of textbooks (cover, content and images), and continued with examination of teacher instructions when interacting with students. The research results show that there are traditional gender roles in learning Arabic at school. Based on an analysis of the textbook series "Aku Cinta Bahasa Arab" or "I Love Arabic", it can be concluded   that there is a gender bias in Arabic textbooks used in the school environment. The research has implications for increasing teachers' understanding of gender values to socialize gender values in the subjects they teach.