Recontextualizing Literature Circles for Arabic Literacy Classrooms: A Human-Centred Approach to Fostering Belonging

IF 1.7 2区教育学 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Journal of Research in Reading Pub Date : 2026-07-02 DOI:10.1111/1467-9817.70034

Karima Almazroui

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Literature circles are widely associated with gains in reading comprehension and engagement, yet their application in Arabic literacy classrooms, particularly those shaped by diglossia and bilingualism, remains underexplored. In the United Arab Emirates, many adolescents experience academic Arabic as linguistically distant and emotionally disengaging, with implications for comprehension, motivation and classroom belonging.

Methods

This mixed-methods quasiexperimental study examined the effects of peer-led literature circles on reading comprehension and social–emotional engagement among bilingual middle school students in two public schools in the UAE. Over an 8-week intervention, students in the experimental group participated in structured literature circles using curriculum-aligned and culturally relevant Arabic texts. Quantitative outcomes were analysed using paired and independent-sample t-tests, whereas qualitative data from student journals, classroom observations and teacher interviews were examined through thematic analysis.

Results

Students participating in literature circles demonstrated statistically significant gains in vocabulary knowledge, inferential comprehension and cause–effect reasoning compared with peers receiving traditional instruction (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes. Qualitative findings indicated increased reader agency, greater dialogic participation, enhanced linguistic confidence and stronger perceptions of classroom belonging. Students reported feeling more willing to speak, interpret and engage with Arabic texts.

Conclusions

The findings suggest that literature circles may offer a promising human-centred approach to literacy instruction in diglossic and bilingual contexts. By integrating dialogic interaction with culturally responsive texts, literature circles may support both comprehension processes and students' sense of belonging, positioning reading as a socially meaningful and emotionally grounded practice.

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阿拉伯语识字课堂的文学圈再语境化：以人为本的归属感培养方法

文学圈被广泛地与阅读理解和参与的提高联系在一起，但它们在阿拉伯语扫盲课堂上的应用，特别是在那些由diglosia和双语形成的课堂上的应用，仍未得到充分的探索。在阿拉伯联合酋长国，许多青少年认为，学习阿拉伯语在语言上很遥远，在情感上也很疏远，这对理解、动力和课堂归属感都有影响。方法采用混合方法进行准实验研究，考察同伴主导的文学圈对阿联酋两所公立学校双语中学生阅读理解和社会情感参与的影响。在为期8周的干预中，实验组的学生使用与课程一致且与文化相关的阿拉伯语文本参与结构化的文学圈。定量结果使用配对和独立样本t检验进行分析，而来自学生期刊、课堂观察和教师访谈的定性数据则通过专题分析进行检验。结果参与文学圈教学的学生在词汇知识、推理理解和因果推理方面比接受传统教学的学生有显著提高（p < 0.001），且效果量较大。定性研究结果表明，读者能动性增强，对话参与度提高，语言自信增强，课堂归属感增强。学生们报告说，他们更愿意说、解释和参与阿拉伯语文本。研究结果表明，文学圈可能提供了一种有希望的以人为本的方法来进行双语和双语背景下的识字教学。通过将对话互动与文化响应文本相结合，文学界可以支持理解过程和学生的归属感，将阅读定位为一种有社会意义和基于情感的实践。

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来源期刊

Journal of Research in Reading Multiple-

CiteScore

4.50

自引率

0.00%

发文量

期刊介绍： Journal of Research in Reading provides an international forum for researchers into literacy. It is a refereed journal, principally devoted to reports of empirical studies in reading and related fields, and to informed reviews of relevant literature. The journal welcomes papers researching issues related to the learning, teaching and use of literacy in a variety of contexts; papers on the history and development of literacy; papers about policy and strategy for literacy as related to children and adults. Journal of Research in Reading encourages papers within any research paradigm and from researchers in any relevant field such as anthropology, cultural studies, education, history of education, language and linguistics, philosophy, psychology and sociology.