Arabic Khatabah Learning Strategies and the Development of Students’ Self-Efficacy: A Social Cognitive Perspective of Albert Bandura

Abstract

This study explore how Arabic khatabah learning is perceived contributes to the students’ self-efficacy from the perspective of Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory. The study aims to explore the learning strategies, experiences, and psychological processes that may support students in building confidence in Arabic public speaking despite limited linguistic proficiency. A qualitative case study design was employed involving students and lecturers in the Arabic Language Education Department at Universitas Negeri Malang. Data were collected through observation, semi-structured interviews, and documentation, and analyzed interactively through data reduction, display, and conclusion drawing. The findings suggest that students’ self-efficacy may be shaped through interconnected reflected reflected in Bandura’s dimensions of attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Students reported gaining confidence through activities such as observing speech models, organizing and processing language information, repeated speaking practice, social reinforcement, emotional regulation, and the use of digital media and artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT. The findings suggest that students' self-efficacy may not be solely associated with Arabic proficiency but is perceived to emerge through gradual speaking experiences, supportive learning environments, and repeated exposure to speaking situations. The novelty of this study lies in examining Arabic khatabah learning and students' self-efficacy through a social cognitive lens, offering theoretical insights into Arabic language learning and practical considerations for designing interactive and process-oriented speaking instruction.