HOW DO HEBREW LANGUAGE BARRIERS AFFECT THE ACADEMIC EXPERIENCES AND SUCCESS OF ARAB STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION IN ISRAEL?
Abstract
This study examines the complex consequences of Hebrew language barriers on Arab students’ academic activities and achievements in Israeli higher education. The study seeks to pinpoint how limited levels of Hebrew—which are the result of late exposure to the language, sociocultural distance, and institutional neglect—impacted the students’ academic engagement, learning, and well-being. Using a qualitative approach, with semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups with 40 Arab students (Muslim, Christian and Druze), this study found that for the most part, Hebrew language barriers limited the students’ opportunities to participate, contributed to lower comprehension and negatively impacted their academic identity, especially among the Muslim students. Furthermore, the study discovered that while there were very few formal institutional supports to help them develop their language, students developed peer support networks and also used online sessions as ways to adapt to their studies in Hebrew. The main study conclusion was that language barriers are much broader than just linguistic barriers; these barriers are structural, cultural and social too. Therefore, there must be a trilingual model that organizes the language of instruction with some culturally relevant pedagogy if universities want the success of this type of student in higher education. A good number of recommendations were made based on the findings from this study, such as teaching and learning Hebrew earlier, emphasis on culturally relevant curriculum, and taking institutional responsibility for inclusive language policies. The findings also have theoretical implications to understand and investigate the language of inclusion/exclusion, and in practice, they offer pedagogical and policy recommendations for the pursuit of inclusivity and equity in education from a multilingual society context.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.46827/ejmms.v10i2.2079
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