The Impact of Parental Language Attitudes on Children's Proficiency in Standard Arabic in an Algerian Context

الملخص

This study examines how parental language attitudes and involvement impact children's proficiency in Standard Arabic (SA) and the various factors influencing these views in Algeria, where Dialectal Arabic (DA) is the mother tongue. In this diglossic context, the linguistic challenges children face in school are critical educational concerns. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, administering a structured questionnaire to 132 randomly selected parents who met specific inclusion criteria, and utilized snowball sampling to further expand participant reach. Additionally, structured interviews were conducted with 11 primary school Arabic teachers, selected through purposive sampling to gather in-depth insights. All data collection occurred on online platforms, facilitating accessibility and participation. Quantitative data from the questionnaires were analyzed using frequency distribution and Spearman's rank correlation to explore the relationship between parental attitudes and children's proficiency in SA. Qualitative data from the interviews were analyzed through content and thematic analysis to uncover key themes and patterns. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation between favorable parental attitudes and higher proficiency levels in SA. Children whose parents hold supportive opinions toward SA and encourage its use at home, engaging them in SA-related activities, such as reading and assisting with homework, showed marked improvements in vocabulary, grammar, and confidence in using SA in various settings.