A scoping review of Arabic literacy education research in the GCC: research monotony and western hegemony

This study undertakes a scoping review of Arabic literacy education research in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It explores the breadth of available literature on Arabic literacy, maps and summarises existing evidence and informs future research by identifying gaps and highlighting areas requiring further exploration. English-medium and Arabic-medium databases were used to identify research studies published between 2018 and 2023 on Arabic literacy in this region. Seventy-five articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data analysis shows that studies primarily focus on reading and writing skills, mainly targeting upper primary level students, with less emphasis on early childhood and secondary levels. The analysis also reveals that studies predominantly employ empirical research methodologies, with a marked preference for statistical orthodoxy and a notable absence of conceptual contributions. In conclusion, this study argues that Arabic literacy education research in the GCC region is monotonous and promotes a Western-centric pedagogy that lacks culturally responsive epistemologies.