When heritage meets religion: Parents’ perspectives on Arabic language education in Australian Islamic schools

Arabic language education is a core component of study at Australian Islamic schools. Students bring highly varied proficiency and connections to Arabic, creating myriad challenges for schools in catering to these learner profiles. This article explores these issues through questionnaire and interview data collected from 45 parents with children at Australian Islamic schools. We ask whether parents who speak Arabic as their first language (L1) (i.e. whose children might be considered “heritage learners”) have different expectations of Islamic school Arabic classes than parents who have other L1s. Key findings reveal that while religious practice is the primary motivation for Arabic learning across both groups, Arabic L1 parents generally have broader aspirations, including cultural maintenance and family communication. Most parents (62%) support teaching both formal (Fus-ha) and colloquial (Ammiyya) Arabic, though their reasoning differs. Arabic L1 parents often see both varieties as complementary, while parents who have other L1s view Ammiyya as a stretch goal secondary to religious literacy. Parents expressed mixed satisfaction with Arabic education in Islamic schools. While appreciating the convenience of Arabic instruction during regular school hours, many identified areas for improvement, particularly in teaching methodology and resources. Parents who have other L1s were particularly critical, highlighting challenges with mixed-ability classrooms and materials designed for native speakers.