Abstract
Roman Jakobson defines linguistic communication as an interactive process between a sender and a receiver within a specific context, emphasizing the communicative functions of language and their impact on learning. This highlights the role of context and linguistic functions in interpreting meanings and achieving effective communication. The importance of reviewing Arabic textbooks in the Iranian secondary education lies in the necessity to develop Arabic language curricula in line with the requirements of the modern communicative approach. Evaluating current textbooks is a crucial step for enhancing students' practical communicative skills and reinforcing their cultural and religious identity, thereby achieving the goals of contemporary language education. Consequently, using content analysis, statistics, and Jakobson's linguistic functions as its methodology, this study aims to analyze the extent to which the six communicative functions are employed in the "Arabic: The Language of the Qur'an" textbooks for the Iranian Technical-Vocational branch. The goal is to assess their effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the modern communicative approach and to identify deficiencies requiring development. The research found that the metalingual function in these textbooks ranged between 16.33% and 26.03%, and the referential function between 15.31% and 18.6%. This reflects an excessive focus on linguistic analysis and information transfer at the expense of other functions. The poetic function remained the weakest (9.8%-11.64%), and the phatic function was notably low (8.22%-15.7%), negatively impacting the development of comprehensive communicative competence. Although a relative balance was observed between the expressive (13.7%-22.45%) and conative (13.7%-18.49%) functions in the first and second textbooks, the clear imbalance in the distribution of functions—particularly in the third book—necessitates a revision of the educational methodology. This should be achieved by enhancing aesthetic and interactive elements and training teachers to employ a balanced use of linguistic functions, thereby ensuring the comprehensive and effective achievement of the communicative approach's objectives.
Keywords: Language Teaching; Communicative Approach; Roman Jakobson; Textbooks; Arabic Language.
Extended summary
Introduction
Roman Jakobson's linguistic model posits communication as a dynamic interaction involving a sender, receiver, context, message, contact, and code. Central to this model are the six concomitant functions of language—referential, emotive, conative, phatic, metalingual, and poetic—each emphasizing a different aspect of the communicative act. The modern communicative approach in language pedagogy prioritizes the balanced development of these functions to foster comprehensive communicative competence. This study investigates the alignment of the "Arabic: The Language of the Qur'an" textbook series, used in the Iranian Technical-Vocational secondary branch, with these principles. The primary research problem stems from the perceived gap between the current curriculum and the goals of communicative language teaching, which may hinder students' ability to use Arabic effectively in practical and meaningful contexts. By evaluating the manifestation of Jakobson's functions, this research aims to determine the pedagogical orientation of these textbooks and identify specific areas requiring methodological enhancement to better serve educational objectives and students' linguistic and cultural needs.
Materials & Methods
This study adopted a descriptive-analytical research design, utilizing quantitative content analysis as its primary methodology. The data source was the complete set of "Arabic: The Language of the Qur'an" textbooks prescribed for the three grades of the Technical-Vocational branch in Iran. The operational framework for analysis was Roman Jakobson's model of communicative functions. A systematic coding scheme was developed to define and identify instances of each function (e.g., metalingual for grammar rules, poetic for figurative language, phatic for conversational routines). The entire content of the textbooks, including dialogues, reading passages, exercises, and images, was meticulously examined and coded. Quantitative data was generated by calculating the frequency and distribution of each linguistic function, which was then converted into percentages for comparative analysis across the different textbooks. This method allowed for an empirical, data-driven assessment of the emphasis placed on each communicative function within the curriculum.
Research findings
The quantitative analysis revealed a significant imbalance in the distribution of Jakobson's communicative functions. The metalingual function, dealing with the language code itself (e.g., grammar rules, syntax), was the most dominant, ranging between 16.33% and 26.03%. The referential function (contextual, factual information) followed, with a presence of 15.31% to 18.6%. In stark contrast, the poetic function, central to aesthetic and creative language use, was consistently the weakest, recorded at a mere 9.8% to 11.64%. Similarly, the phatic function, essential for managing social interactions and relationships, was notably low, ranging from 8.22% to 15.7%. While the emotive (expressive) and conative (directive) functions showed a relative balance in the first two textbooks (13.7%-22.45% and 13.7%-18.49%, respectively), this equilibrium deteriorated in the third book. The overall findings indicate a pronounced pedagogical bias towards structural and informational aspects of language at the expense of its interactive and aesthetic dimensions.
Discussion of Results & Conclusion
The findings clearly indicate that the current textbooks overwhelmingly privilege a structuralist approach, focusing on language as an abstract system rather than a tool for dynamic communication. The overemphasis on metalingual and referential functions occurs at the direct expense of developing the poetic and phatic competencies, which are crucial for fostering engagement, cultural appreciation, and real-life social interaction. This imbalance fundamentally undermines the core tenets of the communicative approach and limits the development of students' holistic communicative competence. Consequently, the study concludes that a substantial curriculum revision is imperative. To rectify these deficiencies, it is strongly recommended to integrate more authentic, literary, and aesthetically rich materials to strengthen the poetic function. Furthermore, curriculum designers must incorporate tasks that simulate genuine social exchanges to enhance the phatic function. Finally, successful implementation hinges on comprehensive teacher training programs to equip educators with the strategies needed for a balanced, function-oriented pedagogy. These steps are vital for aligning the Arabic language curriculum in Iran with contemporary educational standards and effectively meeting the communicative needs of students.
Main Subjects
21. Mohseni, Morteza, and Sarahati Juybari, Mahdi. "'Avāmel-e Mo'asser dar Ījād-e Naghš-e Targhibi-ye Zabān dar Qaṣāyed-e Nāser Khosrow". Kāveš-nāme-ye Zabān va Adabiyyāt-e Fārsi [Journal of Persian Language and Literature Research] 17, no. 33 (2016): 65-125. [In Persian]
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