Teaching English Through Islamic Contexts to Improve Students’ Motivation for islamic education classroom

Abstract

English is frequently seen as a foreign topic that is unrelated to students' everyday
spiritual practices and religious beliefs in many Islamic educational institutions. In English
classes, this view often results in low learning motivation, low interest, and passive
participation. In order to improve students' motivation in Islamic education classes, this study
investigates the efficacy of teaching English through Islamic contexts. This method aims to
produce meaningful, pertinent, and culturally sensitive learning experiences by incorporating
Islamic principles, themes, texts, and actual religious activities into English language training.
Students from an Islamic secondary school participated in the study, which used a mixed-
methods research approach. Semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and motivation
questionnaires were used to gather data. The results show that when Islamic contexts were
incorporated into instructional materials and classroom activities, students' motivation,
engagement, and positive attitudes toward learning English significantly improved. Students
showed more self-assurance, engagement, and a greater sense of connection between studying
English and their religious identity. According to the study's findings, teaching English in
Islamic contexts is a pedagogically successful approach that integrates language acquisition
with students' cultural and spiritual backgrounds, resulting in increased motivation and more
significant learning opportunities in Islamic educational environments.