The Effectiveness of a Communicative Imla’ Textbook in Improving Short Course Student’ Arabic Spelling Skills

: Arabic Camp is a short Arabic language course program held by the Center for Education and Training ( pusdiklat ), University of Darussalam Gontor. This program was carried out to enhance students' speaking skills. However, the program seemed to face obstacles when dealing with students’ spelling skills ( imla '). Most students can speak good Arabic but struggle to write basic Arabic words according to its rules. Early studies suggested that the Center has yet to have well-established teaching material for Imla’ . Hence, this article aimed to design and find its effectiveness in improving students' spelling skills.


Introduction
The Center for Education and Training (Pusdiklat) at the University of Darussalam Gontor is a center concerned with providing Arabic language courses since its early establishment in 2013.The course provided has invited a number of participants from various educational institutions or individuals, both local and international.The language course programs vary in time length and level.Beginner level usually takes one to four weeks; intermediate will be four to sixteen weeks; advanced is sixteen to twenty weeks, and the duration of the proficient level usually takes longer, up to 24 weeks.The objective of these programs is mostly to improve four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.This article focused on the beginner courses of the program that is often named Arabic Camp.
Studying the beginner level (Arabic Camp) of these courses is essential since it is considered the first gate to explore language learning experiences.At the beginner level, participants will encounter basic yet fundamental courses in the Arabic language, and one that is crucial is Imla'.Imla' is one of the branches of the Arabic language that studied how to write Arabic alphabets on a word according to the correct writing rules, 1 Imla' is called to be the foundation of writing.According to Ozcakmak, 2 students with better imla' skills can accelerate their writing speed and develop their writing outcome.Lailan & Lubis stated that the right and good learning of Imla' will help student achieve good result in their advance language learning. 3In the other word, having the adequate capability in this lesson is necessary for the language students at the early level.This idea of having well-established and effective Imla' lesson since the earlier level, however, does not concur with the reality in the field.After conducting a previous study, it was found that although participants at the beginner level have done well in their basic listening and speaking skills, most of them have problems with imla', particularly in differentiating between letters' writing system.Since the Arabic language is known for its unique letters system where some letters are allowed to be attached to others and some are not, most participants are unable to distinguish such letters. 4Other issues also appear when it is related to writing Arabic lam tarif , ta' marbutah, nun -tanween, and hamzah.
The researchers interviewed the tutors and principals of the program and they came for the conclusion that these problems arose due to the absence of well-established and wellstructured materials for the Imla' lesson.The materials were found to be unsystematic in terms of difficulty and lessons' organization.On the other hand, the asynchronous 1 Luluk Humairo Pimada, Rostanti Toba and Abdul Whab Rasyidi, "Learning of Imla' Using Flashcards on Writing Skill at Islamic Elementary School Level in Samarinda," Idzhar Journal of Arabic Language Teaching, Linguistics, and Literature 3, no.1 (2020): 1-16.
4 Hezi Brosh, "Arabic Spelling: Errors, Perceptions, and Strategies," Foreign Language Annals 48, no.4 (2015): 584-603.material subjects with students' daily activities and life increased the difficulty in teaching and erased student motivation in learning.
A review of the theoretical literature on the problems of Arabic writing in general, and imla' in particular, found that there is an increasing interest among linguists and educators to seek practical solutions and methods in reducing the mistakes in imla'.
Nevertheless, there is only few that focus on providing teaching materials (imla') for short language course program.Martan and Nugraha designed teaching materials for Imla' for seven grade students.Lailatul Husnain developed teaching materials for imla' to be used in the An-Nur Islamic School Gersik.Burhan Yusuf and Hezi Brosh, although reveiwed frequent mistakes made by student at their Arabic writing lesson, both have not presented practical solution in the form of well-designed textbook.
Based on the previous issues, this article aimed to design effective teaching materials for Imla'.Teaching materials designing in the Arabic Course programs are very necessary because well-designed materials are a good plan to manage the implementation of language learning and teaching process that we will carry out to achieve specific goals in short amount of time.The teaching materials in this research will be produced in a form of textbook that is designed according to the needs analysis of teachers and students.This textbook is expected to have large contributions to provide Arabic language material models in an Arabic short course program that can be used as a standard system at the Center for Education and Training of the University of Darussalam Gontor.
The Imla' textbook produced in this study is a new model for learning spelling and dictations.In this model, the contents structures will start from easy to hard.
Additionally, the materials are designed according to a communicative approach where all subjects are ordered thematically based on students daily activities and themes they are familiar with.Furthermore, the textbook focused on interesting and stimulating materials and contents together with an attractive layout and design to cultivate motivation among learners of the Arabic language.This textbook would expectedly improve the imla' skills of the student.

Methods
Research and Development (R&D) was used in this study.According to Borg and Gall, R&D is a method used to obtain certain production and experimental validity and effectiveness of that production."Product" means not only material objects, such as textbooks, films, posters, etc., but also procedures and processes, including teaching methods and strategy, etc. 5 The method of design in this research employed Four-D (4D) model.This model consists of four steps which are illustrated: As exhibited in figure 1, the first stage was defining terms, urgency, and theoretical foundations for designing textbooks for teaching.This phase also aimed to collect the current issues and information related to imla' teaching and learning at the Arabic Camp program.The data was then analyzed as the basis for developing the product in the next stage.In the second stage, the need analysis and theoretical review results are used to design the product and procedures needed to implement the research.
The time allocation and set during the implementation are also considered.The drafting and designing of the textbook as a whole are then conducted based on the competencies needed.
In the next stage, the product undergoes validation processes, i.e., expert judgment questionnaire in three categories, content, language, and graphic display.The experts might provide with open-ended questions to express their opinions and suggestion. 6Afterward, the product will be tested in the field to measure its effectiveness to a group of respondents in numerous sequences.Subsequently, the result of the expert and examiner judgment questionnaires and field test data are analyzed and later used as the basis to rewrite the final draft of the product. 7e research setting is mainly at the Center for Education and Training (Pusdiklat) of the University of Darussalam Gontor.Arabic Camp program teachers and participants from the Center were selected by purposive sampling technique with specific goals and criteria.Six Imla' teachers were involved in this study based on their experiences teaching Imla' in short language course programs.Fourty participants were from various regions.The participants were selected based on their level (beginner) in the course.In addition, the judges who conducted validation were education, language, and graphic layout experts.They are lecturers and practitioners who have more than a decade of experience.
The choice of the Center for Education and Training is attributed to several reasons.First, Pusdiklat is known for its expertise in Arabic language teaching and has well-established resources for language programs.This ensures conducive environment for the study's focus on enhancing students' Arabic language skills.Second, the relevance.Since the study aimed to enhance Arabic language learning specifically in a short course program, the Center's Arabic Camp is directly aligned with the research objectives.Third, Pusdiklat provides number of participants who are actively engaged in language learning, making it convenient to access and involve participants for the study.
Fourth, controlled environment.Conducting the research within a controlled environment like Pusdiklat allows researchers to minimize external factors that could impact the study outcomes, thus enhancing the study's internal validity.Fifth, the purposive sampling technique used for selecting both teachers and participants allows researchers to deliberately select individuals who meet specific criteria, ensuring that the chosen sample is most suitable for addressing the research questions.Sixth, the availability of experts in the fields of education, language, and graphic layout, who serve as judges for validation, further enhances the research's credibility and ensures robust evaluation of the designed teaching materials.Last but not least, conducting the research within a single institution provides consistency in terms of the learning context, teaching methodologies, and student demographics, thereby contributing to the research's reliability.
Overall, the Center for Education and Training (Pusdiklat) at the University of Darussalam Gontor serves as an optimal setting for this research due to its expertise, relevance to the research objectives, available resources, and controlled environment, ensuring a comprehensive and focused investigation into the impact of the designed teaching materials on enhancing students' Arabic language skills within the Arabic Camp program.The tools used to collect data were interviews, observation, questionnaires, written documents, and tests.The data in this research consists of qualitative and quantitative.Qualitative data are analyzed by describing the elements in the designed teaching materials and the experts' judgment, comments, and suggestions. 8The expert judgment results are converted into numbers to be calculated using the following formula: The responses from expert validation were presented in the form of percentages and the category.The following table displays the general eligibility criteria for the product based on the calculation of the frequency distribution of the scores that may be obtained.for the evaluated product, utilizing a percentage-based classification system.This approach categorizes the product into five distinct classes: "Excellent" for percentages between 90% and 100%, indicating seamless usability; "Good" for 75% to 80%, suggesting minor adjustments for optimal utilization; "Fair" for 65% to 74%, necessitating modifications prior to practical application; "Weak" for 55% to 64%, indicating substantial changes required for viability; and "Bad" for percentages below 55%, rendering the product unsuitable for any form of deployment.This transparent classification system provides a clear framework for understanding the readiness of the product for use based on its assessed quality.
As for analyzing the quantitative data, this research employed paired sample t-test to determine the result of the product's effectiveness from pre-test and post-test.To calculate the results, this research emplyoed SPSS 25.

Results and Discussion
Based on need analysis, this research designed teaching materials for Imla' in the form of a textbook.The content of the textbook contains several kinds of Imla' such as al-Imla ' al-manqul, al-Imla' al-manzur, al-Imla' al-istima'i, and al-Imla' al-ikhtibari   which are classified into twelve chapters.The arrangement of each chapter is ordered based on the linguistics level that suits students' competencies in terms of vocabularies, sentence length, and structures.Table 2 showing the content of the books:    The designed product undergoes validation processes according to three major criteria, namely content, language, and graphic display.Three experts were involved in judging according to their specialty.The finding shows that all responses are positive, with an 84.5 % average total.The language validity is considered the highest among others, with 95.3% on average.The content showed the lower result, which is 76.7% on the total average.As for the display and graphic validity of the product, it goes to 86.6% on the total average.Figure 5 exhibits the details in the graphic.Based on the data presented in Figure 5, it is evident that the validation process conducted by experts yielded significant insights into the designed products various dimensions.The results showcase a consistent and favorable pattern across the three major criteria: content, language and graphic display.Notably, the overall positive reception, with an average of 84.5% underscores the product's viability and quality.
Language validity emerges as a standout aspect, with an impressive average of 95.3%, affirming the product's linguistic integrity.In contrast, the content dimension, with a total average of 76.7%, appears to present some room for enhancement, indicationg the potential for refining the substance of the materials.The display and graphic validity, with an average of 86.6%, further reinforces the product's effectiveness in terms of visual representation.The comprehensive breakdown within Figure 5   Table 3 is showing the agreement of the materials with competency standards and basic competencies reaches 75% total score.This means the materials are eligible and can be used with some adjustments and corrections.The materials' accuracy and completeness are good, with a 75% score each.In addition, the level of support in learning, presentation methods, and strategies show a fair result with a 70% score each.
Based on the above result, the inference can be made that the content validity of the textbook is good and can be used with few corrections and modifications since the total score reaches 76.70% on avarege.Table 4 presents the detailed scores: The language validity is calculated by using three indicators, correctness and accuracy, communicativeness, and the suitability of the language with the student's level.
The overall score of language validity showed an excellent result of 95.3% on average.
The accuracy and correctness of the language reached maximum score, i.e., 100%, while the suitability and communicativeness of the language were scored 90% and 96%, respectively.The conclusion that can be made based on these results is that the language used in the textbook is excellent and can be used without any correction or modification.The homogeneity of the sample population was also tested using the homogeneity of variance test.This test aims at finding whether the data set to be measured comes from a homogeneous population.Based on the data presented in table 7, the result confirmed that the population of this research is homogeneous where the value of sig.(-243) is bigger than (>) 0,005.Based on the data presented in table 7, the result confirmed that the population of this research is homogeneous where the value of sig.(-243) is bigger than (>) 0,005.Paired sample t-test was then conducted to measure the different results of each respondent in their pretest and post-test.The result in table 9 showing that Sig.(2-tailed) is scored,000, which is smaller than (<) 0,005.This means there is a different result for students who did not use the designed textbook in their pretest and the post-test result after using it.In other words, the development of teaching materials for Imla' lesson effectively enhances the Arabic writing skills of participants of the Arabic Camp program at the Center for Education and Training, University of Darussalam Gontor.
The study involved 40 students who underwent a pretest and posttest evaluation after using the designed textbook.The results showed that the mean score of the pretest was 6.55, while the posttest mean score increased to 7.50.This indicates that, on average, the students' performance improved after using the textbook.The normality test confirmed that both the pretest and posttest scores followed a normal distribution, suggesting that the sample data was representative of the larger population.Additionally, the homogeneity of variance test revealed that the sample population was homogeneous, further supporting the reliability of the results.The paired samples t-test was conducted to real-world situations or topics of interest. 10In addition, the current reseach is also in line with Yin view that by incorporating themes related to daily life, culture, or specific subject areas, students can develop a deeper understanding of the language and its practical application. 11Thematic materials not only engage students' interest but also facilitate the integration of vocabulary, grammar, and spelling within meaningful contexts. 12is approach enables students to make connections between words, phrases, and their usage, leading to a more comprehensive understanding of the Arabic language.
Moreover, similar to Sariani et all, the present reseach found that thematic materials promote higher-order thinking skills such as critical analysis, inference, and synthesis, as students engage with authentic texts and respond to prompts related to the theme. 13In other words, the current research have demonstrated that the use of thematic materials in Arabic dictation subjects not only improves students' language proficiency but also enhances their motivation, creativity, and overall learning experience.
The specifications outlined for the Imla' textbook in this study also reflect a wellthought-out approach to improving students' spelling and dictation skills in the Arabic language.The model's structure, which progresses from easy to hard, provides a logical and gradual progression of difficulty that allows students to build their skills incrementally. 14This sequential approach, as argued by Bellan et all, helps students gain confidence and develop a solid foundation before tackling more challenging dictation exercises. 15e adoption of a communicative approach subjects were organized thematically based on students' daily activities and familiar themes.Meanwhile, in this study also holds significant benefits.This study proved the Breen theory that by connecting the learning content to real-life situations and topics, students can see the relevance and practicality of their dictation exercises.This thematic approach facilitated students' comprehension by contextualizing the learning materials.It also allowed the students to make connections between the language and their everyday experiences.It enhances their ability to understand and apply vocabulary, grammar rules and spelling in meaningful contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of the Arabic language.
The emphasis on interesting and stimulating materials, as well as an attractive layout and design, plays a crucial role in cultivating motivation among Arabic language learners.When students find the materials engaging, visually appealing, and relevant to their interests and experiences, they are more likely to be motivated to actively engage with the content.This increased motivation leads to heightened focus, improved concentration, and a greater willingness to practice and apply their imla' skills.The visually appealing layout and design also enhance the overall learning experience, making the textbook more accessible and enjoyable for students. 16e significance of these specifications lies in their potential to improve students' ability in the Arabic dictation subject.The structured progression, thematic organization, and engaging materials all contribute to a holistic and effective learning experience.By providing a logical sequence, connecting the content to students' daily lives, and fostering motivation, the textbook helps students develop strong imla' skills. 17This, in turn, enhances their spelling accuracy, vocabulary acquisition, and overall proficiency in the Arabic language.
By incorporating these specifications into the textbook design, this research argues that students' imla' skills will be significantly improved.The comprehensive approach of the textbook addresses the key elements necessary for successful learning: validated through empirical research and further evaluation.Gathering data on student performance and conducting assessments can provide concrete evidence of the impact and benefits of this approach.
In further, the present research have contributed to fill the gap of the previous studies.It is worth mention that although there is an increasing interest among linguists and educators to seek practical solutions and methods in reducing the mistakes in imla'.
Nevertheless, there is only few that focus on providing teaching materials (imla') for short course program.Martan 18 and Nugraha have put in efforts to fill this gap by creating teaching materials specifically for imla' that's suited for seventh-grade students.Their work takes us a step closer to solving this issue, underlining the importance of having good educational content for effective learning.This reflects a practical approach to embedding useful educational resources into teaching practices, aligning with the current research's attempt to create a comprehensive textbook for imla'.
On the other hand, even though Burhan Yusuf 19 and Hezi Brosh 20 astutely pointed out the common errors students make in Arabic writing classes, their insights haven't quite translated into a solid solution, like a well-crafted textbook.In this context, the present research considerably contributed as it advanced beyond identification, striving to encapsulate practical solutions within a structured and engaging textbook format, thereby contributing to the evolving discourse on effective teaching materials for language learners.This dynamic interplay between past research efforts and the current study underscores a collective push towards innovative methodologies in enhancing language education.Last but not least, although this research represents a commendable endeavor in enhancing Arabic language education, certain limitations warrant consideration for future investigations.Firstly, the sample size of 40 participants, though providing valuable insights, may limit the generalizability of the findings.To enhance robustness, future research could involve a larger and more diverse participant pool.Additionally, while the designed textbook shows significant promise, the effectiveness of the instructional materials could be further explored through qualitative means, such as in-depth interviews or focus group discussions, to glean deeper insights into students' perceptions, experiences, and learning strategies.Moreover, considering the dynamic nature of language learning, longitudinal studies assessing the retention and sustainability of improved imla' skills over time could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the textbook's long-term impact.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the findings of this research serve as a resounding evedence to the essential role that well-designed instructional materials play in the realm of language education.This study stands in line with well-established theoretical paradigms and empirical insights, reaffirming that strategic pedagogical tools are indispensable for augmenting educational outcomes.Nevertheless, although the current investigation delivers noteworthy contributions to our understanding, it simultaneously opens the doors to uncharted territories for subsequent researchers to explore.The identified limitations in this study for more comprehensive exploration urged the next researchers to explore paths that could illuminate even greater insights.Widening the scope of participant demographics, incorporating qualitative methodologies to delve into the nuances of student perspectives, and engaging in longitudinal studies to trace the trajectory of skill retention are all avenues that promise to paint a more comprehensive portrait of the textbook's efficacy.By introducing these considerations into their inquiries, future researchers have the potential to develop more creative and new pedagogical approaches, further propelling the development of effective strategies for language learning.In this dynamic landscape, the continued pursuit of knowledge holds the promise of ever-refined tools and methodologies that stand to elevate language teaching and learning to new heights.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Research & Development Phase Qamariyah), Ta Maftuhah and Marbuthah, Hamzah Al-Mutawasitah, and the nuances of Al Kalimah Al Musnidah bi Al Qamariah wa Al Syamsiah.This pedagogically strategic arrangement ensures a coherent and progressive learning experience, enhancing students' grasp of the intricacies of Imla' in a structured and effective manner.Each lesson in every chapter was organized inductively into three units starting from examples related to the topic, a statement of the rules, and exercises.This theory aimed to conceptualize students to understand the subject materials comprehensively.The first unit is the inner cover of the lesson.It contains the title of the lesson, the illustrated picture of the title, the competency standard and the indicators for teaching the subject, as illustrated in figure 2. Figure 3 shows the second unit that contains the main essay of the lesson.It provides the teacher and students with examples related to the subject.It also highlights the general statement and the rule about the material from the previous examples.The last unit is exercises.The exercises are copying the letters and words, connecting letters, placing the mark, and looking for an example from the Qur'an.

Figure 4
Figure 4 exhibits the third unit of the lesson organization.

Figure 2 .
Figure 2. Inner Cover Figure 3. Main Lesson and Rules Figure 4. Exercises As illustrated in Figure 2, the inaugural unit, positioned at the lesson's inner cover, encompasses the lesson's title, an illustrative image representing the title, the prescribed competency standard, and the pivotal indicators instrumental in delivering the subject content.Figure 3 shows transitions into the second unit, housing the central discourse of the lesson.It depicts a collection of illustrative examples intricately intertwined with the subject, supplemented by overarching statements and rules distilled from the preceding examples.The final unit, as elaborated in Figure 4, focuses on exercises, encompassing diverse activities such as letter and word replication, letter

Figure 5 .
Figure 5. Expert Judgement Result navigates through these critical evaluation outcomes, offering a comprehensive understanding of the product's strengths and areas for potential development.In futher, Content validity is measured according to six indicators.(1) The agreement of materials with competency standards and basic competencies; (2) The accuracy; (3) Support in learning; (4) presentation method; (5) completeness; (6) presentation strategy.The details of expert judgment response on the product content are highlighted in bellow table.
gradual skill development, meaningful context, student engagement, and motivation.The combination of these factors is expected to result in enhanced dictation abilities and a more proficient understanding of the Arabic language.It is important to note that the effectiveness of the textbook and the significance of these specifications should be 16 Xinyi Sun, "Design and Construction of University Book Layout Based on Text Image Preprocessing Algorithm in Education Metaverse Environment," Journal ofEnvironmental and Public  Healt 2022, (2022).

Table 1 .
Material Quality Report Percentage The outcomes of expert validation are systematically presented through a wellstructured table, denoted as Table1.This table outlines the established eligibility criteria

Table 2 .
Table Content of the Textbook XI Lesoon 11: Al Kalimah Al Musnidah bi Al Qamariah wa Al Syamsiah 1 XII Lesoon 12: Al Kalimah Al Musnidah bi Al Qamariah wa Al Syamsiah 2 In line with the findings of the need analysis, this research has developed a comprehensive set of teaching materials tailored for the study of Imla', which has been seamlessly integrated into a textbook format.The textbook's content is thoughtfully organized to encompass various facets of Imla', including al-Imla' al-manqul, al-Imla' al-manzur, al-Imla' al-istima'i, and al-Imla' al-ikhtibari, each strategically classified into twelve distinct chapters.The structuring of each chapter is tailored to accommodate students' linguistic competencies, with consideration for vocabulary levels, sentence complexity, and structural intricacies.Illustrated in Table 2, the textbook's chapters offer a well-ordered progression from foundational lessons such as the Arabic Alphabet and Attached and Detached Letters, to more intricate topics including Lam Tarif (Syamsiah & Education 6, no.2 (2022).

Table 3 .
Content Validity Results

Table 4 .
Language Validity Result

Table 5
is showing that highlights the graphic display validity result of the textbook.The graphic display was measured by using three indicators: attractiveness, cover design, and inner layout display.The inner layout display and the attractiveness of the textbook got a similar result, i.e., a 90% average score.The layout display gained the least amount of score, that is 80%.Overall, the graphic display validity showed a good result about 86.6% on the average total.This means the graphic display is good and can be used with some modifications and corrections.In evaluating the effectiveness of the textbook, 40 students were involved.This research was conducted pre-test and post-test on all students.The pretest results of mean, median, and mode are 6,55; 7,00; and 7,00; respectively.As for the post-test, the results are mean 7,50; median 7; and mode 7. The following table lists the detailed results: Abdul Hafidz Zaid and Ihwan Mahmudi, "Teaching Materials Development for Imla' Lesson to Enhance Student's Writing Skills," Arabiyat: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Arab dan Kebahasaaaraban 8, no.1 (2021): 46-59. 19Burhan Yusuf Habibi."Kesalahan Umum Penulisan Huruf Arab di Kalangan Mahasiswa Jurusan Pendidikan Bahasa Arab Universitas Islam Negeri Salatiga"Al-Ta'rib: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Arab dan Kebahasaaraban 6, no.1 (2018): 26-40. 20Hezi Brosh, "Arabic Spelling: Errors, Perceptions, and Strategies," Foreign Language Annals 48, no.4 (2015): 584-603. 18