Didactics of Arabic Language Between Middle and Secondary Education in Algeria: Toward a Textual Intentionality Approach and Achieving Acceptability

Abstract

The selection of educational language texts is a crucial factor in the acquisition and development of Arabic language skills among students. These texts serve as a primary medium for learning vocabulary and grammar, as well as for enhancing comprehension and expression. High-quality texts are not merely sources of information; they are tools for shaping students’ linguistic awareness and improving their ability to think, analyze, and communicate. They also help strengthen students’ attachment to their language. Therefore, the proper selection of Arabic educational texts is essential for language learning and development. This study addresses an important issue related to the acceptability of literary texts among first-year secondary students. It has been observed that many students struggle to engage with the prescribed texts, sometimes to the point of rejection. This phenomenon places an extra burden on teachers and negatively impacts the students’ linguistic development. The study adopts the criterion of textual acceptability as a framework for analysis. This criterion, central to text linguistics, measures how well a reader or listener receives and engages with a text. It is based on the clarity of the text, its coherence, its alignment with the reader’s linguistic and cognitive expectations, and the transparency of its communicative intent. Acceptability plays a vital role in promoting effective communication and in maximizing the educational and informational value of a given text. The more coherent and accessible a text is, the greater the student’s chances of engaging with it and benefiting from it, especially in language acquisition and refinement. Through the lens of textual acceptability, this research seeks to explore the reasons behind students’ rejection of literary texts at this level of education