Developing Arabic Fluency through Interactive Question–Answer A Study in Malaysia

Abstract

This study investigates the role of interactive question–answer instruction in developing Arabic oral fluency among learners in a Malaysian educational context. Despite prolonged exposure to Arabic instruction, many learners struggle to produce spontaneous and fluent speech due to limited opportunities for sustained oral interaction. Employing a classroom-based qualitative research design, this study focuses exclusively on question–answer interaction as the primary instructional strategy, deliberately excluding other speaking techniques such as role-play or storytelling. Data were collected through classroom observations, audio-recorded interactions, and semi-structured learner interviews, and were analyzed using thematic and discourse-oriented approaches. The findings reveal that interactive question–answer instruction contributes significantly to Arabic oral fluency by enhancing response speed, improving speech continuity, and reducing hesitation during real-time communication. Learners demonstrated increased confidence and greater willingness to engage in spontaneous speech, indicating improved linguistic automaticity. These results suggest that structured questioning functions as an effective pedagogical mechanism for activating linguistic resources and facilitating fluent oral production. The study contributes to Arabic language pedagogy by positioning interactive questioning as a core, low-resource instructional strategy for fluency development, offering practical implications for Arabic language educators in Malaysia and similar non-Arabic-speaking contexts.