Strengthening Students' Self-efficacy through the Implementation of Self-directed Learning in Arabic Speaking Proficiency
Abstract
This study aims to describe how Self-Directed Learning strengthens students' self-efficacy in Arabic speaking learning. A qualitative approach with a case study design was employed. Data were collected through observations, interviews, documentation, and questionnaires, and analyzed using the Miles and Huberman interactive model. The findings reveal that SDL strengthens students' self-efficacy through five key stages: goal setting, learning strategy planning, time management, self-reflection, and the selection of learning resources. Among these stages, goal setting and self-reflection had the strongest influence on students' self-confidence and self-regulation. At the same time, independent practice through learning strategy planning and resource selection contributed most to resilience and learning autonomy. Mastery experiences reinforced these improvements gained through repeated speaking practice and by social support from lecturers and peers during dialogues, presentations, and group discussions. As a result, students became more confident in expressing ideas, more persistent in overcoming speaking difficulties, and more independent in managing their learning. The study concludes that Self-Directed Learning is effective not only in improving Arabic speaking skills but also in strengthening the psychological dimensions of self-efficacy that support sustainable language learning.
Keywords
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Abeysuriya, V., Gamage, J., Jayawardana, W. A. D., & Abeysuriya, V. (2026). Enhancing adult learning through problem-based learning and knowledge scaffolding: A case study from postgraduate immunology education. BMC Medical Education, 26(1), 1059. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-026-09488-x
Adigun, O. T., Mpofu, N., & Maphalala, M. C. (2025). Fostering self‐directed learning in blended learning environments: A constructivist perspective in Higher Education. Higher Education Quarterly, 79(1), e12572. https://doi.org/10.1111/hequ.12572
Al-Hoorie, A. H., Hiver, P., & In’nami, Y. (2025). Looking beyond the L2 Motivational Self System: Lessons from two “lost” decades. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 47(4), 1193–1204. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263125101319
AlHroob, B. F., & Al-khresheh, M. H. (2026). Self-regulated learning strategies among non-native Arabic learners: A structural equation modeling approach. Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education, 11(1), 8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40862-025-00380-7
Almayez, M. A., Al-khresheh, M. H., AL-Qadri, A. H., Alkhateeb, I. A., & Alomaim, T. I. M. (2025). Motivation and English self-efficacy in online learning applications among Saudi EFL learners: Exploring the mediating role of self-regulated learning strategies. Acta Psychologica, 254, 104796. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.104796
Amini Farsani, M., & Seyedshoja, S. S. (2025). Language Mindset, Anxiety, and Proficiency: What Does Path Analytic Approach Indicate? The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 34(1), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-024-00857-y
Angamo, A. H., Dobeche, T. M., & Birrasa, G. L. (2026). Speaking strategies instruction and students’ self-efficacy in speaking. Discover Education, 5(1), 269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-026-01381-5
Balshe, R., & Masterson, J. (2026). Word learning in Arabic-speaking primary school students. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 41(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-01061-2
Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York: W.H. Freeman.
Behforouz, B., & Al Ghaithi, A. (2024). The Impact of Using Interactive Chatbots on Self-Directed Learning. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 15(3), 317–344. https://doi.org/10.37237/150302
Boughanmi, H., Lakhal, T. B., Tannoubi, A., Bonsaksen, T., Alliheibi, A. H., & Azaiez, F. (2026). Spiritual well-being and daily spiritual experiences as protective factors against academic burnout among physical education students in Arabic-speaking universities. Discover Psychology, 6(1), 145. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-026-00665-z
Buschner, B., & Tweed, A. (2026). Navigating Constraints to Foster Self-Access Language Learning: A Constraints-Focused Approach. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 1(17), 6. https://doi.org/10.37237/170102
Butler, Y. G. (2024). Self-assessment in second language learning. Language Teaching, 57(1), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444822000489
Cai, Y., Zhu, L., & Xing, K. (2026). Self-efficacy mediates but does not moderate the relationship between grit and L2 achievement. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 20(3), 398–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2024.2425803
Chen, C.-J. (2025). Exploring the Dual Role of Anxiety in Digital Game-Based Language Learning. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 34(6), 1991–2002. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-025-01007-8
Csizér, K., & Albert, Á. (2024). Gender-Related Differences in the Effects of Motivation, Self-Efficacy, and Emotions on Autonomous Use of Technology in Second Language Learning. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 33(4), 819–828. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-023-00808-z
De Vrind, E., Janssen, F. J. J. M., Van Driel, J. H., & De Jong, N. H. (2024). Improving self‐regulated learning of speaking skills in foreign languages. The Modern Language Journal, 108(3), 601–624. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12953
Derakhshan, A., & Liu, A. J. (2026). Mapping the synergistic interaction of L2 learners’ writing self-efficacy and writing performance: The serial mediating effects of writing anxiety and motivation. Assessing Writing, 70, 101094. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asw.2026.101094
Devisakti, A., & Rohayati, M. I. (2025). Online Assessments Among Diverse Students in Malaysia Higher Education: Self-Efficacy and Technology Awareness. TechTrends, 69(1), 60–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-024-01018-0
Devlin, A. M., Magliacane, A., & Paradowski, M. B. (2024). Social Aspects in Language Learning: New Perspectives from Study‐Abroad Research. Language Learning, 74(S2), 5–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12691
Estreder, Y., Martínez‐Tur, V., Moliner, C., Gracia, E., & Lira, E. (2024). The voice of persons with intellectual disability: Why does autonomy support make them feel better? Applied Psychology, 73(3), 1055–1070. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12487
Hamid, M. O. (2025). Pedagogy as bountiful giving: L2 Arabic for adult learners beyond formal education. Language Teaching Research, 13621688251394494. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688251394494
He, M., Abbasi, B. N., & He, J. (2025). AI-driven language learning in higher education: An empirical study on self-reflection, creativity, anxiety, and emotional resilience in EFL learners. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1525. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05817-5
Herda, R. K., Friatin, L. Y., Peristianto, S. V., Savitskaya, E. S., & Sain, Z. H. (2026). Fostering Self-Directed Learning Through Automated Written Corrective Feedback (AWCF): Praxis and Reflection. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 1(17), 76. https://doi.org/10.37237/170106
Hong, X., & Guo, L. (2025). Effects of AI-enhanced multi-display language teaching systems on learning motivation, cognitive load management, and learner autonomy. Education and Information Technologies, 30(12), 17155–17189. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13472-1
Hussein, S. Z., Hashim, R., Salim, S. S., & Marzuki, M. A. (2025). Self-Directed Learning, Friendship Quality, and Learning Styles Among Undergraduate Students in a Public University. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 60–75. https://doi.org/10.37237/202406
Ibrahim, N., Safitri, D., Marini, A., Pratama, I., & Marfu, A. (2025). Education sustainability through interactive modules and learning autonomy to improve self-directed learning among middle school students with PLS SEM, random forest, and XGBoost. Discover Sustainability, 7(1), 166. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-025-02508-8
Ja’far, H., & Hasanah, M. (2024). Code-switching in Arabic Teaching: Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory Perspective. ALSUNIYAT: Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Budaya Arab, 7(2), 465–490. https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v7i2.69630
Jud, J., Hirt, C. N., Eberli, T. D., Rosenthal, A., & Karlen, Y. (2025). Understanding the development of teachers’ self-efficacy to promote self-regulated learning: A quasi-experimental study on the role of experience, mindset, and self-regulated learning skills. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 40(3), 94. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-00996-w
Knowles, M. S. (2003). Self-directed learning: A guide for learners and teachers (11th print). New York: Cambridge Adult Education.
Kormos, J. (2026). The role of first language skills, working memory, and anxiety in second language reading: Implications for assessment of language learners with specific learning differences. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 48(1), 19–41. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263125101010
Lai, C., Pan, M., Pi, R., Shen, K., & Liu, Y. (2026). Learner agency in self-directed use of GenAI for informal language learning. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2026.2648781
Lai, C., & Sundqvist, P. (2026). Research agenda: Synergizing in-class and out-of-class language learning with technology. Language Teaching, 59(1), 60–81. https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144482500014X
Li, C., Feng, E., Zhao, X., & Dewaele, J.-M. (2024). Foreign language learning boredom: Refining its measurement and determining its role in language learning. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 46(3), 893–920. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263124000366
Liu, M., & Zhang, L. J. (2025). Examining language learners’ GenAI-assisted writing self-efficacy profiles and the relationship with their writing self-regulated learning strategies. System, 134, 103826. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103826
Lu, Y. (2025). Self-Directed Learning Strategies and Knowledge Construction of University Students: Achieving Learning Goals and Managing Cognitive Load. International Journal of Education and Social Development, 2(1), 13–19. https://doi.org/10.54097/s8r0xj17
Ma, W., Zhen, R., Tan, X., He, Y., Zhang, J., Tang, S., & Wang, Z. (2026). Self-control and social support in the link between academic pressure, anxiety, depression and social media addiction in college students. Scientific Reports, 16(1), 7444. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-37112-x
Ma, X. (2025). The relationship between psychological stress and academic performance among college students: The mediating roles of cognitive load and self-efficacy. Acta Psychologica, 259, 105433. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105433
Masnun, M., Hanifansyah, N., Solehudin, M., Mahmudah, M., & Syakur, S. A. (2025). The Effectiveness of the Mukhayyam al-'Arabī Program in Improving Students' Speaking Skills in Malaysia. ALSUNIYAT: Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Budaya Arab, 8(1), 55–70. https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v8i1.74881
Maulana, A. (2025). Improving Arabic Speaking through Constructivism and Telegram: A Quasi-Experimental Study. ALSUNIYAT: Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Budaya Arab, 8(1), 86–103. https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v8i1.77601
Menegale, M., & Spricigo, L. (2024). Enhancing L2 Confidence Through Learning Diaries: A Replication Study on Italian Lower-Secondary School Students. Studies in Self-Access Learning Journal, 15(2), 187–212. https://doi.org/10.37237/150205
Ng, B., & Kong, L. C. (Eds.). (2025). Self-Determination Theory and Mindfulness (1st ed. 2025). Springer Nature Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-3133-2
Nyamekye, E., & Soré, W. A. F. (2025). Exploring the influence of emotion regulation on the social communicative competence of language students in higher education: A PLS-SEM approach. Discover Psychology, 6(1), 22. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-025-00550-1
Olafsen, A. H., Marescaux, B. P. C., & Kujanpää, M. (2025). Crafting for autonomy, competence, and relatedness: A self‐determination theory model of need crafting at work. Applied Psychology, 74(1), e12570. https://doi.org/10.1111/apps.12570
Panadero, E., Pinedo, L., Fernández-Ortube, A., Zamorano, D., Barrenetxea-Minguez, L., & Sánchez-Iglesias, I. (2026). How rubric performance-level order and feedback shape students' real-time self-regulation and self-efficacy: Metacognition and Learning, 21(1), 24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11409-026-09468-y
Pettrich, A., Geiling, A., Böhm, M., Glaesmer, H., Knaevelsrud, C., Wagner, B., Nesterko, Y., & Böttche, M. (2026). High sensitivity, low specificity: Validation and diagnostic accuracy study of the PCL-5 in an Arabic-speaking treatment-seeking sample. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 122, 103202. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2026.103202
Rahman, S., & Alam, A. (2026). The behavioral determinants of generative AI use and self-directed learning outcomes in higher education. Discover Education, 5(1), 633. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-026-01681-w
Ritonga, N., Sahyoni, S., Munthe, B., Wahab, M. A., & Haq, S. (2024). The method of Masrahiyyah is based on local wisdom according to Behaviorism Theory in Learning Maharah Kalam. ALSUNIYAT: Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Budaya Arab, 7(1), 102–112. https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v7i1.67519
Schlam Salman, J., & Haskel-Shaham, I. (2023). Noticing and metalinguistic awareness in the L2 writing process: A translation-based writing task for L1 Arabic speakers preparing to teach Hebrew as a second language. Journal of Second Language Writing, 62, 101065. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2023.101065
Seong, Y. P. (2025). Assessing Strategic Competence as a Cognitive Dimension of L2 Academic Speaking: A Scenario-Based Language Assessment Approach. Language Assessment Quarterly, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/15434303.2025.2575491
Sherif, G. M. A., ElSayed, S. A. Y., El-Sayed, A. A. I., Attia, A. S., & Alfauomy, N. A. M. (2026). The role of academic mentorship and self-efficacy in enhancing self-directed learning readiness among undergraduate nursing students. BMC Nursing, 25(1), 450. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-04723-8
Thornbury, S. (2025). Diverse perspectives on second language learning and teaching (SLA/T) research in dialogue, co‐constructing common ground: A response. The Modern Language Journal, 109(S1), 123–124. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12981
Thoyyibah, A., Putra, W. H., & Haruna, H. A. (2024). Arabic Online Learning: Code-Switching and Code-Mixing in Higher Education. ALSUNIYAT: Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa, Sastra, Dan Budaya Arab, 7(2), 291–307. https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v7i2.70094
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17509/alsuniyat.v9i1.98793
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.



.png)




