الصُّعوبات التي يواجهها متعلّمو العربية الناطقون بغيرها في مقرّر الثقافة السعودية ومقترحات معالجتها

The present study aimed to identify the educational and learning difficulties faced by non-native Arabic learners in the Saudi Culture course and to analyze the factors influencing these difficulties, with the objective of proposing solutions that enhance effective learning and cultural interaction between learners and the Saudi community. The study employed a descriptive-analytical approach, and data were collected from a sample of second-language Arabic learners at several institutes and universities in Saudi Arabia, using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The analysis revealed that the most prominent difficulties include linguistic challenges that exceed cognitive difficulties, as well as cultural apprehension and anxiety stemming from the fear of committing errors that may violate social customs or specific cultural norms, in addition to challenges in determining the level of formality in daily interactions. The findings also indicated that insufficient teacher training on integrating Saudi culture into the curriculum, along with the reliance on rote teaching methods, reduces the effectiveness of learning. The study concludes the necessity of developing teacher training programs and designing a culturally interactive and progressive curriculum that supports both linguistic and cultural understanding, while promoting communicative activities that reduce cultural anxiety and encourage the natural use of Arabic. The results underscore the importance of integrating Saudi culture as a core component to achieve comprehensive and effective linguistic and cultural learning for non-native Arabic learners.
 Keywords: Difficulties, Saudi culture, Teaching Arabic to non-native speakers.