An Analysis of Arabic Language Acquisition among Students of Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor from the Perspective of Lev N. Landa’s Landasmathic Theory Case study of Arabic language acquisition

Abstract

Language acquisition is a natural process through which learners develop language competence by interacting with their linguistic environment. In Darussalam Gontor Islamic Modern Boarding School, Arabic language acquisition occurs through the integration of both natural and structured language environments. This study aims to examine the Arabic language acquisition process of Gontor students from the perspective of Lev N. Landa’s Landasmathic Learning Theory. A qualitative case study approach was employed, with data collected through interviews, observations, and document analysis to provide a comprehensive understanding of students’ language acquisition experiences. The findings indicate that the students’ acquisition process corresponds closely to the seven stages of Landasmathic Learning Theory, including independent language exploration, recognition of grammatical concepts, self-definition of linguistic terms, mental processing, development of sentence analysis strategies, independent practice, and fluent oral communication in Arabic. Furthermore, the study reveals that Darussalam Gontor Islamic Modern Boarding School has long implemented instructional practices that reflect the principles of Landasmathic Learning Theory, even before the theory was formally introduced by Landa. These findings provide valuable pedagogical insights for Arabic language educators and offer a theoretical basis for designing technology-enhanced Arabic learning environments and digital instructional models that support learners’ cognitive development and language acquisition.