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SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SCIENCES

BACHELOR OF ELEMENTARY EDUCATION

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INDIVIDUAL PROJECT
SEMESTER 1
ACADEMIC SESSION 2022/2023
COURSE CODE EEC3113

COURSE TITLE TEACHING ENGLISH IN EDUCATION

ASSESSMENT INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PAPER

SUBMISSION DATE JANUARY, 25 , 2023

LECTURER MADAM AINI SYAHIRA JAMALUDDIN

STUDENT’S NAME MOHAMMED HASSAN

The challenges studying abroad for the arab in malaysia

Abstract:
The focus of this research was on the difficulties faced by overseas students, especially those pursuing
graduate degrees. By describing and defining the first phase of the stopover through the eyes of a group of
foreign postgraduate students, this research hopes to add to our knowledge of what constitutes adjustment.
As the structure was emphasised and assessed in multiple ways and from diverse viewpoints and models,
there was a lack of narrative and clarity on what adjustment entails. It is not uncommon for overseas
students to face the same kinds of cultural shock as domestic students when they attend institutions in
countries with differing educational and social norms. A qualitative approach was used for this analysis.
This research revealed that the degree to which Arab postgraduate students adapt to Malaysian culture
varies by both individual and regional factors. All of us here today can agree that the distinctions between
the two cultures are minimal at best. The results of this research prompted the researchers to advise that
future studies may focus less on Arabs and more on foreign students in general.
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

This research focuses on and provides explanations for the unique difficulties faced by Arab students
studying abroad. An increasing number of Arab postgraduate students have flocked to institutions in
Malaysia in recent years, joining the yearly influx of international undergraduates. There are a number of
factors that contribute to Arab postgraduate students' interest in studying in Malaysia, but the fact that it is
an Islamic state makes it a more attractive option than sending their children to a nation where Islam is
not the official religion. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of students from Arab countries
and elsewhere in the Middle East who choose to study in Malaysia during the last several years.

It's common knowledge that students and persons living in other countries might experience culture
shock, which can have a rapid onset or a gradual one depending on a number of factors. Culture shock
affects students and adults long after they have acclimated to a new culture or location, beyond the first
phase of being unfamiliar with social behaviours, customs, norms, language, meals, and weather. There
are often three stages associated with culture shock: the honeymoon period, the negotiating phase, the
adjustment phase, and finally, acceptance. Students go through these four stages in diverse ways, and the
impact of each stage differs greatly from that of the others.

The Frustration and compromise Phase

As a consequence of being exposed to new things, one may feel a mixture of emotions after learning
about the differences between one's own culture and the one they're experiencing for the first time, such
as annoyance, worry, and even wrath. This is a common emotion, brought on by a variety of factors
including linguistic limitations. The Arab student may experience periods of solitude and introspection
during this time. While the Arabs tend to have an easier time communicating across language barriers,
both English and Arabic are utilised by foreign students, particularly in graduate programmes, depending
on the nature and demands of their study (Mahmud et al. 2010). Additionally, as a result of Bahasa
Melayu borrowing a few terms from Arabic, there are certain words in both languages that sound similar.
These word-for-word parallels help Arab pupils converse with native Malay speakers. However, it wasn't
enough to help the Arab students adjust to life in Malaysia.

Statement of the Problem

Arab students in Malaysia experience difficulties with English writing due to a lack of proficiency in
English and a lack of familiarity with local cultural norms. When speaking in English, they end up
transferring their own personal style of Arabic writing. Some Arab nations lack an understanding of the
language and cultural conventions of email communication. Some methods of expressing oneself that are
culturally acceptable in Arabic may be deemed disrespectful or otherwise inappropriate by their
Malaysian superiors when spoken in English. All cultures transmit politeness via a variety of language
and non-linguistic channels, and some of these channels may be more common than others. Each culture's
politeness practises may be informed, in part, by its own social traditions. A listener's personal and
cultural expectations may cause them to interpret these politeness methods in a way that differs from the
speaker's purpose. Also, according to Hazidi (2002, p. 2), "(it is true that we are human beings and
therefore, share the same senses; however, we are also thinking human beings which have similar mental
faculties, particularly the ability to perceive, interpret, and categorise independently, thereby giving us the
ability to ascribe different values and / or meaning to similar even identical stimuli" (emphasis added).
Since all humans share the same mental capacity—including the ability to form concepts—by imposing
or applying concepts onto people of other cultures, as is done by some Western psychologists,
anthropologists, and even linguists (see Lakoff 1990), they are also denying the possibility that people of
other cultures make sense of their world differently simply because they choose to react to the same
stimuli in different ways (1978, p. 66). Problems might arise in electronic mail contact between people of
various cultures if the sender is unaware of these differences. In addition, it's important for pupils to
realise that emailing superiors is different from emailing peers. Students addressing their supervisors in
writing should keep in mind the "power" and "distance" between themselves and their superiors, as shown
by the status differential and the formality of their relationship. This study looks at how Arab graduate
students politely communicate with their advisors through email. Moreover, it hopes to give answers to
the problems these kids encounter.
Research Objectives
The focus of this research was on the difficulties faced by overseas students, especially those pursuing
graduate degrees. By describing and defining the first phase of the stopover through the eyes of a group of
foreign postgraduate students, this research hopes to add to our knowledge of what constitutes adjustment.

● What are the challenges during studying in Malaysian university

● What are the main cultural differences between Malaysia and your home country?

Research Questions
1.RO1.

1. Can you share your experience during studying in Malaysian university ?.

2. What are the challenges that you faced ?.

3. Do you think that cultural differences is a big deal for you and why?

4. Have you faced discriminated by teacher or student in the school?.

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW
Arab postgraduate students worldwide Most of the Arab students studying abroad are generally
astonished by new culture particularly if it‟s their first experience of travelling. Worldwide, where certain
individuals who have Islamophobia mainly from Arab, (Moufakkir, 2013) validate media reports
regarding the unfavourable impressions that the Dutch have towards the Moroccan population in the
Netherlands. These results influenced Arab postgraduate students when they opted to study overseas, and
pick nations that had the same religion as Malaysia. In another research, all of the participants stated that
they had experienced culture shock from day one and even up to present. Middle Eastern‟s culture
drastically contrasts from the Filipino‟s way of life in so many respects (Abunab et al. 2017). (Abunab et
al. 2017). This research validates the lived experience of the Arab-Muslim students and also suggests that
the Arab-Muslim students, no matter where they are, still endure the stigma of being an Arab and a
Muslim that has been bothering them since centuries. A research done concerning a Cross-Cultural
Comparison of Organizational Culture: Evidence from Universities in the Arab world and Japan,
(Dedoussis, 2004) established No clear-cut picture emerges about the influence that commonalities in
Arab and Japanese cultures have upon surface manifestations of organisational culture in the four
institutions. In USA, a study to determine factors associated with a positive adjustment to studying in the
U.S and identify the satisfaction of Arab Fulbright students with their study in the U.S (Al-Hattami &
Al-Ahdal, 2014) results 58% of the student-respondents were satisfied in the matter of their personal
experience; 55% respondents were generally in their overall social life. For women, (Lefdahl-Davis &
Perrone-McGovern, 2015) study adjustment experiences of Saudi women students in the United States via
Grounded Theory method. The majority of Saudi women international students who were interviewed or
surveyed did not experience “culture shock” or acculturative stress when they came to the United States,
the most common explanations included the following: They had travelled before, they grew up in a way
similar to the U.S. Americans, or they already knew about the culture in the United States through other
sources, such as family and friends, the media, or Internet. In Canada, (Mostafa, 2006) investigates the
experiences of Arab Muslim graduate students in the University of Alberta (U of A) about cultural
differences and adjustment, language challenges, supervision, peculiarities of study system, and
financing. Reveal that while students face certain difficulty transitioning to Canadian culture, the
adjustment is made simpler via their engagement with local Muslim groups and organisations such as
mosques. Also, respondents think the multicultural makeup of Canadian culture is a benefit that helps
them in and beyond the school.
English Language Barriers

It is common knowledge that studying abroad in a new country often comes with language
barriers for students from other countries. Some schools have implemented programmes to help incoming
students cope with these issues. According to studies, a large number of international students face
challenges and barriers when trying to learn English. Many Arab students also struggle with using English
both in and out of the classroom. Several initiatives have been launched by Malaysian universities to help
the growing number of Arab students who lack even the most fundamental English skills, such as
providing basic study skills, language support, and professional skill development courses. One of the
authors of this paper, who has spent the last three years instructing Arab students in academic writing at
the UTM, has observed that many of these students do not have adequate command of the English
language.

Driving
Not all of the difficulties can be reduced to issues of weather and communication. Most of the
interviewees also observed a difference in the driving system. The majority of participants expressed their
surprise at the location of the driver's seat, which was on the other side of the vehicle from what is
customary in their own countries. One member of the focus group said, "When I initially arrived in
Malaysia, I crossed the street expecting automobiles to approach from the left." When I looked to my
right and saw the automobiles approaching, I became afraid.

Food
Everybody here can agree that Malaysian cuisine is distinct from their own. A participant said, "I eat
Malaysian cuisine every day, but it's either really hot or sweet with spicy flavours."
 CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

The purpose of this case study was to investigate the impact of culture shock on Arab postgraduate
students studying at UKM (National University of Malaysia). Studies on the effectiveness of the Bahasa
Melayu courses that first-year foreign students are required to take have indicated that most participants
match the requirements of the studies. In order to better understand our classmates' responses and
reactions, we're asking them to take part in this research. Participants It is unclear how many Arab
graduate students attend UKM, Malaysia's National University. All of the pupils are from Arab nations,
therefore we'll choose our nine participants from that area. The participants are postgraduate students at
Malaysia's National University of Malaysia (UKM), and they have been in Malaysia for anything from
one to sixteen months. All of the people who took part in the study were Muslim; some of them had
relatives already living in Malaysia, while others were planning to visit; two of the participants were
married and had children, while the others were either childless or did not have any at all. After finishing
their degrees, everyone of the people interviewed said they intended to go back to their home country. As
opposed to their female counterparts, men participants are more likely to provide their consent to have
their interviews recorded.

Research Design
In light of recent violent and unrest-related events in the country of arab student, this essay examines the
students' point of view, the challenges they encounter, and their comments on their English-learning
technique. This study primarily used the qualitative research technique for data gathering, since this was
the most effective strategy for gleaning information from research questionnaires. For this research, four
Arab students were interviewed.

Sample of the study

In this study, we enlisted the help of four Arab students. They were contributed by a wide variety of
academic coders and the Language Program. Students in their first year of college made up the bulk of the
participants in this survey. This is why the research for this study was conducted at Albukhary
International University (AIU), in the city of Alor Setar in the Malaysian state of Kedah.
 CHAPTER 4

Results/ Findings
Finding (1): According to the findings of the interview, seventy percent of the respondents to experience
during studying in Malaysian universityand the other challenges that they face.

The table of the respondents: -

❖ Respondents A:

“….. Studying in Malaysian university is very good , I have learnt a lot and l’m still
learning a new skill every time , in Malaysian university you can see the difference
between Malaysian university and Arabian universities, in Malaysian university you
will know more about their culture moreover, the teachers have knowledge that
changed me , the knowledge that I have learnt from Malaysian university developed
me in different ways and that knowledge that I have now will help me in the future.

❖ Respondents B:

“….. My experience studying in a Malaysian university was truly a rollercoaster

ride. When I first arrived, I felt like a fish out of water - everything was so different
from what I was used to. The culture, the food, the climate - it was all a big change
for me. But as time went on, I began to adapt and embrace the new surroundings. I
made friends with locals and international students, and I started to enjoy the unique
and diverse culture that Malaysia has to offer.

❖ Respondents C:
 “…..My undergraduate experience in Malaysia was very special. I got to know the
country's culture and language, I even tried different food items that I never
expected to try before and some that tasted good and some that I was not able to eat
it.

❖ Respondents D:

“….Studying in Malaysia was a life-changing experience for me and I encourage

anyone who wants to study abroad, to take a look at its different national and
international universities but at the same time there are a lot of differences from
food or the way of driving.

Finding (2):

According to the findings of the interview, seventy percent of the respondents to What are the challenges
that you faced

The table of the respondents: -

❖ Respondents A:

“….. The challenge that I have faced was the food is different from my country and
l took time to get used to it moreover, the people speak English and Bahasa Melayu
language ( Malaysian language) and when I came here I didn’t have English and I
struggled to learn English to communicate with them also the locals I had to learn
Bahasa Melayu which is helped me a lot to communicate with the locals.

❖ Respondents B:
 “….. One of the biggest challenges I faced was trying to navigate the cultural
differences. Coming from an Arab background, there were certain customs and
practices that I wasn't used to. For example, I wasn't used to removing my shoes
before entering someone's home, or not being able to eat pork. But, like a flexible
and adaptable bamboo, I was able to adjust and learn the ways of the local culture.

❖ Respondents C:

“…..n fact, I could not adapt to the food in my first period, but after that I became a
big fan of the local food and the other factor is the language.

❖ Respondents D:

“….I have faced was the food is different from my country and l took time to get
used to it moreover, the people speak English and the fun fact that International
students are permitted to work 20 hours per week in one of these 4 sectors:
restaurants, petrol kiosks, mini markets, and hotels. While studying for my bachelor
degree, I chose not to work; as I preferred to focus on my studies and grow my
international network through interacting with international friends coming from
different backgrounds.

Finding (3):

According to the findings of the interview, seventy percent of the respondents to Do you think that
cultural differences is a big deal for you and why?

The table of the respondents: -

❖ Respondents A:
“….. Cultural differences were definitely a big deal for me. It was like trying to
learn a new language, it took time and patience to understand and communicate
effectively. But, just like a parrot that can mimic different languages, I was able to
learn and adapt to the new customs and practices. And as I began to understand and
appreciate the culture more, I found that it made my experience in Malaysia all the
more rich and enjoyable.

❖ Respondents B:

“…..Yes , I think that the cultural differences is a big deal , in Malaysian culture is
normal to communicate with the women in my country it’s not allowed to
communicate with women ,

❖ Respondents C:

“…..The impact of cultural differences on me was substantial. It was like learning a

new language; it needed practise and persistence to get a handle on the nuances of
conversation. But I picked up the new ways of doing things simply as a parrot picks
up a new language. I discovered that the more I learned about and absorbed the
culture of Malaysia, the more rewarding and satisfying my time there became.

❖ Respondents D:

“….I agree that cultural differences play a significant role; whereas interacting with
women is considered acceptable in Malaysian society, it is forbidden in my own
nation.
Finding (4):

According to the findings of the interview, seventy percent of the respondents to Have you faced
discriminated by teacher or student in the school?

The table of the respondents: -

❖ Respondents A:

“….. Yes I have faced that from Malaysian students . Malaysian students don’t like
to communicate with foreigners ، for me it’s not easy to be with them in the same
group work and also they speak their own language between us which is not easy
for us to understand them .

❖ Respondents B:

“….. No, never had this happen to me. The teachers are good, and they were like my
family

❖ Respondents C:

“…..Thankfully, I didn't face any discrimination from teachers or students during

my time in Malaysia. It was a pretty smooth sailing experience, like a boat gliding
along a calm river. The people were friendly and welcoming, and I always felt
respected and valued. I think this is a testament to the diversity and inclusivity that
Malaysia is known for.

❖ Respondents D:

“….To be honest, I have experienced it from Malaysian students. Having to work in

a group with a bunch of Malaysians who don't want to talk to you is challenging,
 and they speak their own language between themselves, making it difficult for us to
comprehend what they're saying.

CHAPTER 5

5.1 Conclusion

Graduate students from other countries must overcome cultural differences if they want to
graduate with the same level of academic recognition as their domestic peers. Although most of
the Arab postgraduate students at National University of Malaysia don't know what culture
shock is, they are nonetheless exposed to perspectives and experiences that are different from
those back home. Learning a new language and adjusting to a new academic setting are both
necessary steps for anyone planning to make a life for themselves in a country with a
significantly different cultural norm. Culture shock among Arab graduate students in Malaysia
was investigated, as were the primary challenges they faced when trying to assimilate into
Malaysian society. The challenges that were encountered were ranked as follows: (1) academic
challenges (2) language challenges (3) cultural challenges. Arab students in Malaysia share a
religion with the majority of the country's population: Islam. That could be the reason why
cultural barriers are estimated to be lower. However, how many students actually connected
cultural factors with their view of academic difficulties? Based on the results of this research,
future studies may want to focus less on Arabs and more on international students in general.