Reconceptualising Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) for Islamic Education: A Theoretical Framework for Integrating Arabic Linguistic Proficiency and Instructional Design

Abstract

Islamic Religious Education is a complex phenomenon that bridges the theological, jurisprudential, historical and ethical terrains. Although Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) has been the standard way to connect content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, the concept is often used in Islamic studies without considering Arabic's status as a dynamic cognitive tool and not as a second-language elective. This paper proposes a fresh theoretical model that combines the two theories of Stephen Andrews’ Teacher Language Awareness (TLA) and Yves Chevallard's theory of Didactic Transposition in a way that is systematic.The present paper proposes a new theoretical model, designated Islamic Pedagogical Content Knowledge (I-PCK), which systematically integrates the two theories, namely Stephen Andrews' Teacher Language Awareness (TLA) and Yves Chevallard's theory of Didactic Transposition. This model illustrates how the key theological areas of learning in Islamic education are pedagogically deislamicized, de-theologized and depersonalized through mapping of Arabic language skills into teachable curricula in Islamic education, without compromising the theological integrity of the scholarly texts. Moreover, this study explores how the Reference Framework for Teaching Arabic to Speakers of Other Languages (IMTAA) and Total Quality Management (TQM) principles have been implemented in order to overcome the pedagogical dilemma of classical grammatical formalism versus modern communicative competence. The I-PCK model developed as a result of this process offers a framework of action for curriculum designers, teacher educators and policy makers to consider in order to maximise teacher preparation and improve the quality of Islamic education in non-native settings.

Keywords: Islamic Religious Education, Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK), Islamic Pedagogical Content Knowledge (I-PCK), Arabic Linguistic Proficiency, Teacher Language Awareness (TLA)