The Extent of Soft Skills Integration in the Revised Arabic Language Textbooks for Fourth Grade Students in Jordan

Background. Soft skills are increasingly recognized as essential for student development in the 21st century. This study examined the extent to which these skills are integrated into the revised Arabic language textbooks for fourth-grade students in Jordan.

Methods. A descriptive analytical approach was employed using a content analysis checklist developed by the researchers. The checklist was based on a framework of eight core soft skills and their corresponding 60 sub-skills. The analysis focused on Arabic language textbooks officially introduced in the 2023/2024 academic year.

Results. The findings revealed that while all targeted soft skills were present to some degree, their inclusion was generally limited and uneven. Skills such as communication, digital literacy, and critical thinking were more prominently featured, whereas others, like decision-making and problem-solving, appeared less frequently and were often addressed superficially.

Conclusions. The study concludes that the current textbooks may fall short in fostering a balanced and comprehensive development of soft skills among students. It recommends a more systematic and deliberate integration of soft skills into textbook content, activities, and assessments. Further research is suggested to assess the integration of soft skills across different grade levels and to explore how effectively these skills are taught and applied in classroom settings.

Keywords: Soft skills integration, Arabic language textbooks, fourth-grade students, content analysis

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