Bridging Cultures: The Effect of Islamic Cultural Content on Seventh Graders' Motivation and Performance in English

Abstract

The study investigated the impact of Islamic cultural content on the achievement and motivation of seventh-grade students in a school in Irbid. Using a one-shot quasi-experimental design, students were taught this content over four weeks. The research aimed to answer two questions regarding the statistical significance of the cultural content's effect on students' academic achievement and motivation in English. Results indicated a strong positive effect on students' listening and reading skills and heightened motivation, particularly in curiosity. The findings suggest that integrating Islamic cultural content significantly enhances English language learning outcomes. Consequently, the researchers urged the Ministry of Education to incorporate this content into English materials to further support student engagement and achievement.