Identifying the Components and Dimensions of the Social Status of Arabic Language Teachers in Iraq: A Qualitative Study Using a Grounded Theory Approach
Abstract
Purpose: This study aimed to identify the components, dimensions, and interrelationships among the categories shaping the social status of Arabic language teachers in Iraq.
Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted using a constructivist grounded theory approach. The research population consisted of Arabic language teachers, educational administrators, and curriculum planning experts in Iraq. Participants were selected through purposive-theoretical sampling based on criteria including a minimum of 10 years of professional experience, direct experience in teaching Arabic language, and familiarity with educational policies and structures. Data were collected through 23 in-depth semi-structured interviews and continued until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data analysis was performed through open, axial, and selective coding procedures to identify key concepts, categories, and their relationships and to construct an explanatory model of the social status of Arabic language teachers.
Findings: The analysis revealed seven major categories organized around the core category of “enhancing the social status of Arabic language teachers.” Social flourishing emerged as the primary causal condition influencing status formation. Foundational infrastructures constituted the contextual conditions that shape teachers’ professional and social standing. Institutional inefficiency was identified as the main intervening factor constraining status enhancement. Two strategic categories, namely comprehensive empowerment and systemic optimization, were found to facilitate positive status development. These strategies ultimately led to institutional development as the principal consequence. The inferential relationships among categories demonstrated that the social status of Arabic language teachers is a multidimensional and dynamic phenomenon formed through the interaction of economic, cultural, institutional, and symbolic factors within the educational system.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that improving the social status of Arabic language teachers requires a systematic and process-oriented approach that simultaneously addresses foundational infrastructures, professional empowerment, and institutional development.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Mezen Khudhur Abbas Al-Fayyadh, Fatemeh Ziglari; Abed Gatea Samoom Jaranji, Jahanbakhsh Rahmani (Author)
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