Analysis of the Implementation of the SQ3R Method for Improving Arabic Reading Skills at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah Level: A Library Research Study

Ahmad Musthofa (Universitas Islam Negeri Walisongo Semarang, Indonesia.)
Mahda Anggita Zukni Fahma (Madrasah Tsanawiyah Nahdlatul Ulama Mranggen Demak, Indonesia.)
Mamluatun Ni’mah (Universitas Zainul Hasan Probolinggo, Indonesia.)
Raysul Hoque (Cotton University Guwahati Assam, India.)

Mantiqu Tayr: Journal of Arabic Language
Vol. 6 No. 2 (2026): Mantiqu Tayr: Journal of Arabic Language

Arabic reading skills (maharah al-qirā’ah) are an important component of Arabic language learning at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah level because they support students’ ability to understand written texts, identify main ideas, interpret information, and develop vocabulary. Nevertheless, Arabic reading instruction may still face challenges related to students’ reading comprehension, vocabulary mastery, learning motivation, and active participation. The Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review (SQ3R) method offers a structured reading procedure that encourages students to interact actively with texts and process information systematically. This study aims to analyze the implementation of SQ3R in Arabic reading instruction at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah level and to synthesize reported learning outcomes across previous empirical studies. The study employed a library research design with a descriptive-analytical approach. Data were obtained from nine empirical studies published between 2018 and 2024, consisting of eight peer-reviewed journal articles and one undergraduate thesis. The undergraduate thesis was included because it investigated the implementation of SQ3R in Arabic reading instruction at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah level and provided empirical findings that fulfilled all inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that most of the reviewed studies reported positive changes in reading-related learning outcomes, including reading comprehension, reading achievement, student interest, and classroom participation. Nevertheless, the findings were not uniformly positive. One study reported a statistically significant pretest-posttest difference but a low mean N-Gain, while another focused on vocabulary mastery as a related learning outcome rather than direct reading comprehension. These findings suggest that the contribution of SQ3R may vary depending on the learning context, outcome measured, and implementation conditions. Consequently, SQ3R can be considered a promising instructional method for supporting Arabic reading instruction at the Madrasah Tsanawiyah level, although its effectiveness should be interpreted in relation to the characteristics and conditions of its implementation.