Gender Equality in Teaching Materials of Arabic at Elementary School

To inculcate since the early age concept of gender equality within children is essential and needs to intensify. One way to socialize this concept is through education. Arabic language as a subject formally taught among elementary school students, especially in their integrated system schools, can be utilized as a vehicle for this particular agenda. A research conducted to study materials being taught in those schools in connection with gender equality is required. This paper is designed using analytic descriptive method to help accomplish that purpose.


Introduction
Besides being the language of the Qur'an, a Muslim's holy book, Arabic is also functioning as the language of religious sciences and rituals of every Muslim individual and society. Studying Arabic language is thus considered a necessity for the perfection of Muslim's everyday duties.
Attempts to achieve ample ability in the Arabic language skills are obtained through teaching and learning as a way to gain knowledge. In Indonesia, this process of knowledge transferring of Arabic has started from a student's early age.
This research uses analytical descriptive method to study the gender equality in materials for elementary school students. In particular, it discusses the inculcation of gender equality value in Arabic learning materials for children. It focuses on how gender value can be absorbed through gender perspective available in those learning materials.

Gender Equality in Teaching Materials of Arabic at Elementary School
Some earlier studies show the connection between one's perception about gender and the language he or she uses. One among them is Gender Equality in Action; Analysis on Arabic and English Pronouns (Akmaliyah & Muhammad Rosyid Ridho, 2017). Arguing that gender concepts have influenced the language and the other way around, the authors suggest that it needs a deliberated action in any way possible to build more tolerant and sympathetic attitude towards both sexes within any known language.
According to Mansour Fakih, gender is a trait in men and women which is formed or constructed socially and culturally. As already known, attributes of woman are gentle, emotional, maternal, while of man are virile, fatherly, also rational in nature. The traits are in fact exchangeable based on the dynamics of human culture and trends within the community. In certain societies and times, women might possibly be rational, virile, or powerful, just as men in other societies and times. Mansour Fakih. Menggeser Konsepsi Gender dan Transformasi Sosial, (1996, 8-9).
With regard to gender concept in Arabic teaching materials, it can be analyzed through the implementation of the teaching components. Since attempts to achieve the Arabic language skills are obtained through the process of teaching or learning (Poerwadarminta, 1986: 108), it is important to lay focus on all its components. They comprise of study participants, teachers, learning materials, teaching process, and evaluation.
It is in the Law no. 35 article 9 (Ministry of Women's and Children's Empowerment of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016: 8) stated that children are entitled to education and instruction in the framework of their personal development and level of intelligence according to their interests and talents. Teaching gender equality to children means that the teaching in its various components must contain good and friendly IDEAS, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2019ISSN 2338-4778 (Print) ISSN 2548 treatment to the child regardless of gender. It must reveal in the materials as well as in the attitude or manner of the teaching.
Among the cultural products of society that in a way mold the concept of gender equality within children is the language they spoke. It has influenced the concept gender equality, and the other way around. This way, teaching language appropriate to inculcation of gender equality is plausible based on that assumption of linguistic determinism.
Some factors have significant influence to the processes of learning, from outside in the form of social and non-social factors, also from within the student's self in the physiological and psychological domain (Sumadi Suryabrata, 1991: 249). One factor that supports the success of teaching and learning (in the form of outcomes and outputs) is the gender strategy as revealed in the material and observed in the process of teaching.

Conclusion
Gender equality value can be inserted in the Arabic teaching material for students so that its concept can be absorbed since childhood. So long as the success of teaching and learning (its outcomes and outputs) is determined by its gender strategy, it can be hoped that the teaching materials are child friendly and without denying gender equality.