Author(s): Rabah Halabi
This study aimed to examine the impact of the difficulties encountered by Arab students in Hebrew academia in Israel on their academic achievement. The study was conducted on undergraduate students in a education college in northern Israel. The academic achievements of the Arab students were compared to those of the Jewish students, based on an analysis of data obtained from the college administration. The findings demonstrated a gap in achievement between Arab and Jewish students. The gap was approximately 10% to the detriment of the Arab students in their first year of study, but decreased from year to year. This gap was found to stem primarily from language difficulties. In order to help the Arab students and create a comfortable, supporting atmosphere for them at the college, I recommend that they be allowed to study courses in their own language, particularly in the first year.