Instructional design of majāz in Arabic textbooks: a praxeological review for non-native secondary learners

Purpose This study aims to propose a structured didactic design for teaching majāz (figurative language) to non-native Arabic secondary learners by utilizing Chevallard’s Anthropological Theory of the Didactic. It specifically addresses the “didactic gap” between complex rhetorical tasks and the cognitive scaffolding provided in learning materials. Design/methodology/approach The study employs a qualitative, interpretive document analysis of a purposive corpus of Arabic textbooks designed for non-native secondary learners. Using a theory-driven praxeological framework (T, τ, θ, Θ). The analytical focus is placed on the didactic transposition of majāz concepts. To ensure validity and trustworthiness, the study utilizes theoretical and analyst triangulation. Findings The analysis uncovers a critical praxeological misalignment: highly demanding identification tasks (T) are presented without explicit cognitive techniques (τ), relying instead on abstract classical definitions (θ). To bridge this gap, this study proposes a reformed instructional design featuring a “Three-Step Semantic Decoding Algorithm” (detecting semantic anomalies, mapping conceptual domains, and reconstructing figurative meaning). Research limitations/implications Practically, the findings offer an operational guide for curriculum developers and textbook authors to design scaffolded rhetorical tasks and visual aids. For educators, it provides concrete classroom activities (e.g., “The Semantic Detective”). Originality/value This study represents one of the few early attempts to systematically apply didactic praxeology to L2 Arabic rhetorical pedagogy (Balāghah), offering a novel approach to analyzing and reconstructing figurative language instruction.