A Model Of English Language Environment Formation At Mambaus Sholihin Islamic Boarding School Suci Manyar Gresik

Abstract

The demands of globalization have placed English proficiency as an essential competence for students in Islamic boarding schools, both as a means of accessing scientific knowledge and as a medium for conveying Islamic values on an international scale. Mambaus Sholihin Islamic Boarding School, recognized as a Pondok Bahasa, has long implemented bilingual practices in Arabic and English as part of its educational tradition. Nevertheless, the main challenge lies in designing a language environment that is both effective and sustainable while maintaining the Islamic boarding schools’ cultural and religious identity. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the process and model of forming an English language environment at Mambaus Sholihin Islamic Boarding School, Suci, Manyar, Gresik. This research employed a qualitative phenomenological design to capture the lived experiences of stakeholders within the Islamic boarding school community. The population consisted of Islamic boarding school leaders, language instructors, and administrators, while key informants were selected through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and documentation. Thematic analysis was applied in interpreting the data, with triangulation of sources, techniques, and time serving as the strategy to ensure credibility and validity. The results indicate that the formation of the English language environment is grounded in systematic planning formalized in a Terms of Reference (TOR) and involves a wide range of stakeholders. Its implementation is based on five fundamental principles: communication, commitment, exemplary modeling, monitoring, and consistency. These principles are realized in the form of structured programs such as Drill and Conversation, the enforcement of a language area policy, and the establishment of nonformal supporting institutions, including the Intensive English Course, the Mambaus Sholihin English Course (MEC), and the Language Center of Universitas Kiai Abdullah Faqih. These institutions collectively create a sustainable pathway for students’ English mastery across different educational levels. In conclusion, the study demonstrates that the model of English language environment at Mambaus Sholihin Islamic Boarding School reflects an integration of behaviorist reinforcement, sociocultural interaction, and ecolinguistics adaptation. This integrated model not only enhances students’ communicative competence but also fosters discipline, autonomy, and religious character, thus preparing them to participate effectively in the global arena while remaining rooted in Islamic boarding school traditions. The findings contribute theoretically to the discourse on language environment formation and practically provide a replicable framework for other Islamic boarding schools seeking to harmonize traditional values with the demands of modern education.

Keywords: English environment, Formation model, Islamic boarding school.