Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Arabic as a foreign or additional language (AFL) is taught in settings where learners encounter Modern Standard Arabic, local Saudi Arabic, regional Arab dialects, and Arabic spoken by multilingual instructors whose accents may differ from textbook or local norms. This exploratory mixed-methods study examined AFL college students' awareness of Arabic accent and dialect diversity and their attitudes toward foreign-born or foreign-trained instructors. Drawing on Arabic variation-aware pedagogy, language-attitude theory, social identity perspectives, and communication accommodation theory, the study used the Accent/Dialect Legitimacy-Intelligibility Attitude Model (AD-LIAM) as an interpretive framework. Data were collected from 65 international undergraduate scholarship students at the Arabic Language Unit for Non-Native Speakers at the University of Ha'il during the 2024–2025 academic year. The shared quantitative dataset contains participant-level subscale means for Arabic Variation Awareness, Perceived Intelligibility and Comprehensibility, Instructor Credibility, Native-Speaker Ideology, Accent/Dialect Legitimacy, and Behavioral Intentions and Affective Comfort; qualitative data include 65 coded open-ended responses. Results showed higher awareness, legitimacy, and affective comfort among upper-intermediate and advanced students, while lower-level students expressed greater listening anxiety and stronger native-speaker orientations. The findings suggest that clarity, pedagogical support, and perceived credibility were central to students' acceptance of diverse Arabic voices. Because the study used a modest, single-site, cross-sectional, self-report design, the findings are exploratory and context-bound. The study offers a provisional framework for AFL accent-attitude research and practical implications for listening pedagogy, instructor evaluation, and inclusive language policy.</p>