All Things Arabic Caroline Sibley and QFI

Incorporating art, music, and calligraphy into Arabic classrooms enhances students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge—and makes space for fun and creativity. Ustaaza Ibtissam, a dedicated educator with over 20 years of experience teaching French and Arabic to both native and non-native speakers, shares how she connects classrooms in North America with refugees and teachers in Lebanon, promoting cultural learning and fostering strong relationships between Arabic teachers and the com...

So far in All Things Arabic, we’ve heard from teachers, students, administrators, and researchers about Arabic language education. But what do parents of Arabic learners have to say about the language? In the latest episode, hear from Kelly, the parent of an Arabic learner at a secondary school in Chicago. Kelly shares her perspective on Arabic and the opportunities it has offered her daughter, Kendall. References: Arabic Honor Society: https://www.qfi.org/students/arabic-honor...

What’s the secret to expanding an Arabic program at a secondary school and building a love of language learning among students? Ustaaz Fadi has played a vital role in the creation, expansion and management of the World Language Curriculum at a state-funded school in Chicago. Hear from Fadi about his experience teaching Arabic and engaging students and communities, as well as his advice for teachers and administrators. References: ACTFL: https://www.actfl.org &...

Research is providing vital information on the impact of teaching dialects alongside Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Historically, MSA was the primary form of Arabic taught and learned, but in the past 10 years the use of spoken dialects has expanded in classrooms Guests Dr. Rasha Soliman, Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics at University of Leeds in England and Dr. Lizz Huntley, instructor of Arabic and Linguistics at the University of Colorado Denver discuss the debate...

In Ireland, a unique pilot program for students from Syria provided intensive English and Arabic language lessons to help improve literacy over the summer of 2023. Many of these students had missed years of education and had poor language skills in both English and Arabic. This pilot, implemented based on findings from the SALaM Ireland research project, pioneers a path forward for boosting both mother tongue literacy and English language acquisition for refugee learners. Guests Yvonne L...

This episode explores the reality of teaching Arabic in Germany through the lens of assessments, including process, problems, and successes. Dr. Peter Konerding, an Arabic teacher and the coordinator of the Center for the Arabic Language, discusses what the situation is and how CEFR standards can be applied to Arabic in Germany. References: German Arabic Teacher Association: https://vdal-d.de/ Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal: https://www.salzmannschule.de/ Glossary of terms...