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All Things Arabic

All Things Arabic

Caroline Sibley and QFI
Education, Society & Culture

Join us as we dive into the vibrant world of Arabic language education, sharing resources, interviews with experts, success stories, and discussions of hot topics in the field. Get ready to be inspired, equipped, and connected in your journey as an Arabic language enthusiast. Hosted by Caroline Sibley, teaching assistant professor of Arabic at UNC Chapel Hill, and produced by QFI, an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language.  



8 - Should Arabic Dialects Be Taught in the Classroom? What Research Reveals
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  • 8 - Should Arabic Dialects Be Taught in the Classroom? What Research Reveals

    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 surrounding the teaching of Arabic varieties and their research within it. They address questions such as whether dialects should be taught alongside Modern Standard Arabic, and what impact incorporating dialects has on student learning outcomes.  

    References: 

    Dr. Soliman mentions a 2016 study that she participated in, “Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language in the UK”: https://bit.ly/3QM1P3U  

    QFI Call for Research Proposals: In 2021, QFI put out a call for research proposals on teaching Arabic as a global language in schools. Rasha submitted to that Call and received a research award for her work on this topic.  

    Guidelines and Research Report: https://bit.ly/3ymc6gU  

    “We Can Learn Arabic”: open access video and audio resource for novice and intermediate learners curated by Dr. Emma Trentman: https://bit.ly/4dBCumV  

    Dr. Lizz Huntley’s website & links to research:  https://bit.ly/4bGztA9  https://bit.ly/4bzUZq6 

    Glossary: 

    GCSE: The General Certificate of Secondary Education is a set of qualifying exams in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  A-Level, or Advanced-Level exam: a subject-based leaving qualification offered in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland  CASA: Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad MSA: Modern Standard Arabic  FuSHa: Arabic term for formal Arabic. Synonymous with MSA/classical Arabic. DEI initiatives: Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives Dialects: A form of language spoken by a subset of a population Variety: A distinctive form of a language or linguistic expression. Colloquial: Language used in an informal or familiar context; not formal or literary Register: The conveyed formality of speech as determined by the social context

    **Note that in this episode, Dialect, Variety, Colloquial, and Register are often used interchangeably 

    Contact information

    We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at communications@qfi.org.

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of QFI. QFI does not endorse any products or services mentioned.

    QFI is an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. Visit our website to learn more, qfi.org.


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    Wed, 15 May 2024
  • 7 - Refugee Program in Ireland Paves the Way for English-Arabic Literacy

    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 Leckey, Project Manager of SALaM Ireland and Trudy Rossiter, Deputy Principal at a participating school, share about the research behind the project and its impact. 

    References: 

    SALaMA: The Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America is a mixed-methods research study which examines the mental health of adolescents after migrating to the United States. It is led by Washington University, St Louis (Principal Investigator, Professor Lindsay Stark) in partnership with QFI. https://sites.wustl.edu/salama/ SALaM Ireland: The Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to Ireland is a collaborative, school-based project conducted in Ireland as part of the larger SALaMA research initiative. https://cmhcr.eu/salam/  LEARNS: Language Enrichment for ARabic-speaking adolesceNts in Schools is the pilot program implemented based on findings from the SALaM Ireland Study. 

    Glossary: 

    SALaMA: the Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America SALaM Ireland: the Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to Ireland IRPP: Irish Refugee Protection Program  EAL: English as an Additional Language LEARNS: Language Enrichment for ARabic-speaking adolesceNts in Schools ESL: English as a Second Language; CBA: Classroom-Based Assessments 

    Contact information

    We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at communications@qfi.org.

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of QFI. QFI does not endorse any products or services mentioned.

    QFI is an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. Visit our website to learn more, qfi.org.


    Follow     us on: Twitter|Facebook|Instagram|LinkedIn| YouTube

    Wed, 17 Apr 2024
  • 6 - Arabic Language Assessments Part III: A Path to Standardization in Germany

    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: 

    CEFR: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an international standard for describing abilities of foreign language learners. 

    Contact information

    We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at communications@qfi.org.

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of QFI. QFI does not endorse any products or services mentioned.

    QFI is an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. Visit our website to learn more, qfi.org.


    Follow     us on: Twitter|Facebook|Instagram|LinkedIn| YouTube

    Wed, 20 Mar 2024
  • 5 - Arabic Language Assessments Part II: Examining the Arabic GCSE

    In the UK, teachers are calling for changes to the current language assessment models. The difficulty of Arabic language assessments and a disconnect between classroom teaching and exams are potentially deterring students from studying the language.

    This episode of All Things Arabic discusses teachers’ experiences with the Arabic GCSE and the changes they recommend to improve student experiences and encourage further language study. Contributing guests are Fatima Mohamed, an Arabic teacher at a girls school in England, and Luma Hameed, an associate lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London and a leader of the Arabic teachers Council in London and southern England.

    References:

    Arabic Teachers Council in London and Southern England: https://arabicteacherscouncil-london.com/homeBritish Council: https://www.britishcouncil.org/Arabic Honor Society: https://www.qfi.org/students/arabic-honor-society/ Arabic Teacher Councils: https://www.qfi.org/teachers/arabic-teacher-councils/

    Glossary of terms:

    GCSE: The General Certificate of Secondary Education is a set of qualifying exams in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.Edexcel, or Pearson Edexcel: The only privately-owned exam board in the United Kingdom, and the only exam board to offer Arabic.ACTFL: The Association for the Teaching of Foreign Languages, https://www.actfl.org/ CEFR: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an international standard for describing abilities of foreign language learners.

    Contact information

    We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at communications@qfi.org.

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of QFI. QFI does not endorse any products or services mentioned.

    QFI is an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. Visit our website to learn more, qfi.org.


    Follow     us on: Twitter|Facebook|Instagram|LinkedIn| YouTube

    Wed, 21 Feb 2024
  • 4 - What Arabic Can Learn From Other World Languages

    What lessons can other languages provide Arabic teachers? In this episode of All Things Arabic, Ann Marie Gunter, a World Language Consultant in North Carolina, discusses how other global languages like Mandarin overcame challenges that now face Arabic language programs, and strategies to boost enrollment, from offering online classes to Seal of Biliteracy programs to building teacher capacity.

    References:

    North Caroline Arabic Teachers Council: https://tarheels.live/ncatc/#:~:text=Established%20in%202021%2C%20the%20North,language%20programs%20across%20the%20state. North Carolina Virtual Public School: https://ncvps.org/Critical Needs Languages: https://exchanges.state.gov/clsSeal of Biliteracy: https://sealofbiliteracy.org/Arabic Honor Society: https://www.qfi.org/students/arabic-honor-society/

    Glossary of terms:

    FLANC - Foreign Language Association of North Carolina: https://www.flanc.org/CLTA-NC - Chinese Language Teacher Association of North Carolina: https://cltanc.com/

    Contact information

    We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at communications@qfi.org.

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the hosts and guests are solely their own and do not reflect the views of QFI. QFI does not endorse any products or services mentioned.

    QFI is an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. Visit our website to learn more, qfi.org.


    Follow     us on: Twitter|Facebook|Instagram|LinkedIn| YouTube

    Wed, 17 Jan 2024
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