Arab children snubbing Arabic

DUBAI // Arabic teachers say growing numbers of pupils are studying the language – but much of the interest is coming from expatriates.

A group of teachers gathered on Saturday at the Gems Modern Academy in Dubai for a workshop by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority on how they are teaching the language and best practices.

At the workshop teacher Basima Omari, from Syria, said most native Arab pupils were less interested in the language than their expatriate counterparts.

“I think students aren’t growing to like Arabic and this is a problem,” she said. “I don’t think they like it because no mothers speak to them in Arabic and they are surrounded by English.”

She said English was prevalent among pupils and their friends in school. “So how can they learn Arabic?,” she said. “The improvement is very small. If students want to learn, they will.

“Non-Arabs usually want to learn Arabic but not native Arabs, especially the younger children, because they don’t practise enough.”

But Marwa Haj, an Egyptian teacher at Al Shorouq School, said courses such as the one she attended were helping the spread of Arabic-language teaching.

“I attend at every possibility,” she said. “I find practical courses that give me the methodology of education – how to teach and train – more useful than theoretical courses.”

She said interest in Arabic was increasing across all schools. “Many schools are improving and the love for Arabic is improving too,” she said. “Even English schools and non-Arabic students are becoming very interested in the language.”

Jihan Metwali, a teacher at the academy for the past seven years, believed the country had made advances in developing and training teachers.

“I’m from Egypt and I go to many countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait but I think the UAE gives teachers the chance to have many good things to produce to the students,” she said. “I find it’s beginning to be very good and it creates a very good environment for Arabic learning for students.”

She agreed the language learning had improved across schools. “It’s very clear for me because I find there are many new methods for them to make students enjoy learning it.”

Nesmah Fathi, a teacher in Grade 1, 2 and 3 at Credence High School in Dubai for the past nine years, said courses provided by the Government had greatly helped the language to survive.

“They teach us what new methods are taking place or any new technology we can use in teaching students,” she said. “Arabic learning is improving in schools because we put in a lot of efforts.”