‘Living Arabic’ unites teachers of the language in Dubai

dubai — The needs and wants for better Arabic in schools here are being met, thanks to a host of new educational programs launched as part of a new ‘Arabic learning’ incubator.

Arabic teachers from private schools in Dubai are all set to benefit from the new initiative, which was announced at the latest edition of ‘Living Arabic’, an event by the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA).

Hosted at the Foremarke School, over 500 Arabic teachers learned new teaching methods and best practices at the ‘innovation’ themed event.

Fatma Al Marri, CEO of Dubai Schools Agency, said: “The Arabic learning incubator will allow teachers to benefit from latest innovations in teaching and learning Arabic. Bringing together innovative entrepreneurs and teachers will help us boost efforts to improve Arabic learning outcomes.”

Al Marri added: “We will work with schools to assess their needs and align future technology projects in the best interest of students and teachers. By supporting Arabic teachers and creating effective partnerships, we can progress faster in our journey towards achieving better quality education.”

At the Living Arabic event, 21 sessions showcased innovations in teaching Arabic, taking into account the diversity of learners, with dedicated workshops for native and non-native Arabic speakers.

On her part, Naomi Williams, Headmistress of Foremarke School, said: “We don’t know how the world will look like in the future but it is our responsibility to empower students with life skills that can help them integrate into society and become valuable citizens in an increasingly globalised era.”

In his keynote address, Sheikh Fahim bin Sultan bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Department of Government Relations in Sharjah, shared his personal journey of learning Arabic. “I did not speak Arabic in the early years of my life, but as I grew older, I consistently made an effort to teach myself Arabic and it took me four years to become fluent. I am thankful to those that supported me in learning Arabic with unwavering patience, especially my colleagues,” he said.

Al Qasimi called on parents to encourage their children to speak Arabic and practice their learning at home and around family.