International conference in South Korea focuses on spreading Arabic language
The international conference, Challenges and Prospects of Teaching Arabic Language and Literature, concluded on Friday in the South Korean capital, Seoul. Held over two days at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, the event was organized by the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language in cooperation with the Korean Association of Arabic Language and Literature and Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Wosheemi, secretary-general of the King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language, emphasized the center’s commitment to strengthening its strategy and objectives in promoting the Arabic language worldwide. He highlighted the center’s ongoing efforts to enhance Arabic language education in Korea by implementing courses, publishing books, and organizing lectures. Al-Wosheemi expressed the center’s aspirations for the international conference to serve as a platform for reaching global audiences, establishing communication channels, and drawing upon diverse global experiences in teaching Arabic as a second language. He further emphasized the center’s dedication to unifying scientific references internally and externally in the Arabic language and its sciences.
Dr. Jong Wha Lee, president of the Korean Association for Arabic Language and Literature, provided a historical overview of the Arabic language in Korea, mentioning the establishment of several departments, the oldest dating back to 1965. He also discussed the rapidly evolving language education landscape with the advent of artificial intelligence. He intends to develop a plan for revitalizing Arabic language instruction through collaboration with organizations in Arab countries, he said, as well as exchanges among Arabic language specialists to explore various approaches to ensuring effective teaching methodologies.
The conference’s sessions addressed six key themes: modern methodologies in teaching Arabic as a second language; preparing teaching materials for Arabic as a second language; measurement and evaluation in the context of teaching Arabic as a second language; means and techniques for teaching Arabic as a second language; the current state of Arabic language teaching in Korea; and language planning for teaching Arabic and other languages in Korea.