As we approach the end of 2020, we reflect on our pilot initiative, Arabic Language Classes for Youth. We launched 10 weeks of virtual Modern Standard Arabic classes to fill a need for affordable online language instruction. Each week on Zoom, our dedicated Instructors Issam and Majd introduced our students to the basics of the language.
At the beginning of our program, some of our students didn’t know a single word in Arabic. Others spoke in their colloquial dialect at home, but didn’t know any Modern Standard Arabic (Fus-ha). Now, all of our students can introduce themselves in Arabic and much more, opening a door for them to a wide world of language, visual art, and literature in the future!
First, students were introduced to the Arabic alphabet, learning how to write individual letters and identify them in a written or spoken word. They also built their vocabulary of commonly-used words in the Arabic language related to family, food, animals, and more. Our wonderful instructors used fun activities to engage our students as they began to speak Arabic a little more each week. We received complimentary feedback on the program from many parents. One remarked, “The lesson very organized and methodical” while another parent wrote that her student “…only had great things to mention…”
We are so grateful for the hard work of our Instructors Issam and Majd, who catered each lesson to the different levels and needs of their students, continuously gauging feedback to enhance the program.
We are excited to continue offering online Arabic Language Classes for Youth in 2021, while also introducing classes for adult learners as well. Look out for an announcement with the dates, times, levels, and costs to be posted soon!
Watch this video to see a few students speaking in Arabic:
