Dubai: Fatima Bel Rehif, Director of the Dubai School Inspection Bureau (DSIB) at the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), identified three key causes as to why schools are not progressing in the teaching of the Arabic language.
“The first is the quality of teaching and delivery of lessons. Though a large proportion of teachers have an Arabic degree, few have teaching qualifications or pedagogical understanding, and lessons are too focused on memory and recall rather than understanding,” said Fatima.
Secondly, Fatima said, although the curriculum standards are outlined by the Ministry of Education, they are implemented by schools in different ways.
“This leads to inconsistencies in teaching and activities in classrooms, setting low expectations for the students. Teachers of Arabic need to use the information they have about a student more effectively to design lessons that fit individual learning needs.”
Finally, assessments are not reflecting the true levels of the students. By using traditional ‘memorise and recall’ examinations, schools cannot assess how much of the language students really understand and can use independently. So Arabic teachers have an inaccurate view of a student’s abilities across the four skills and do not teach the students appropriately, she said.
Fatima stressed the importance of the Arabic language, linking it to the national identity and heritage of the UAE.
“It is part of local culture and needs to be preserved. Arabic is a key subject in the curriculum, and it’s as important as any other subject the school offers, such as mathematics, science and English.”
Fatima said over the past seven years they’ve seen no decline in the quality of teaching, but it’s been quite static, particularly in the quality of writing and expression.
“In some cases, where the school principal and leadership have prioritised Arabic, we have seen significant improvement. Therefore, we know that with the right level of commitment, other schools can improve their teaching. It’s important to make Arabic fun again and inject some enthusiasm back into both learning and teaching. Also, being able to speak, read and write well in Arabic enables a student to learn other languages more effectively. This general skill in using language is key to learning across all subject areas.”
She said parents can help by practising the language with their children at home.
“Firstly, they can read and speak with their children at home, particularly if they themselves are fluent in Arabic. Non-Arabic speaking parents can encourage children to watch educational TV programmes in Arabic, to get as much exposure as possible.”
Arabic in schools is mandatory for both Arab and non-Arab students.
“ Arab students are not able to drop the subject until after Grade 12. Non-Arab students can stop formal learning of the language after Grade 9. Specific timings and curriculum documents apply to the teaching of Arabic to all students. Schools must comply with these minimum expectations,” Fatima said.
