Education Investment MENA 2014

Improving Arabic teaching and learning with technology

Dr Samia Al Farra
International education consultant

samialfarra@gmail.com

Outline
Introduction

The nature of Arabic language

The assigned weekly load/language
The importance to Arabs and Muslims
Context and rationale/ Dubai and other Emirates demography &ethnic structure
DSIB report 2014 regarding Arabic teaching , learning and assessment

Challenges facing Arabic language teaching and learning in Dubai

Challenges facing usage of technologies and innovation in schools

Teaching methodology and the need for innovation in Arabic with a focus on
learning
Why technology is important in teaching Arabic for A&B students?-Success
stories

Arabic language/nature of Arabic language and importance to Arabs

and Muslims
28 alphabets and very rich in words
Writing is from right to left
Has short and long vowels
Musical: rhyming, metaphors, similes, anonyms and synonyms

 28
Arabic Language consists of 28 letters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REFt6Ze-NiI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHv4Qw52omk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9Bu6T86TII

How Arabic is viewed in private

international schools

Overhauling the Delivery of Arabic

in Dubai Schools
In April 2012, His Highness Sheikh
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
announced an integrated strategy to establish
the UAE as a global center of excellence for
the Arabic language.

The initiatives launched as part of this

integrated strategy included the creation of
a dedicated educational facility at Zayed
University to promote Arabic education for
non-Arabic speakers, and establishing a
Faculty of Translation at the Mohammed
Bin Rashid Media College.

With a heritage that dates back over 2,000

years: Our national identity is integrally linked
to the Arabic language, which serves as an
effective medium to express our values, culture
and heritage. Promoting our mother tongue
will enable our future generations to connect
with our roots, society and values more
effectively.

His Highness also announced plans to

enhance Arabic content online through the
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority.
Poetry, story, calligraphy and reading
competitions for school students will also
be launched.

Dubai Private Education Statistics 2013-2014

158 private schools in 2013-2014 academic year.

More than 89% of all students in Dubai now attend private schools
243,715 is the number of students in private schools in Dubai. More than 20% are
Emirati/Arab students
8.3% increase in students in Dubai since the last academic year (an increase of 18,616
students)

30,994 is the number of Emirati students in private schools in Dubai

3.2% increase in Emirati students since the last academic year (an increase of 950 Emirati
students)

Status in Dubai Schools :

How do children and teachers use technology in the classroom? What Dubais
school inspectors have found so far

Good teaching practice now dictates that ICT resources be used effectively to promote
students skills of enquiry and research.
In fact, although teachers now use ICT more regularly, Inspectors noticed that many students
still have insufficient access to ICT to support their education across all subjects.
Inspectors found that more understanding of today s learners is needed so that schools can
make better links with technology.
It clearly achieves the aim of developing skills necessary for students to use ICT in a
responsible and discerning manner.
Inspectors observed ICT used imaginatively to discuss and debate issues around a set text
Efforts need to be enhanced to integrate ICT as a learning tool across the programmes of
study.

This can be achieved by training more teachers to be confident with technology in order to
use it in creative ways.

What are the challenges facing the Arabic language teaching and learning in
private schools in Dubai?
More teaching and less learning

Time given to Arabic

Scheduling of Arabic classes for Arabs and non-arabs
Phobia of utilizing technology in teaching
Lack of differentiation in content, in process and in product
And much more .

As Kate Bullock and Felicity Wikeley argued (2004), in

schools, much of the learning is managed for students by
teachers. Instead, students need to manage their own
learning so that they can manage their own lives after
they leave school. (Bullock and Wikeley, 2004)

Weekly periods allocated for Arabic a and Arabic b students

ARABIC A

ARABIC B

Teaching methodology and the need for innovation

Utilizing technology in its different forms in teaching, learning
and assessment.
More cooperation and collaboration with other schools are
needed.

Why technology is important in teaching Arabic?

Student can be more creative, more innovative and it would be

more relevant to their style of learning.
Constructing one owns knowledge through inquiry-This
generation(natives) are more advanced than the
immigrants(teachers). The young generation work
independently taping many Arabic credible resources found on
the web.
It encourages peer teaching and problem solving.

Success Stories from Schools in Dubai

How do we integrate technology in learning?-Uptown school

No technology no learning. Students in the 21st century will not learn without stimulating them
especially in language.

In Uptown, the school started with recording and videoing to show them their improvement through
the years so we are celebrating their successes together.
The power point was a good resource to show their own projects (stories and conversations).
Then some students they felt that power point is less than their ambitions so they searched for more
programs to celebrate their learning same like: Go animation, Scratch and powtoon they were creating
their own dialogues with animation it was really a good start towards the quick development in our
life.
Example 1: story to tell for the KG1 and KG2 from Grade 9 2013-2014.
Example 2: Writing assay from imagination so here they started to use Photoshop (A trip to
Canada). 2013-2014
Example 3: Go Animation dialogue from two students in Grade 10.2014-2015
Example 4: Teacher example on Scratch a dialogue for Grade 7. 2014-2013.

Example 5: Reading video samples.

Example 6: Display posters.
Example 7: Listen to a song the environment Grade 6.

How do we integrate technology in learning?- DBS school

Language Perfect Northern Championship.

-The competition is ONLINE and LIVE and students compete from
computers and iPod/Android apps.

-Through participating in this Championship, we are encouraging

our students to excel in the Arabic and English in order to take
part in this championship
-The best primary linguists and the Year 7 students participate.
-Winners are given iPads, skateboards and laptops which are part
of the $10,000 prize pool.

RAHA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL- ABU DHABI (1 of 2)

Ms. Ruba
http://learnarabicwithmee.blogspot.ae/ my personal Blog which includes general
information to start learning Arabic- Sets for each grade level to enhance language skills. It
is designed for both parents and students. It covers vocabulary and grammar in Arabic,
English and Transliteration.
http://quizlet.com/ArabicB-RIS-Ruba Quiz let for each grade level there is group of titles
based on students units and lessons. It is a fun way to learn Arabic with different activities,
games and tests. This programme is audio and visual supported. It challenges the students
through various activities and competition. Classes on Thursday is a bring device day where
all students are allowed to join with their devices and start learning through competition on
the apple TV screen where students get excited to see the results and their names on the
screen. They are all keen to win the top five places. If you would like to join my quizlet page
you should log on using a Gmail account then ask to join a set and I will accept the invitation
or you can send me your Gmail and I will send you the invitation on my behalf.
The following apps are designed by apple stores.
Pic .Collage : which is an APP which combines audible pictures , text and animations to
create sets of lessons vocabulary , sentences and paragraphs as well as adding the suitable
videos from you tube to it in a very easy and accessible way specially when using the Apple
TV .
I movie: browse your video clips and projects, create videos, theater for different topics,
create and share trailors and movies.

RAHA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL- ABU DHABI (2 of 2)

Ms. Ruba
Keynote: It is a fast way to create a presentation. It resembles a smart board in the size of
your palm. It contains most the smart board features. You can send the presentation and
share it easily with the students in class. I use it mostly when I ask the students to complete
a task like writing an end for a sentence or a story.
Hopscotch: It is an app to create your own animation characters to form a story or small
presentations. It is used by my students relate to the different units covered in class. It is not
easy to work with but the students tend to like it.

Pages: It is an app that supports typing and photos. It is very easy for students to use. They
are able to do their tasks via this app and email it directly to me. Mostly used for end of units
projects.
As I have 25 students in grade 5, I ask them to record three readings for the taught text and
email me the best recorded reading.
I upload the department weekly curriculum and homework for all grades (EY1 UP TO G5) on
Arabic B homepage using the Google features. All parents and students have access to it and
some of my students download the homework page on their device to answer it and email it
back to me. This is more fun for students and most important is eco friendly.
I have folders on my computer with their names to keep track of their work.

Resources
Global technology powerhouses to present smart learning tools that will shape future of
education in the Arab world at GESS 2013 www.gessdubai.com
How Children and Teachers Use Technology in the Classroom KHDA 2012 report.

Dubai Private Education landscape 2013-2014.

How do we integrate technology in learning? document presented by

a teacher from Uptown School , another from Dubai British school in
Dubai. A third one from Raha international school in Abu Dhabi.
Bullock, Kate, and Felicity Wikeley. Whose Learning Is It Anyway?
Maidenhead: Open UP, 2004. Print.