Should Arabic Dialects Be Taught in the Classroom? What Research Reveals

Research is providing vital information on the impact of teaching dialects alongside Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). Historically, MSA was the primary form of Arabic taught and learned, but in the past 10 years the use of spoken dialects has expanded in classrooms 

Guests Dr. Rasha Soliman, Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Linguistics at University of Leeds in England and Dr. Lizz Huntley, instructor of Arabic and Linguistics at the University of Colorado Denver discuss the debate surrounding the teaching of Arabic varieties and their research within it. They address questions such as whether dialects should be taught alongside Modern Standard Arabic, and what impact incorporating dialects has on student learning outcomes.  

References: 

• Dr. Soliman mentions a 2016 study that she participated in, “Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language in the UK”: https://bit.ly/3QM1P3U  
  
  
• QFI Call for Research Proposals: In 2021, QFI put out a call for research proposals on teaching Arabic as a global language in schools. Rasha submitted to that Call and received a research award for her work on this topic.  
  
  
• Guidelines and Research Report: https://bit.ly/3ymc6gU  
  
  
• “We Can Learn Arabic”: open access video and audio resource for novice and intermediate learners curated by Dr. Emma Trentman: https://bit.ly/4dBCumV  
  
  
• Dr. Lizz Huntley’s website & links to research:  
  • https://bit.ly/4bGztA9  
  • https://bit.ly/4bzUZq6 

Glossary: 

• GCSE: The General Certificate of Secondary Education is a set of qualifying exams in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.  
• A-Level, or Advanced-Level exam: a subject-based leaving qualification offered in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland  
• CASA: Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad 
• MSA: Modern Standard Arabic  
• FuSHa: Arabic term for formal Arabic. Synonymous with MSA/classical Arabic. 
• DEI initiatives: Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives 
• Dialects: A form of language spoken by a subset of a population 
• Variety: A distinctive form of a language or linguistic expression. 
• Colloquial: Language used in an informal or familiar context; not formal or literary 
• Register: The conveyed formality of speech as determined by the social context

**Note that in this episode, Dialect, Variety, Colloquial, and Register are often used interchangeably 

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DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Qatar Foundation International (QFI).

QFI is an organization committed to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. Visit our website to learn more, qfi.org.

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