QFI Podcast: All Things Arabic

Grounded in the newly released global report of the Study of Arabic Language Programs (SALP), this episode unpacks what the SALP findings mean for classrooms, programs, policy, and the future of Arabic language education. Hosted by Caroline Sibley, Teaching Assistant Professor of Arabic in North Carolina, the episode features two Institute of International Education (IIE) researchers who worked on and co-authored the SALP: Mirka Martel, IIE’s Head of Research, Evaluation and Learning Leah Mason, IIE’s Lead of Research, Evaluation and Learning Team and Interim Executive Director and Director of the Iacocca International Internship Program at Lehigh University Together, they discuss how Arabic programs are organized, supported, and sustained across six countries, and what educators, researchers, program leaders, and policymakers can take from the findings to support stronger Arabic language learning. They discuss: The current landscape of Arabic language education What supports and limits program growth How research can inform policy and practice What can be learned across different national contexts What comes next for Arabic language education 🎧 Watch or listen now, available wherever you get your podcasts. ➡️ https://www.qfi.org/podcast/ Produced by QFI to advance the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. 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). 

The third episode of Season Two of QFI’s podcast, All Things Arabic, is titled "Motivating Arabic Learners: Strategies from Alumni and Educators." Hosted by Caroline Sibley, Teaching Assistant Professor of Arabic in North Carolina, this episode features Dana Slayton, an Arabic language educator in Texas, and Najoua Ben Ramak, an English and Arabic language educator in North Carolina. Dana was a student and has now become an educator, making this episode an exciting dialogue between her and Najoua. Drawing from their experiences, the guests emphasize student motivation as one of the core pillars of the Arabic language education ecosystem, essential for engagement, achievement, and meaningful learning. Through initiatives like this podcast, QFI highlights motivation, fosters dialogue among educators, and shares knowledge across the Arabic education community. The discussion explores common challenges, including demotivation, overwhelmed beginners, and limited connection to the language. Educators can address these challenges by building community, focusing on practical, transferable skills, and integrating tools such as gamification, project-based learning, and pop culture to make learning Arabic more engaging. The conversation demonstrates how prioritizing motivation enables learners to overcome challenges and experience the joy and real-world relevance of learning Arabic—underscoring its role as a driving force in the Arabic education ecosystem. Produced by QFI to advance the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. 

The second episode of Season Two of QFI’s podcast, All Things Arabic, is titled "Two-Way Dialogue: Advancing Researcher–Educator Collaboration in Arabic Language Teaching." 

The first episode of Season Two of QFI’s podcast, All Things Arabic, explores what it takes to build and sustain successful Arabic language programs. Hosted by Caroline Sibley, Teaching Assistant Professor of Arabic in North Carolina, this episode features two expert educators: Jessica Haxhi, Supervisor of World Languages in Connecticut Samir Gibrial, Arabic Educator in Delaware They discuss: Sustaining Arabic language programs Addressing common educational challenges Engaging communities to support new initiatives Bridging K–12 and higher education gaps Improving program continuity and student outcomes Enriching schools and fostering global readiness through Arabic education 🎧 Watch Now — this episode is also available as a video podcast:  ➡️ https://www.qfi.org/podcast/ Produced by QFI to advance the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language.

Join us for a special episode of QFI’s podcast All Things Arabic podcast in celebration of World Arabic Language Day, premiering December 18, 2024! Titled Teaching Arabic in a Changing World: Perspectives from Educators, this episode is hosted by Caroline Sibley, Teaching Assistant Professor of Arabic at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and features a dynamic conversation with educators Layali Eshqaidef,  Founder and President of Kalimah Programs for Arabic Culture and Arts, Potomac, MD, and Alexander Porcelli, Arabic Instructor at the Washington Latin Public Charter School, Washington, DC.Together, they explore the evolving landscape of Arabic language education, discussing innovative approaches to engage students across primary, secondary, and university levels, foster community connections through immersive learning, and address critical challenges such as teacher training gaps, curriculum development, and misconceptions about Arabic. The podcast, led by educators for educators, serves to address critical challenges, spark innovative ideas, and foster thought leadership—all in support of advancing Arabic education globally, a mission proudly supported by QFI. 

The Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America (SALaMA) seeks to assess the mental health and psychosocial wellbeing of high school students who have been – or whose parents have been – resettled to the US from the MENA region. QFI partnered with Washington University in St. Louis in and a number of school districts and local refugee resettlement agencies around the US to uncover the true impact of displacement on mental health.  In this episode, Ilana Seff, Jeremy Aldrich, and Cyril Bennouna discuss what they’ve found and how educators, administrators, and schools can foster a healthy academic and social environment for resettled students. This episode explores the study's origins, key strategies for assisting students and families, and the empowering PhotoVoice project, which amplified students' stories and identities. This research highlights the importance of fostering resilience and inclusivity for resettled communities.Glossary: Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America (SALaMA): SALaMA is a mixed-methods study that is conducted by Washington University in St. Louis and QFI in partnership with a number of school districts and local refugee resettlement agencies around the country. The study deals with the mental health and psychosocial well-being of high school students from families resettled from the MENA region. Its takeaways are aimed at improving the lives of these students in the future, by applying the acquired learnings. Learn more: https://adolescentmigrationstudy.wustl.edu/  PhotoVoice: The SALaMA Photovoice program, supported by QFI, empowers adolescents from Arab-majority countries who have resettled in the United States to explore and articulate their identities, heritage, and experiences through photography and personal reflection. As a sponsor of SALaMA Photovoice, QFI believes the program aligns with its mission by offering an innovative approach to promoting learning and using the Arabic language as a key element of embracing one's heritage and identity. 

Are there lessons for Arabic language educators and admin in the way Scotland approaches language learning? In this episode of All Things Arabic, Fhiona Mackay, the Director of SCILT, explains how a hybrid teaching environment is helping students across the nation – even those in remote regions – learn Arabic.   References: Scotland’s National Centre for Languages Common European Framework of Reference for Languages  Glossary of terms: SCILT - Scotland’s National Centre for Languages National Qualifications – exams taken by students in the Scottish school system, studied in secondary schools and in colleges of further education 

Learning Arabic can unlock new opportunities for both professional and personal growth. In this episode, four former students of Arabic meet for the first time and discuss how learning the language shaped their lives and led them to their current career paths. Listen as each guest reflects on how their study of Arabic has led them to where they are, and how it greatly enriched their careers and their personal lives. Visit the Project Perseverance website to learn more about the guests: https://bit.ly/3AxXBYi   References: Project Perseverance: https://hum.byu.edu/project-perseverance 

Incorporating art, music, and calligraphy into Arabic classrooms enhances students’ linguistic and cultural knowledge—and makes space for fun and creativity.  Ustaaza Ibtissam, a dedicated educator with over 20 years of experience teaching French and Arabic to both native and non-native speakers, shares how she connects classrooms in North America with refugees and teachers in Lebanon, promoting cultural learning and fostering strong relationships between Arabic teachers and the community.  References: Craft and Talk: An educational enterprise that delivers quality artistic lessons in the language classroom by talented and native educators, mainly refugees and displaced, from all over the world: https://craftntalk.com  QFI's Arabic Teacher Excellence Award: This annual award recognizes Arabic language educators at state-funded, primary and secondary schools for their dedication, commitment, and effort to provide quality Arabic language education to their students in innovative ways:  https://www.qfi.org/news/qfi-arabic-teaching-excellence-awards-launch/ Glossary: ISD: Independent school district 

So far in All Things Arabic, we’ve heard from teachers, students, administrators, and researchers about Arabic language education. But what do parents of Arabic learners have to say about the language? In the latest episode, hear from Kelly, the parent of an Arabic learner at a secondary school in Chicago. Kelly shares her perspective on Arabic and the opportunities it has offered her daughter, Kendall. References: Arabic Honor Society: https://www.qfi.org/students/arabic-honor-society/  2022 FIFA Men's World Cup in Qatar: The FIFA World Cup 2022™ in Qatar was the first edition of the tournament to be hosted in the Arab World Glossary: CIEE study abroad program: The Council on International Educational Exchange, a non-profit organization promoting international education and exchange: https://www.ciee.org  NSLI-Y youth program: NSLI-Y provides intensive language immersion programs in locations around the world: https://www.nsliforyouth.org  CPS: Chicago Public School Arabic TA: Arabic Teaching Assistant 

What’s the secret to expanding an Arabic program at a secondary school and building a love of language learning among students?  Ustaaz Fadi  has played a vital role in the creation, expansion and management of the World Language Curriculum at a state-funded school in Chicago. Hear from Fadi about his experience teaching Arabic and engaging students and communities, as well as his advice for teachers and administrators.  References: ACTFL: https://www.actfl.org  Global Seal of Biliteracy: an organization that offers a digital, portable credential for language proficiency: https://theglobalseal.com/international-landing  Journal Article: “Expanding Assessment Options for Learners and Speakers of Less Commonly Tested Languages”:  https://ncta.memberclicks.net/assets/docs/JNCTA/04.14.23%20-%20NCTA%20Journal%20of%20Testing%20Vol%206%2C.pdf  Glossary: CI Activity: Comprehensible Input Activity TPRS: Teaching Proficiency Through Reading and Storytelling AP curriculum: The AP Program offers college-level courses and exams that students take in secondary schools in the US CIEE: The Council on International Educational Exchange is a non-profit organization promoting international education and exchange ACTFL:  American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages 

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 

In Ireland, a unique pilot program for students from Syria provided intensive English and Arabic language lessons to help improve literacy over the summer of 2023. Many of these students had missed years of education and had poor language skills in both English and Arabic. This pilot, implemented based on findings from the SALaM Ireland research project, pioneers a path forward for boosting both mother tongue literacy and English language acquisition for refugee learners. Guests Yvonne Leckey, Project Manager of SALaM Ireland and Trudy Rossiter, Deputy Principal at a participating school, share about the research behind the project and its impact. References: SALaMA: The Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America is a mixed-methods research study which examines the mental health of adolescents after migrating to the United States. It is led by Washington University, St Louis (Principal Investigator, Professor Lindsay Stark) in partnership with QFI. https://sites.wustl.edu/salama/ SALaM Ireland: The Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to Ireland is a collaborative, school-based project conducted in Ireland as part of the larger SALaMA research initiative. https://cmhcr.eu/salam/  LEARNS: Language Enrichment for ARabic-speaking adolesceNts in Schools is the pilot program implemented based on findings from the SALaM Ireland Study. Glossary: SALaMA: the Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America SALaM Ireland: the Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to Ireland IRPP: Irish Refugee Protection Program  EAL: English as an Additional Language LEARNS: Language Enrichment for ARabic-speaking adolesceNts in Schools ESL: English as a Second Language; CBA: Classroom-Based Assessments 

This episode explores the reality of teaching Arabic in Germany through the lens of assessments, including process, problems, and successes. Dr. Peter Konerding, an Arabic teacher and the coordinator of the Center for the Arabic Language, discusses what the situation is and how CEFR standards can be applied to Arabic in Germany. References: German Arabic Teacher Association: https://vdal-d.de/  Salzmannschule Schnepfenthal: https://www.salzmannschule.de/  Glossary of terms: CEFR: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an international standard for describing abilities of foreign language learners. 

In the UK, teachers are calling for changes to the current language assessment models. The difficulty of Arabic language assessments and a disconnect between classroom teaching and exams are potentially deterring students from studying the language.This episode of All Things Arabic discusses teachers’ experiences with the Arabic GCSE and the changes they recommend to improve student experiences and encourage further language study. Contributing guests are Fatima Mohamed, an Arabic teacher at a girls school in England, and Luma Hameed, an associate lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London and a leader of the Arabic teachers Council in London and southern England.References:Arabic Teachers Council in London and Southern England: https://arabicteacherscouncil-london.com/homeBritish Council: https://www.britishcouncil.org/Arabic Honor Society: https://www.qfi.org/students/arabic-honor-society/ Arabic Teacher Councils: https://www.qfi.org/teachers/arabic-teacher-councils/Glossary of terms:GCSE: The General Certificate of Secondary Education is a set of qualifying exams in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.Edexcel, or Pearson Edexcel: The only privately-owned exam board in the United Kingdom, and the only exam board to offer Arabic.ACTFL: The Association for the Teaching of Foreign Languages, https://www.actfl.org/ CEFR: The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), an international standard for describing abilities of foreign language learners.

What lessons can other languages provide Arabic teachers? In this episode of All Things Arabic, Ann Marie Gunter, a World Language Consultant in North Carolina, discusses how other global languages like Mandarin overcame challenges that now face Arabic language programs, and strategies to boost enrollment, from offering online classes to Seal of Biliteracy programs to building teacher capacity.References:North Caroline Arabic Teachers Council: https://tarheels.live/ncatc/#:~:text=Established%20in%202021%2C%20the%20North,language%20programs%20across%20the%20state. North Carolina Virtual Public School: https://ncvps.org/Critical Needs Languages: https://exchanges.state.gov/clsSeal of Biliteracy: https://sealofbiliteracy.org/Arabic Honor Society: https://www.qfi.org/students/arabic-honor-society/Glossary of terms:FLANC - Foreign Language Association of North Carolina: https://www.flanc.org/CLTA-NC - Chinese Language Teacher Association of North Carolina: https://cltanc.com/

This episode dives into Arabic debate at the high school/secondary school level. Arabic debate seems to be more than just a linguistic exercise; students are advancing in their language and critical thinking skills and are finding joy in learning, all within the school setting.This episode features secondary school Arabic debater and team captain Mariana McCottry, her Arabic teacher and debate coach Rana Nasser, and principal Dr. Caroline Sanchez, all from Cumberland International Early College High School in North Carolina. They share tips for success in debate, what’s needed to start a debate team and recruit students, and the value-added of the Arabic program and debate team at their school. Tune in for an inside scoop into secondary school Arabic debate!References:Flipgrid (now called Flip)Arabic Honor SocietyStart an AHS ClubWorld Arabic Language DayU.S. High Schools Arabic Debating ChampionshipHow to Become a DebaterDebate Modules

Join us this week as we follow two university Arabic debate teams as they prepare for a national competition and make every effort to come out on top. UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University’s rivalry is age-old: Who has the better basketball team? Who has a more beautiful campus? Which shade of blue is better: light Carolina blue or dark Duke blue? And now, who has the fiercest Arabic debate team?In 2022, Duke and UNC students joined forces to win the 3rd US Universities Arabic Debating Championship. In 2023, they will face off, all in Arabic. Hear from UNC and Duke debate team captains Jasper Schutt and Majid Al Munefi about their experiences with Arabic debate and the hard work of both teams to prepare for the championship. Are you #teamUNC or #teamDuke?We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at [email protected]. 

With the expansion of Arabic language programs across the US, UK and Europe, educators and their institutions are striving to strengthen methods for teaching and learning Arabic, just like any other global language. This episode discusses one of the proficiency and performance assessment techniques and language standards used in some US classrooms. Guests Rolla Elsaiary, Magnet Coordinator at Arabic Immersion Magnet School in Houston, Texas, and Amanda Minnillo, a Language Specialist at Avant MORE Learning, share their opinions on what's working and what needs changing in their contexts. References:QFI Can Do Statements for Dual Language Immersion ProgramsDLI OverviewWhat Is CLIL? The Global Trend in Bilingual Education ExplainedAvant Assessment STAMP Teacher Power Up Guide Avant STAMP™ Glossary of terms:ACTFL:  American Council on the Teaching of Foreign LanguagesAIMS:  Arabic Immersion Magnet SchoolCLIL:  Content and Language Integrated LearningSTAMP:  Standards-Based Measure of ProficiencyContact information: We welcome comments or suggestions. Contact us at [email protected].