Arabic teachers should use technology to communicate with students, says AUS workshop

Arabic language teachers should utilize technology to better communicate younger generation, according to a workshop for Arabic language teachers organized recently by American University of Sharjah (AUS). The workshop, entitled "Arabic Teaching: Theoretical and Practical," was organized by the Department of Arabic and Translation Studies at the AUS College of Arts and Sciences.

Dr. May Zaki, Assistant Professor at the Department of Arabic and Translation Studies at AUS, told more than 150 Arabic teachers from schools all over the UAE who attended the workshop that an important aspect of taking care of our language is "keeping pace with technology in order to be able to communicate more easily with members of the younger generation, who constantly use technology on a daily basis."

Dr. Ronak Husni, Professor and Head of the Department Arabic and Translation Studies at AUS, said, "This workshop is a labor of love, as my colleagues readily give their time, on their weekends, for their concerns for Arabic as part and parcel of our identity and culture.

"I am delighted to have over 150 teachers attending our event. We believe that we have a big responsibility, which is to take good care of our language. We should learn to allow an easy and convenient way for the teaching of Arabic and integrate recent technology in the teaching process as well," she added.

The workshop addressed some of the theoretical and practical aspects in teaching the Arabic language and included three sessions: Teaching Arabic Grammar; Vocabulary Building in Arabic: Theory and Practice; and Integrating Building in the Arabic Classroom.

In addition to Drs. Zaki and Husni, speakers from the department also included Dr. Ahmad Ali, Associate Professor; and Dr. Jeremy Palmer, Assistant Professor. The audience were Arabic teachers from schools of all over the UAE, especially Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

The workshop addressed various aspects of Arabic teaching, along with requirements, analysis and skills necessary for its teaching. Presentations focused on the teaching of Arabic syntaco-morphological patterns to non-Arabic speakers, theories about learning Arabic vocabulary, the benefits in integrating technology in the Arabic classroom and much more. The speakers also included, all from the Department of Arabic and Translation Studies.