Teaching Children Standard Arabic: Strategies and Methods to Stimulate Learning and Develop Language Skills

Arabic is currently the fourth most widely spoken language in the world and is spoken as an official language in 27 countries. The importance of the Arabic language is due to its antiquity, antiquity and deep roots in ancient Abrahamic history, which has been confirmed by modern studies. Some scholars point out that the Arabic language is superior to all other languages, except Hebrew and Syriac, and is the most similar to the first Semitic language from which it originated. This similarity between the two confirms the existence of something in common. Elements such as inflection and plural are not found in other languages ​​derived from the first Semitic languages. Therefore, it is very important to teach children classical Arabic.

The answer simply lies in the clear importance of language as a human identity. The Arabic language represents our Arab identity , which is manifested in a history full of achievements and civilizations, in addition to its spread in all sciences as an Arab reference. It is responsible for all types and foundations of modern sciences in medicine, pharmacy, technology, astronomy, agriculture, physics and chemistry.

We Arabs also believe in the importance of the Arabic language, not only for its structure but also for its sanctity as the language of the Holy Quran. Because God chose the Arabic language as the language of communication with His Prophet Muhammad, in order to convey His message to us and to all of humanity.

Added to this is the importance of the Arabic language as the official language of communication, even if you speak the colloquial dialect instead of the classical Arabic language. However, in most official conversations, seminars and various conferences, only the classical Arabic language is spoken. The Arabic language is evidence of the speaker’s originality and his belonging to the classical Arabic language, the most important language in the world. Therefore, it is very important to teach children the Arabic language.

Hence, it becomes clear why we teach children the Arabic language . This is because it is important not to abandon our traditions and the faith that our language expresses, as it is at the forefront of the priorities of all members of society, and thus the Arabic language is rooted as an integral part of the human personality and the formation that will remain with him until he performs his life mission.

The importance of speaking Arabic

Although it is believed that teaching children Arabic helps preserve Arab traditions, there are other related reasons why it is important:

• Most of the Islamic culture and Sharia sciences are recorded in Arabic in ancient references and books, so understanding them requires a comprehensive study of the Arabic language.

• The importance of learning the Arabic language comes from the ability to read and understand ancient texts such as Arabic poetry and prose, as well as reading the history of our ancestors and knowing their customs and traditions.

• Arab countries constitute a large part of the world, and the Arabic language has strategic importance, especially in expanding trade and cultural exchange between countries.

• The importance of learning Arabic is also evident in the ease with which you can learn other languages, such as Persian, which use the same script in both written and spoken language.

• The importance of learning Arabic lies in the fact that it includes all sounds from their correct phonetic articulations. This does not apply to all other languages ​​that lack one or more letters. That is why Arabic has become the most widely used language. You can learn other languages ​​because you can pronounce all sounds correctly from all phonetic articulations. That is why it is important to teach children classical Arabic.

How do I teach my son to read Arabic?

Reading is a complex process, but the steps to building this skill are very simple and easy.

Building phonological awareness

Nursery rhymes help teach rhyme and rhythm and help children hear the sounds and syllables of words. This is a great way to develop phonemic awareness , which is one of the most important skills in learning to read. This is to ensure that children develop the implicit reading and writing skills that will help them become successful readers in the future.

Cut out a regular card, write a three-letter word, and have your child choose a card, read the word together, and hold up three fingers.

Have them say the first letter they hear in the word, then the second, then the third letter of the alphabet. Pay attention to the sounds each letter makes rather than the name of the letter.

• Rich print environment

By observing printed words on posters and books, children can see and apply the connections between sounds and letter symbols . When you are outside, encourage your child to notice letters on signs and to focus on the first letter of the word. Ask: How do you pronounce this letter? Do you know another word that starts with this sound?

Focus regularly on simple word games or games that encourage your child to listen, recognize, and manipulate the sounds of words. For example, ask questions like: What sound does this word start with?

Basic skills

You need to understand the basic skills to teach your child to read. These include five key elements: phonemic awareness, the ability to hear and process the different sounds in words; phonics, the awareness of the relationships between letters and the sounds that words make; comprehension, the understanding of the meaning of words, their definitions and contexts; the meaning of texts (whether children’s stories or information books); and the ability to read aloud fluently, quickly, with comprehension and accuracy.

The power of technology

Using computers, mobile phones and tablets gives children a special pleasure. Take advantage of some websites that can help you learn to read and turn your child's fun time into an opportunity for learning. There are also many classic books that children can read. The application is available on mobile phones.

Learning to read should be a fun process to motivate children to improve. Children may enjoy learning at first, but when it gets difficult, they quickly get tired and give up.

As his mother, you need to pay attention to this stage and figure out how to motivate him again, such as using a reward system for completing tasks or reaching new levels.

Many people don’t realize how many skills they can develop just by reading to their children. Not only does it teach them how to pronounce words, it also develops basic comprehension skills and expands their vocabulary. Use interactive reading when: Invite your child to participate in the story.

Before you turn the page, ask what you think will happen next. You can also ask your child how the book ends.

Try to interest your child not only in fairy tales, but also in non-fiction books. Look for books that focus on his favorite topics, such as cars, dinosaurs, and animals. Rich in illustrations and designed specifically for children of this age.

All children learn at their own pace. So, always remember that the most important thing is to read regularly, choose the type of reading you prefer carefully, and make reading fun by letting your child choose books from time to time. This will give him the opportunity to develop a love of reading from an early age and learn to read easily.

Teaching children Arabic in fun ways

Reading simple stories is an effective way to teach children Arabic, as it helps them develop their reading and comprehension skills and expand their vocabulary. Children love reading fictional stories because they get immersed in the story, stimulate their imagination and enjoy learning Arabic.

Cartoons also help children improve their reading and comprehension skills. You can choose age-appropriate stories that tell simple events using simple, easy-to-understand language. When children enjoy reading, they become more interested in learning Arabic and are more motivated to continue learning, practicing, and listening. Therefore, it is important to teach children Modern Standard Arabic.

There are several methods you can use to teach your children Arabic, all of which are valid, but the benefits depend on the method you use. Teaching Arabic to students is not the responsibility of schools alone. However, home monitoring and language practice should be achieved through a variety of mechanisms.

These methods that aim to teach children the Arabic language have several forms and methods, the most important of which are:

• Teaching children Modern Standard Arabic through live tutoring sessions with teachers . Teachers begin by speaking to students in Arabic to introduce them to the sounds of the Arabic language, explaining grammar and providing examples with regular assessment.

• Teaching children the classical Arabic language through the computer by displaying words and pictures with Arabic meanings and showing video clips explaining the letters in the form of fun stories.

• Teaching children the classical Arabic language through written pictures and illustrated stories using libraries and computers. This method aims to excite the child, add an element of anticipation to him and prepare him to know how the story ends.

• Arabic is taught using an educational program in which teachers explain and demonstrate grammar, but with this method there is not enough assessment during and after learning, making it difficult to know whether the necessary educational objectives have been achieved or not.

• Teaching children the classical Arabic language through online training courses is one of the best ways because the information is transferred to the child by the teacher while you are in the comfort of your home and you can measure and know the child's level. Evaluate him in terms of whether he has achieved the objectives of the lesson. The most important of these courses are:

• Online Arabic language course for kindergarten.
• Arabic language courses for children online.

Teaching children classical Arabic remotely

Helping children learn Arabic remotely is different from helping adults or non-native speakers learn Arabic. Because children need to learn Arabic to achieve some goals. The strategic importance of Arab countries today, especially since they have opened up to the world in all fields.

Teaching children classical Arabic remotely has become one of the most important modern methods used by educational institutions, as the importance of distance learning emerged after the state emphasized the importance of distance learning due to the Corona virus, and it is one of the methods. What I learned online and how it contributed to achieving the necessary goals.

The importance of learning Arabic remotely for children is evident through a number of issues related to the child and the family, including:

• Teaching children classical Arabic remotely ensures their safety from physical or psychological harm.

• Early childhood education is like carving in stone, so establishing the Arabic language as an essential part of a child’s life through correspondence courses will certainly increase his belonging to the authentic Arab culture.

• Teaching children classical Arabic remotely will help them become more proficient than other students at the same educational level, as most distance learning systems rely on modern educational media such as images, videos, and educational games.

• When children learn Modern Standard Arabic remotely, they improve their ability to achieve their goals using modern technology, save time, and have a great learning environment in their own room.

• Teaching children Modern Standard Arabic remotely can help children as they can speak freely and express their ideas without resorting to violence or reprimands that are common among teachers during face-to-face classes.

• The importance of teaching Modern Standard Arabic remotely to children is highlighted by the ability of parents to monitor their children and ensure that they obtain the targeted knowledge, as well as the extent to which educational goals are achieved in addition to the child’s abilities. Check your child’s level through the assessments he/she completes in supervised learning courses.

Steps to teach children the classical Arabic language with Al-Madrasa.com

• To start teaching your kids Arabic, you need to hear many Arabic terms over and over again. This will familiarize the user with it and store it in memory for future use.

• Then come the stages of learning Arabic sounds, pronunciation, reading, writing letters, taking into account the correct way to hold the pen, drawing and imitating letters, and walking around the letters in the form of dots connecting them. Others to form letters.

• Next comes the stage of teaching your child how to read by defining words and adding pictures to represent them. Then expand this into a two-word sentence describing a picture, and then a three-word sentence. Similarly, reciting the Quran can be used to teach children the correct way to read from an early age, which greatly helps in improving children’s reading and speaking skills.

• Then the child writes a word consisting of two letters, then three letters, then four letters, and reinforces the meaning of that word in his mind with a visual image, then writes a word consisting of two letters, then three letters, then four letters, presenting a sentence consisting of a visual image, then a sentence of three words, and so on.

• When it comes to speaking skills, children need to listen to short stories in Arabic, some songs and educational texts for children that come with videos and animations, so that they can then develop their tongue to learn the classical Arabic language without any complications until they get used to the pronunciation.

At Almadrasah.com, we offer educational courses to teach children the classical Arabic language according to methodological standards that suit their ages and nature. We also employ the best Arabic language teachers who follow the latest teaching strategies and advanced teaching methods such as images, videos and educational programs. In addition to the benefits of games, lessons on determining the appropriate amount of time, you will also be provided with regular monitoring and evaluation, and exercises to ensure that you invest your time effectively.

The role of Madrasa.com in teaching children the classical Arabic language

The educational platform Madrasa.com plays an important role in helping children learn the Arabic language. Especially thanks to the various training courses and educational resources that help children and students learn the Arabic language easily at any time.

Below we will discuss the most important educational resources that our platform provides for teaching Arabic to children.

• We offer a variety of educational content : This platform provides a variety of comprehensive content for learning Arabic for children. This content may include comics, interactive games, songs, and educational activities. This allows children to expand their vocabulary and improve their reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills.

• Track your progress and evaluate your performance: This platform allows children to track and evaluate their progress in learning Arabic. Interactive tasks and exercises are provided to help children apply and reflect on the skills they have learned. Children can also identify their strengths and weaknesses and work on improving them. Interaction and engagement: This platform encourages children

• Interaction and engagement: This platform encourages children to interact and engage in the learning process. Children can interact with the content by solving puzzles and participating in interactive activities and exercises. Opportunities are provided for discussion and interaction with teachers and peers to improve language interaction and develop social skills.

• Flexibility of time and place: This platform allows children to learn whenever and wherever they want. Children can access content and activities through smart devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. This gives children and parents the flexibility to organize their learning time according to their needs.

• Guidance and assistance: The platform provides guidance and assistance to children in their learning process. Clear instructions and explanations are provided for linguistics, grammar, reading and writing concepts. Children can get additional support if problems or questions arise.

In conclusion, the Arabic language is of great importance among peoples as it is the language of the Holy Quran, so it is very important to learn to master the Arabic language, whether for native speakers or non-native speakers, especially children, because it is considered one of the most important languages ​​​​in the world, so many methods and means must be put in place to help master the Arabic language, and this is what is provided on the Madrasa.com platform. Among the recommendations that must be followed to master the Arabic language is to pay attention to continuous education, e-learning platforms, and social media in order to master the Arabic language. Therefore, it is very important to teach children the classical Arabic language in a distinctive way.