Investigating teacher beliefs on integrating linguistic variation in Arabic teaching

This research project investigates teachers in the UK’s perceptions of Arabic teaching in their schools, with a focus on integrating Arabic varieties. Through interviews and focus groups with different types of Arabic teachers from a variety of classrooms across the UK, this study explores teachers’ attitudes on integrating Arabic regional varieties (RVs) in their classrooms.

Guidelines for integrating RVs in Arabic classrooms were collaboratively developed with input from participating teachers, ensuring that the recommendations are not only theoretically grounded but also practical and feasible within the educational context. While these guidelines are tailored specifically for the context of UK schools, they possess the potential for broader applicability elsewhere. They offer valuable insights and strategies for Arabic teachers who primarily focus on MSA, addressing the challenge of integrating RVs into the classroom and emphasizing the importance of doing so to enrich language instruction and the learner’s Arabic proficiency.

Read the full research report below:

Listen to Dr. Rasha speak about her research on the "All things Arabic" podcast