KHDA Targets Poor Dubai Arabic Tuition
The KHDA has announced plans for a new What Works workshop series to tackle the poor standard of Arabic teaching in Dubai.
According to UAE newspaper, Gulf News, the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) has found during annual inspections that almost three-quarters of schools have fallen short in Arabic language teaching and student language attainment, when compared to other subjects. It went on to say that teaching approaches were "often repetitive and did not engage or motivate the students."
In response the KHDA has chosen to make Arabic teaching the focus of their upcoming What Works teacher-led workshops to be held throughout 2014. "What Works will focus on sharing positive experiences in Arabic,” said Hind Al Mualla, the Chief of Engagement at KHDA.
The workshops are part of the KHDA's continued commitment to improving Arabic tuition throughout Dubai's private schools. Previous initiatives by the authority include the implementation of new rules on recruitment of Arabic/Islamic studies teachers in 2013.
When interviewed, schools said they felt the issue lay with the lack of high quality Arabic teachers available in the city, stating they felt forced to recruit outside the UAE. Christopher McDermott, Principal at GEMS International School said,“The quality of education is only as good as the teachers. Recruitment of teachers should be rigorous."
Hind Al Mualla, chief of engagement of Dubai education regulator the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), said, "An additional language is certainly an opportunity and an advantage."
Excellent initiative from the KHDA.
Improving the teaching and learning of the Arabic language is key and it can only succeed if the right ingredients are put together to create an attractive curriculum and by attracting skilled, passionate and talented teachers eager to teach their mother thongue to Arabic and especially to non Arabic speakers.
The new regulation in place since 2013 calls for teachers of Arabic language to hold a university degree but ignores completely the teaching skills and the pedagogy.
As a result of this new regulation a number of university degree holders could sit the exams and gain access to teaching Arabic for Arabic speakers and non Arabic speakers.
As a professional active in the education technology I could need the negative impact and absence of improvement in the learning process of Arabic, especially amongst non Arabic teachers.
No use of technology in the class, no engagement of students in the class, teachers speak English most of the time.
In fact the demonstrated teaching skills are those experienced by these teachers when they themselves learned Arabic at the same age in their respective countries of origin, that is in the old fashion.
Unfortunately the new regulation is putting aside a number of teachers who have been trained to teach Arabic using 21st century tools and methods.
Today these teachers cannot sit the KHDA exams for a simple reason : they attended Teachers Training Academies in their respective countries. They do not hold university degrees.
One of the ways to improve the recruitment of teachers of Arabic is to assess their skills by asking them to deliver a real time lesson. The skills can be immediately evaluated. The use of technology can be measured. The ability to engage students cannot be tempered with.