AN ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED LANGUAGE NEEDS

AN ASSESSMENT OF PERCEIVED LANGUAGE NEEDS

FOR THE TEACHING AND LEARNING OF ARABIC LANGUAGE FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES “A CASE STUDY OF ARABIC STUDENTS IN NIGERIAN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING”

Kazeem Oluwatoyin Ajape ١ Institute of Education

International Islamic University Malaysia Marufdeen Adeniyi Shittu MOCPED, Lagos State, Nigeria

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ABSTRACT

An effective curriculum design for a second or foreign language teaching cannot be achieved unless a preliminary work is done on the learner’s need, therefore, leaners’ need in most cases is seen as the fundamental aspect of curriculum development that cannot be ignored. It is an attempt to gather information from various individual involved in the program so as to develop a curriculum that will meet the learning needs of a particular group of students. As a result of this, this research believes that the best way to capture the needs of the Arabic students is through the use of questionnaire in order to gather information that can be tabulated in numbers and characterised by statistical analysis. Thus, this study explored a quantitative paradigm by using questionnaires to measure the students’perceived needs in studying and learning Arabic language in some institutions in Nigeria. The aim is to quantify and make objective presumption of the necessary language needs of the teaching and learning of Arabic language for specific purposes. The result of the analyses showed that students wish to learn Arabic for some specific purposes such as Islamic Arabic purposes, vocational Arabic purposes, General Arabic for traveling and conversational purpose and Academic purposes. However, the students believe that language communicate competency isan important skill to realise their specific purposes of learning Arabic

language in Nigerian Universities.

ﺔﺻﻼﳋﺍ

ﺕﺎﻳﻮ ﻟﻭﻷﺍ ﻖﻴﻘﺤﺘﻟ ﻞﻤﻋ ﻢﺘﻳ ﱂ ﺎﻣ ﺔﻴﺒﻨﺟﻷﺍ ﻭﺃ ﺔﻴﻧﺎﺜﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﺲﻳﺭﺪﺗ ﰲ ﺓﺮﺛﺆﳌﺍ ﺞﻫﺎﻨﳌﺍ ﻢﻴﻤﺼﺗ ﻦﻜﳝ ﺕﺎﺟﺎﻴﺘﺣﻻﺍ ﺔﻴﺒﻠﺗ ﺎﺄﺷ ﻦﻣ ﱵﻟﺍ ﺔﻴﺳﺍﺭﺪﻟﺍ ﺞﻫﺎﻨﳌﺍ ﺮﻳﻮﻄﺗ ﻦﻣ ﻲﺳﺎﺳﻷﺍ ﺐﻧﺎﳉﺎﻓ ،ﺏﻼﻄﻟﺍ ﺕﺎﺟﺎﻴﺘﺣﻻﺎﻨﻋ

ﺩﺍﺮﻓﻷﺍ ﻒﻠﺘﳐ ﻦﻣ ﺕﺎﻣﻮﻠﻌﳌﺍ ﻊﻤﳉ ﺔﻟﻭﺎﳏ ﺎﳕﺇﻭ ،ﺏﻼﻄﻟﺍ ﻦﻣ ﺔﻨﻴﻌﻣ ﺔﻋﻮﻤ ﻪﻠﻫﺎﲡ ﻦﻜﳝ ﻻ ﱵﻟﺍ ﺔﻴﻤﻴﻠﻌﺘﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﺏﻼﻃ ﺕﺎﺟﺎﻴﺘﺣﺍ ﻥﺎﻴﺒﻟ ﺔﻘﻳﺮﻃ ﻞﻀ ﻓﺃ ﻥﺃ ﺚﺤﺒﻟﺍ ﺍﺬﻫ ﻯﺮﻳ ،ﻚﻟﺫ ﻰﻠﻋ ﺀﺎﻨﺑﻭ . ﺞﻣﺎﻧﱪﻟﺍ ﰲ ﲔﻛﺭﺎﺸﳌﺍ

ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ ٥٢٩

Needs analysis (also known as needs assessment) has a vital role in the process of designing and carrying out any language course, its centrality has been acknowledged

by several scholars and authors (Munby, ١٩٧٨ ; Richterich and Chancerel, ١٩٨٧ ;

Hutchinson and Waters, ١٩٨٧ ). Needs analysis has been defined by many researchers

in different perspectives, but each of these definitions has many things in common and therefore, it generally refers to the activities that are involved in collecting information that will serve as the basis for developing a curriculum that will meet the needs of a particular group of students. Some researchers believe that needs analysis is the first step in course design and it provides validity and relevancy for all subsequent course

design activities (Johns, ١٩٩١ )

Needs analysis was first established in the mid - ١٩٧٠ s (West, ١٩٩٨ ). It was

seen as mainly concerned with linguistic and register analysis, and as Dudley-Evans and St. John ( ١٩٩٨ ) suggest, needs were seen as discrete language items of grammar

and vocabulary. The establishment of Munby’s Communicative Syllabus Design ( ١٩٧٨ ) needs analysis moved towards placing the learner’s purposes in the central

position within the framework of needs analysis. Consequently, the notion of target needs became paramount and research proved that function and situation were also

in needs analysis are the Target-Situation Analysis and the Present-Situation Analysis. The target situation analysis tries to establish what the learners are expected to be like at the end of the language course, while present situation analysis attempts to identify what they are like at the beginning of course.

The Target-Situation Analysis model is an offshoot of Munby’s ( ١٩٧٨ ) model

of the Communication Needs Process. This model contains a detailed set of procedures for discovering target situation needs. It is based on analyzing language communication in the target situation in order to provide a communicative needs profile for a specified group of learners. The Communication Needs Process profile seeks to present a valid specification of the skills and linguistic forms that a group of learners needs in the intended target situation. The Communication Needs Process model contained nine components (e.g. participant, purposive domain, setting, interaction, instrumentality, dialect, target level, communicative event, and communicative key). Each component asks questions about the use of the target language in order to identify learners' real world communicative requirements.

However, this study wishes to explore the perspectives of the Arabic language students in order to establish the necessary language needs of the students learning Arabic language in Nigeria institutions of higher learning. The outcome will be used as an input to prepare the intended group of learners for their intended use of the target language through converting the needs profile into a communicative competence specification that will be presented in a form of a syllabus for the specific purposes of

studying Arabic language in institutions of higher learning.

Related Literatures on Language Needs Analysis (LNA)

The term needs analysis is defined by Brown ( ١٩٩٥ ) as the activities involved in

gathering information that will serve as basis for developing a curriculum which will meet the learning needs of a particular group of students. In a language program, the needs will be tailored toward the design of a curriculum that will allow the learner to achieve his objectives of learning the target language. The relationship between needs analysis and evaluation is that the needs analysis aims at determining the needs required

that needs analysis collects and analyses data to determine what learners “want” and “need” to learn, while evaluation measures the effectiveness of a program to meet the

needs of the learners. The idea of focusing on learners’ needs originated in the ١٩٧٠ s

resulting from the interest in the design of language courses that could satisfy individual and social needs (Martínez, ١٩٩٢ ).

The most famous and influential model of Language Needs Analysis was proposed by Munby ( ١٩٧٨ ), his “Communication Needs Processor” (CNP), asserts

that the design of syllabuses for language courses could only take place after a preliminary work on the learners’ needs. Hutchinson &Waters ( ١٩٨٧ ) highlighted

some of the instruments that can be used to gather information on language needs analysis which include: surveys, questionnaires, interviews, attitude scales, intelligence texts, language tests, job analyses, content analyses, statistical analyses,observation, data collection, or informal consultation with sponsors, learners and others.

Richards ( ٢٠٠١ ) suggested that at present time, emphasis should be on learners’

needs as the initial step in curriculum development. Once learners’ needs were recognized, learning goals could be specified. Although there are many ways to obtain the specific language needed in a particular situation but the most recent researches in the field of language pedagogy revealed that it has become more imperative to determine the overall needs of learning a target language as perceived by the learners of the language. This will also allow the curriculum developers to get enough information on the student’s perception about the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum designed for the program.

Brindley, ( ١٩٨٤ ) defines the needs of a student for educational purposes as the

wants, desires, demands, expectations, motivations, lacks, constrains and requirements that must be put into consideration in the development of a curriculum for a target language program. In order to make this definition more meaningful in the context of

defined by Brindley, ( ١٩٨٤ ) will go a long way to resolve the possible conflict that

may likely arise when the student’s beliefs, aspirations and assumptions are not the same with curriculum designed for the acquisition of the target language. In this regard,

Nuaan, ( ١٩٨٩ ) as quoted by Baliat, ( ٢٠٠٥ ) opines that, “the effectiveness of a

language program will be dictated as much as the attitude, perception and expectation of the learner as by the specification of the official curriculum’’

Khajavi & Gordani, ( ٢٠١٠ ). Viewed the needs of learning a target language in

two ways; target needs and learning needs, the target needs referred to all the instructional materials that will make learners perform successful in the acquisition of the target language while the learning needs are the various factors such as the socio- political situation of the country, age, gender, academic background of the learner, and the attitude of the learner towards the culture and the people of the target language.

In this regard, the curriculum of Arabic language in many of Nigerian universities has not been designed to achieve the needs and wants of the students. In most cases, Arabic is still perceived as a language of Islam and should be learnt solely by Muslims alone. Therefore it must be learnt exclusively for the understanding of Islamic religion. Teaching and learning of Arabic language in many of the Non-Arab speaking institutions of higher learning are good example of this situation. Many researches carried out on Arabic language in Nigeria reveals that Arabic language curriculum has not been regularly updated and revised based on feedback obtained from both the

students and the teachers.(Raji, R.A, ٢٠٠٢ ) And this continues to pose a great threat

towards the development of the language in the educational system of the country despite the fact that the language had played a significant role in the area of historical and cultural preservation of different tribes in Nigeria.

Therefore, this study believes that the language needs assessment of the learners is a vital role in the process of designing and carrying out any language course. And at this same time, there cannot be a meaningful evaluation of a language program without seeking the perceived needs of the learners on their views about the nature of the programs and their expected language needs that will make them to achieve their

( ١٩٩٨ ) opines that, language analysis should not only be considered as a pre-stage for

the design of language courses, he asserts that, in fact, it is an “on-going process” and, as evaluation, it can be used to design, improve and implement language

programmes.(White ١٩٩٨ ). Hence this motivates the inclusion of language needs analysis in this study.

Purpose of the study

The main purpose of this study is to verify the perspective of Arabic language students’ needs so as to determine their specific purposes of studying Arabic language with the necessary language skill needed for their specific purposes. This will go a long way to design an effective curriculum that will be appropriate for the students to achieve their goals of studying Arabic language in Nigerian institutions of higher learning. Therefore, this study wishes to answer the following research questions:

١ - How do students perceived their interest of studying Arabic language in the

University? ٢ - How do students perceived their specific purposes of learning Arabic language

in the university? ٣ - How students do perceived the necessary language skills needed for their Arabic

language specific purposes? ٤ - How do students rate the availability of language teaching materials in their

schools?

Sampling Techniques

The population of this study comprised all the University students of Arabic language in Nigeria. However since it was not possible to reach all the University students studying Arabic in Nigeria due to logistic constrains associated with vast country as Nigeria, the study sampled the selected Universities based on geo-political zones.

Glesne ( ١٩٩٨ ) argues that the number of sites for a study depends on the

research interest and what the researcher wants to learn in the process. In order to ensure

a fair representation of the target population in terms of ownership/proprietorship of the Universities in Nigeria, the selected Universities were based on Federal, State and Private owned Universities. The existing six geo-political zones were utilized using the

stratification adopted in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette of ١٩

December ١٩٩٧ , vol. ٨٤ , No ٧٤ that categorized the ٣٦ states in Nigeria including the

Federal Capital Territory into six geo-political zones as stated below.Therefore, the respondents for the questionnaire were chosen in six Universities by putting into consideration the ownership and the location of the universities within the four geo- political zones. Four Federal Universities were chosen while one University each were chosen among the State and private universities. The federal Universities were University of Maiduguri, Borno State (North-East), Bayero University Kano, Kano State (North-West), University of Ilorin, Kwara State (North-Central) and University of Ibadan, Oyo State (South-West). The State University was Lagos State University (South-West) while the private University was Al-Hikmah University, Kwara State

(North-Central).

Sample size

The information gathered from the Arabic Departments of these Universities showed that the total number of students studying Arabic language as a course of study in all the

selected Universities during ٢٠١١/٢٠١٢ academic session was one thousand one

hundred and forty eight ( ١،١٤٨ ) students. The Statistics of admitted students for

undergraduate program in all the Universities between ٢٠٠/٢٠٠٨ and ٢٠١١/٢٠١٢

were analyzed in chapter four of this study.

Therefore, from the population number of ١،١٤٨ students, Two hundred and

eighty- eight ( ٢٨٨ ) students were randomly chosen as the sample size of this study and

criteria of Krejcie, & Morgan, ( ١٩٧٠ ).

Instrument of the study

The instrument that was used to measure the student needs analysis is adopted from the English language program needs analysis questionnaire (Balliant, ٢٠١٠ ), the

questionnaire was used to assess the perceived English language needs of students in a university in Western Japan as part of curriculum review. The questionnaire was

developed from the Munby ( ١٩٧٨ ) Communication Needs Processor which has seven

parameters of language needs analysis, but this questionnaire focuses on two parameters only; the purposive domain and the instrumentality, the Purposive domain establishes the type of second language needs and the purpose that the target language will be used for at the end of the course, while the Instrumentality specifies the medium and skills, i.e., whether the language to be used is written, spoken, reading or listen. Based on this, the questionnaire was divided into five parts; the first part is the background information, the second part is the interest in Arabic language, the third part is the necessary Arabic skills, the fourth part is the future goals and last part verified the availability of the teaching resources and materials in the Arabic Departments. The questionnaire was modified to be inconformity with the context of Arabic language and some other items that are related to the objective of the study were added to it.

The researcher proposed that the specific needs of studying Arabic language in Nigerian Institutions may include the following; Arabic language needs for academics purposes, Arabic language needs for Islamic religious purposes, Arabic language needs for vocational purposes and Arabic language needs for conversational and travelling purposes. The students will be asked to rate the specific purposes they prefer most, their perceived skills and needs to acquire their purposes. The questionnaire will also verify whether the language facilities and teaching materials in various Departments are adequate for an effective teaching of the language.

Method of data analyses

The survey of the twenty-five ( ٢٥ ) items questionnaire of the Language Needs Analysis

(LNA) for the Arabic Language Students of Higher Institutions was distributed to the respondents after permission has been granted by the HODs with the consent of the

respondents (Creswell, ٢٠٠٧ ). Respondents weighed each item on a likert- type scale.

Statistical software package SPSS for Windows (Version ١٦ ) was used for data

analysis. The frequency of the demographic data: age, sex, educational background, year of study, religion, state of origin was analyzed. Descriptive statistics analyses of frequencies, means and standard deviation of each item were used to determine the

students’ rate of their perceived Arabic needs.

Data analyses Research Findings from the questionnaire

This section provided the result of the findings on the analysis of the perceived language needs of the students. It gave answer to research question ٣ . The questionnaire was

divided into five parts.The first part of the Students' Questionnaire gathers the students’ demographic information, including gender, year of study, name of the Institution, religion, Arabic background, Arabic certificate obtained before the University program, present level of proficiency in Arabic language and area of interest in Arabic courses. The data were calculated and analyzed by descriptive statistics using frequency and percentages to report a summary of the characteristics of the demographic data. The remaining four parts of the questionnaire were analyzed by the frequencies, means and standard deviation of the students’ perspectives on their Arabic language needs, which include their interest in Arabic language, specific purposes of learning Arabic language, necessary skills needed for their specific purposes and availability of language teaching facilities in their various schools. The analyses of the Arabic students’ perceived needs are as follows:

Analysis of the respondents’ demographic information

Table ٤,١ Demographic Information on gender

frequency Percentage Gender

As presented in Table ٤,١ , the total number of the participants was ٢٨٨ . ٢١٤ ( ٧٤,٣٪ )

were male, and ٧٤ ( ٢٥,٧٪ ) were female. The number of male participants was greater

than female in this study. Moreover, males always outnumber the females in the entire Arabic Departments understudy and there is no female student in some Arabic Departments. This shows that there is a wide disparity in the gender of Arabic language students in Nigerian Universities.

Table ٤,٢ Demographic Information on age

frequency Percentage Age of respondents

Age of respondents

As showed in Table ٤,٢،٦٥ students ( ٢٢,٦ %) were between the ages of ١٨ and

٢٥ years, ١٧٦ students ( ٦١,١ %) are between the ages of ٢٦ and ٣٠ years, while the remaining ٤٧ students ( ١٦,٣ %) were above ٣٠ years of age. This is a clear

manifestation that the long process involved in the acquisition of Arabic language in Nigeria always make the Arabic students to spend more duration in the process of their study more than any other students in Nigeria system of education because the majority

of Nigeria University students always fall between the age limit of ١٨ and ٢٥ years.

Table ٤,٣ Demographic Information on year of study

frequency Percentage Year of study

Year of study

Table ٤,٣ indicates that there is a decline in the number of Arabic students across their

year of studies. Students in year three were the highest with ١١٩ ( ٤١,٣ %) followed by

the students in year four ٧١ ( ٢٤,٧ %), the number of students in year two were ٦٧

( ٢٣,٣ %) while the first year students had the lowest number of ٣١ ( ١٠,٨ %).

Although the respondents were chosen through random sampling but the number of respondents according to their year of study still shows that there is a down trend in the

Arabic students’ intakes over the years. This has also been established in the Arabic students’ statistics obtained from various Universities under study.

Table ٤,٤ Demographic Information on institutions

frequency Percentage Institutions

Lagos State University

University of Ilorin

Bayero University Kano

University of Ibadan

University of Maiduguri

Al-Hikmah University

Institutions

Table ٤,٤ shows the number of Arabic students in each University was put into

consideration in order to obtain the random sample size of this study. The universities with higher number of students have more participants in the study than the University with low students. Therefore, Bayero University, Kano had the highest number of

participants ٩٦ ( ٣٣,٣ %), the number of participants from University of Maiduguri was

٦٧ ٢٣,٣ ( %) and University of Ilorin had ٣٢ ١١,١ ( %) participants, ٤٨ ( ١٦,٧ %)

participants were chosen from University of Ibadan, the number of participants from Lagos State University was ٢٤ ٨,٣٪ ( ) while Al-Hikmah University had ٢١ ( ٧,٣ %)

participants.

Table ٤,٥ Demographic Information on religion

frequency Percentage Religion

As it showed in the table ٤,٥ , all the students that participated in the study are Muslims

٢٨٨ ( ١٠٠٪ ). There was no any indication whatsoever to show that any Nigeria

University has Christian or other believer except Muslims in her Arabic Department. This is a clear indication that despite the status of Arabic language in BMAS as a foreign language, Arabic language is still perceived in Nigeria as a language that can be studied by Muslims only.

Table ٤,٩ Demographic Information on Arabic courses interest

frequency Percentage Area of interest in Arabic course

Grammar

Literature

Phonology

Translation

Composition

Oral

Area of interest in Arabic courses

As exhibited in Table ٤,٩ , a clear majority of the respondent ( ٥٢,١ %) showed a great

interest in Arabic grammar as their course of interest, ٥٥ participants ( ١٩,١٪ ) pointed

out that Arabic literature was their favorite course, and ٣٨ students ( ١٣,٢ %) liked

Arabic phonology as their course of interest. A total number of ٣٣ participants ( ١١,٥

%) chose Arabic translation, ٦ participants ( ٢,١٪ ) chose Arabic composition and

another ٦ students ( ٢,١٪ ) chose Oral Arabic as their favorite Arabic courses. The

implication of this result is that almost all the Arabic students in Nigeria Universities have been highly influenced in their choice of Arabic courses because of much emphasis that has been given to Arabic grammar in the acquisition of Arabic language. More so, the most common methodology adopted in teaching Arabic language at all the level of Arabic language education in Nigeria is grammar translation and route memorization in which grammar and literature are given much priority; therefore, this has a great impact on the students’ interest in their choice of Arabic courses. This issue has been discussed fully in the interview section. It should also be noted that the critical analysis of the BMAS showed that Arabic Grammar and Literature dominated all the courses in the curriculum and most of them are given the status of core courses. All these have a long way to determine the students’ orientation on their course of interest.

Students’ perspectives on Arabic language needs

The purpose of this section is to assess the students’ perspectives on their language needs and also to determine the specific skills that can lead to the achievements of their aims and objectives in studying Arabic language in the University. This section is

divided into four parts with ٢٠ items. The first part has ٧ items that assessed the

students’ interest in taking Arabic language as a course of study. The overall frequency, mean scores and standard deviation for each of the items were calculated based on a

scale from " ١ " (not important) to " ٦ " (very important). The second part explored the

students’ perspectives on their specific purposes of learning Arabic language. It has four ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ

based on a scale from " ١ " (not at all useful) to " ٦ "(very useful). The third part found out

the perspective of the students on the necessary skills needed for their specific purposes, the frequency, mean score and standard deviation of each of the four skills were calculated, in the first item, the students were asked to choose between the four basic language skills according to their order of importance on the specific goals of the

students while the remaining ٣ items were based on a scale from " ١ " (not at all

important) to " ٦ "(very important). The fourth part investigated the perspective of the

students on the availability of the necessary teaching materials in their Arabic Departments. The frequency, mean score and standard deviation of the five teaching

materials were calculated based on a scale from " ١ " (strongly disagreed) to " ٦ "(strongly

agree). The statistical tables and analysis of each sub-section are discussed below.

Table ٤,١٠ Interest in Learning Arabic Language

Slightly Slightly Somewhat Strongly M SD

Disagree

Disagree

Disagree Agree

- I am interested in

doing a study abroad program in an Arabic

speaking country while I am still a student in the

I have a goal to get a

job which require Arabic language after I graduated

from the university

I have a goal to work

in Arabic country after graduating

- I want to learn Arabic

to be more educated

I want to learn

Arabic for

understanding of Islamic

religion

٦ - I believe learning

Arabic is important to get a

good job after graduating

٧ - If the university has ٣٤,٧٪ ١١,٥٪ ٩,٤٪ ١٤,٦٪ ٩,٧٪ ٢٠,١٪ ٣,١ ٢,٠

given me another course instead of Arabic I would

have loved to take it

Interest in Learning Arabic Language

Table ٤,١٠ above indicates that students responded positively to all the items except

item ٧ , the highest overall mean among the items is item ٥ (M= ٥ , SD=. ٥٢ ) which states

(M= ٥ . ٧ , SD=. ٥٦ ) which states that “I want to learn Arabic to be more educated, while

the lowest over all mean among the items is item ٧ (M= ٣,١ , SD= ٢,٠ ) which shows the

student’s negative interest in taking any other course beside Arabic language. Although, the student show a high rate of positive responses in almost all the items as it is indicated in the table. However, the influence of Islamic religion in learning Arabic language still manifest in their response as it is showed in the table, this item has the highest mean with the lowest standard deviation in which all the students agreed that Islam inclined them to study Arabic language and it also gives them the opportunity to increase their knowledge of Islam. This shows that the influence of Islam in learning Arabic as a second language cannot be over emphasized. They also agreed that learning

Arabic language will make them to be more educated. More so, item ٦ (M= ٤,٩ ,

SD= ١,٥ ) is not a well positive response compare to other items, this is an indication

that students do not have much confidence in Arabic as means of providing job opportunity for them after their graduation, this might not be unconnected with the nature of the curriculum. Students have a very high positive response to their interest in

doing a study abroad during their program of study. (M= ٥,٠ , SD= ١,٦ ) and a goal to

work in Arabic countries after graduation (M= ٥,٣ , SD= ١,٠ ). However, students still

showed their interest in learning Arabic language and agreed that they will not leave it even if the university offer them another course (M= ٣,١ , SD= ٢,٠ ) this show that many

of the respondents still have much interest in learning Arabic language as a course of

study in the University.

Table ٤,١١ perspective on specific purposes of Learning Arabic Language

I Item

Not at all not

so slightly

a little somewhat Very M SD

How useful do you

feel Arabic instruction

(Arabic needed for Arabic-

medium tertiary institutions

courses) is needed for your

future Arabic language

needs?

- How useful do you

feel vocational

Arabic

instruction is needed for your

future Arabic language

needs?

- How useful do you

feel general

Arabic

instruction (everyday

conversational Arabic and

travel Arabic) is needed for

your future Arabic language needs?

١١ - How useful do you . ٣٪ ١,٤٪ ٥,٢٪ ٣,١٪ ٩,٧٪ ٨٠,٢٪

feel Islamic religious Arabic

instruction is needed for your

future Arabic language

needs?

Specific purposes of Learning Arabic Language

Looking at frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation of the items in table ٤,١١ , it clearly shows that the students accepted all the specific purposes as very useful for their future needs. The students were of the opinion that general Arabic everyday

conversation (M= ٥,٦ , SD=. ٨٠ ) and Islamic religious Arabic instruction (M= ٥,٦ ,

SD. ٩٢ ) are very useful for their future Arabic language needs. And at the same time

they also believed that vocational Arabic instruction (M= ٥,٤ , SD=. ٩٠ ) and Arabic

medium instruction for tertiary institutions courses (M= ٥,٣ , SD= ١,١ ) are also needed

for their future goals. Therefore, all the students accepted the four Arabic specific purposes as very useful and fundamental to their future Arabic language needs.

Table ٤,١٢ a perspective on the necessary skills needed for future purposes

Listening M SD

- Which of the

following skills do you

feel would be most useful to learn and

practice for improving

your overall Arabic

ability as far as your specific

Necessary skills needed for student’s future purposes

Table ٤,١٢ a above presents the students’ perspectives on their responses about the

usefulness of the four language skills in improving their ability to achieve their Arabic language specific purposes. The result shows that speaking skill has the highest

favorable to Arabic speaking skills as the most useful language skill that will let them improve their Arabic language ability as far as their specific purpose is concern. They

also prefer reading skills ٦٤ ( ٢٢,٢٪ ) over both listening skills ٢٩ ( ١٠٪ ) and writing

٢٨ ( ٩,٧٪ ). This shows that student are more concern about speaking and reading

Arabic language as the most important skills toward the achievement of their specific

future goals, this issue has also been acknowledged by the interviewed students

Table ٤,١٢ b perspective on the necessary skills needed for future purposes

Item

not

all somewhat

slightly not slightly

somewhat Very M SD

important

not important important

important important important

How important

is to have vocabulary

practice in Arabic

٢ - How important

is to have written

practice in Arabic

- How important is

to have

( ) language practice in

Arabic classes

Necessary skills needed for student’s future purposes

A look at the overall means of the items in table ٤,١٢ b is also information towards

understanding the general perception of the students on their necessary skills needed for their future purposes. The result clearly shows that there is a positive response from the

students on all the items. Communicative language practice (M= ٥,٧ , SD=. ٦٩ ), written

practice (M ٥,٦ , SD. ٦٧ ), vocabulary practice (=M ٥,٦ , SD=. ٨٤ ). However, the highest

mean is communicative language practice; this is also an indication that communicative language practice is more favored by the students as the most important skills needed for their specific purposes.

Table ٤,١٣ perspective on the Availability of the necessary teaching materials

strongly somewhat slightly slightly somewhat strongly M SD

disagree disagree

disagree agree

- There are

computers in my Department

that we use for our Arabic courses

- There are

enough

audio/ visual aids in my Department that we use for our

Arabic courses

٣ - - My Department has a language laboratory that we

use for our Arabic courses

٣٣,٠٪ ٤٧,٦٪ ١٩,٤٪ ١,٨٢ . ٦٤ ٤ - We have access to

- enough Arabic newspapers and

magazines in our Department

- My Department has organised different trips and

field works for us that gave us

- the opportunity to meet the

Arabs and communicate with

them in Arabic language

Availability of the necessary language teaching material

Table ٤ . ١٤ lists the frequency distribution, mean scores and standard deviation of

students' level of agreement regarding the availability of the above stated six language teaching materials in their Departments. The following language materials; computer, audio/ visual aids, language laboratory, Arabic newspapers and magazine were the items listed on the table, the student were also asked whether they have engaged in any field trip that gave them the opportunity to meet and converse with the Arabs. The

overall means of all the items is below ٢,٠ this indicates that the students showed a

negative response on their perspective about the availability of all the above mentioned language materials in their Department. The lowest mean in the negative trend is item

١٩ (M= ١,٨٢ , SD=. ٦٤ ), this is an indication that the students do not have opportunity

to read Arabic newspaper or magazine in their Departments. Students also complained about the non-availability of language laboratory (M= ١,٨٦ , SD= ٧١ ), lack of adequate

computers (M= ١,٩٠ , SD=. ٧٤ ) and audio/visual aids (M ١,٩٥ , SD=. ٥٩ ) in their various

Arabic Departments. More so, students unanimously and strongly disagreed that their Department had once organized any trips or field work (M= ١,٩٠ , SD= ٧٢ ) that gave

them the opportunity to converse with Arabs. All these have been highlighted in the interview section of this study.

CONCLUSION

This study has clearly showed that students are learning Arabic language in Nigerian Institutions for some specific purposes which include religious, vocational, academic and general conversation purposes. Therefore, an effective curriculum is highly needed for the teaching and learning of Arabic language in Nigerian Universities and the contents of such curriculum should focus on these specific purposes. This will boast the students’ morale of taking Arabic as a course of study and thereby increasing the students’ enrolment in many of Arabic the departments in Nigerian Universities. The general notion of many people on Arabic language as language of Muslim alone will be minimized and the program will start to produce graduates of skilled workforce that can

ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ ٥٥١

operate in the global knowledge economy with both international and intercultural competence. The curriculum design and methodology of teaching Arabic language have great influence in the students’ course of interest because the focus has always been on Arabic grammar and literature. And this has always result in teaching Arabic language through traditional methodologies such as memorization, reading and grammar-translation, However, students believed that these traditional method adopted by theirteachers are out-dated and can no more stand the taste of time, therefore, they are of the opinion that the best skills that can be adopted in teaching Arabic language for specific purposes is extensive speaking through communicative language competency.Moreover, Language facilities are also highly needed for the actualisation of teaching Arabic for specific purpose, non-availability of the necessary facilities will hinder the effective teaching and learning of Arabic language for specific purposes. Therefore this study recommends that teaching and learning of Arabic language in Nigerian institutions should focus toward specific purposes with curriculum that will take care for all the identified purposes with the necessary language teaching facilities.

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centered approach. Cambridge: Cambridge Universit Press.

Jordan, R. R. ( ١٩٩٧ ). English for academic purposes: A guide and resource book for

teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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need assessments : A multidisciplinary approach. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.

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( ١٩٩٨ ). ESP-State of the art. Available at

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www.man.ac.uk/CELSE/esp/west.htm Widdowoson, H. G. ( ١٩٨١ ). English for specific purposes: Criteria for course

design.In L.Selinker, E. Tarone & V. Hanzeli (Eds.), English for academic and technical purposes:Studies in honor of Louis Trimble (pp. ١-١١ ). Cambridge, MA: Newbury House

١ Kazeem Oluwatoyin Ajape International Islamic University ، Institute of Education Malaysia

Marufdeen Adeniyi Shittu MOCPED, Lagos State, Nigeria

INTEGRATING TECHNOLOGY INTO THE TEACHING OF ARABIC LANGUAGE; CLASSROOM-BASED, INDIVIDUAL LEARNING, AND FIELD- BASED EXPERIENCE

YasirHamed, Professor of Arabic ١٢ Department of Modern Languages and Literatures

Fairfield University Academic Director, SIT Study Abroad Arabic language Studies Intensive Summer Program, Jordan Director, Arabic Language Learning Program

ABSTRACT

Integrating technology into the language classroom instruction contributes directly to the enhancement of the learning process. The use of technology as well as teacher- composed digital stories can assist a language learner in accessing academic reading while aiding in the learner's acquisition of academic language. According to Rance-

Roney ( ٢٠١٠ ), classroom technology provides pre-reading schema, vocabulary,

imagery, and factual background information to scaffold the learner's ability to read challenging text while simultaneously building language and cultural skills. The use of storytelling learning technique or methodology in the language classroom as part of integrating technology into the language classroom continues to grow in popularity as it engages students socially, and making it a fun learning experience. In the beginning levels of learning the language, storytelling is seen, and evaluated as a fun method of learning where students listen to the story; pay more attention to the sound reflection, body language, and gesture. The activity helps students engage socially by reading the story, and actually perform it as a live scene in the classroom. On the other hand, and in upper level classes such as advanced levels, the storytelling activity involves students in more reflection, and critical analysis engagement as true challenges the will help students understand other grammatical aspects of the language learning.

Introduction

The goal of this research is to create an effective curriculum unit that integrates the use of technology in the language classroom context in general, and into the Arabic language classroom in particular. A major objective for integrating technology in the language classroom is the ability to implement quality teaching and assessment for

١ . How language teachers integrate technology into the language curriculum, and

into the classroom in order to effectively engage learners as active participants in an active learner-centered, social environment.

٢ . How teachers will evaluate, and assess the students’ work

The paper will emphasize interaction & feedback, active engagement, participation, and connection to real word experts.Using technology in the classroom supports the following components as mentioned above:

- Active engagement, by enabling students to talk with one another, as well as in response to the teacher, and that they learn to talk about and reflect upon their own thinking, questioning, negotiating, and problem-solving strategies.

- Participation in groups, where students engage with each other to focus on the learning task, and to reflect on the results - Frequent interaction and feedback, where students will have the opportunity to reflect upon their own experience, and give feedback to one another as well as receiving feedback from the facilitator.

- Connection to real-world experts. Using technology connects language learner to the real world when students listen to or watch a live TV program, and learn about a specific social, political or economic issue then, engage in active learning analyzing the issue, answering questions, writing summaries etc…

According to Edutopia, effective technology integration is achieved when: - The use of technology is routine and transparent - Technology supports curricular goals in which ways? (Edutopia)

The above can happen in the following ways:

١ . By enabling students to become proficient in using technology to complete

tasks, communicate with others and extend their capabilities. ٢ . By enabling teachers to use technology to support learning in an informative,

creative and efficient manner.

٣ . By improving methods of communication within the school community through

the use of technology in the community through emails, use of movies and movie and cultural nights in which people from the community are invited to join and share their knowledge

٤ . By using technology to address different student learning styles and needs.

II Theoretical underpinnings and problematization

This section discusses the use of content and social interaction as effective methods of teaching a foreign language in classroom context using technology. According to Gee

and Hayes ( ٢٠١١ ) “Speakers construct their utterances with an eye both on content

(information) and on social relationship.” (p. ٢٤ )

١ ) Language and language learning in classroom contexts

Learning through projects

“Learning through projects while equipped with technology tools allows students to be intellectually challenged” (Edutopia, ٢٠١٠ ). Recent research studies have showed that

through constructed projects, and oral presentations, students acquire more language skills as they work individually and in groups, in order to find, process, and synthesize

information and materials learned (Beckett and Miller, ٢٠٠٦ ).

Project-Based Learning focuses on a practical approach to learn a foreign language through project-based oral presentation. Oral presentation is one of the most effective ways that gives the language learner more confidence, and trust that s/he has achieved a certain level of proficiency. Oral presentations can serve as an evaluation/assessment tool to measure the language outcome of the learner. According

to Beckett & Miller ( ٢٠٠٦ ),potential values of project work include integrating the four

language skills, integrating language and content learning. “Language is considered to

be both a major object and a medium of learning and socialization.” (p. ٧٣ ). Mohan

( ١٩٩٦ ) argued that language learning is viewed as the process of expanding one’s

Subject Matter

According to Marsh & Wills ( ٢٠٠٣ ),subject matter is the content of the curriculum,

and choices about what subject matter to include within the curriculum are also choices about what to leave out. (p. ٢٣ ) “individual teachers may be relatively free to make

numerous curricular decisions, both about what they teach and how they teach it. (Marsh & Wills, ٢٠٠٣ , p. ١٦٣ ). In the design of my curriculum, I propose to

implement the project-based pedagogy while focusing on the content (subject matter) that I am going to be teaching.

Case-Based Learning Experience

One of the primary purposes of using case studies as an instructional approach is to facilitate your growing ability to think like designers. (Ertmer& Quinn, ٢٠٠٣ , p. ٢٢٦ )

Case-based learning in the language classroom can be used to further students learning by strengthening their reading, and writing skills. Students can review a specific case in

a form of a digital story, or a social issue in the target language presented through live TV, video, or audio-recorded materials. Students in this activity read the entire case or social issue individually in advance, and prepare a short essay analyzing the issue, and offering solutions, and recommendations in the target language.

Students then, work collaboratively in small groups to analyze the case presented. As they do this, they consider what they already know and what they need to know. They generate hypotheses and develop a set of learning goals for each part of the issue. During the group work, students are allowed look up information as they work to understand the issue. These kinds of case-based learning activities involve student directly in the learning process.

Reflection

According to Dewey ( ١٩٩٣ ), we learn more from reflection on our experiences than we

do from actually having the experience. Ertmer and Quinn ( ٢٠٠٣ ) also argue that the

reflection process plays an important role in all learning: “Reflection plays an important role during every stage of the learning process – before, during, and after. Reflection prepares us for learning; helping us monitor and adjusts efforts, strategies, and attitude during learning; and increases understanding and sense-making after learning.”

(Ertmer& Quinn, ٢٠٠٣ , p. ٢٢٦ ).Following the arguments of these authors, I propose to

add the reflective component in the implementation of my curriculum, and use it as a systematic tool for learning by the students and by the teacher as an integral part of the evaluation process.

٢ ) Current trends on the use of technology in the classroom context

One of the main current trends on the use of technology in the classroom context is the use of computers to present language learning materials in the classroom known as Computer Assisted Language Learning. The method of using computer assisted learning puts a strong emphasis on student-centered materials that allow learners to work on their own. Such materials may be structured using the Behavioristic method by involving the learners in a repetition drill using the computer in the language lab, or actual pronunciation practice in the classroom. The Computer Assisted Language Learning is essentially a tool that helps teachers to facilitate the language learning process. It can be used to reinforce what has been already been learned in the classroom or as a remedial tool to help learners who require additional support.

Technological knowledge & literacy

According to Thorsen ( ٢٠٠٣ ), using technology effectively in the classroom requires

more than basic computer skills because computers should fit into a larger context: the learning environment (Thorsen, ٢٠٠٣ , p. ٤ ). For many teachers, a lack of personal

experience with technology presents an additional challenge.In order to incorporate

Network & Connectivity

As “online education involves the use of computer networks for learning and teaching” (Kearsley, ٢٠٠٤ , p. ١٤ ), so does learning through technology in the classroom where

internet connection and network are key components to the success of integrating technology into the language classroom.

Benefits of technology when appropriately used in teaching & learning:

- Changes the way teachers teach - Offers educators effective ways to reach different types of learners - Assess student understanding through multiple means. - Enhances the relationship between teacher and student.

Research Confirmation

- When used appropriately, technology has the potential to enhance students’ achievement and assist them in meeting learning objectives. - Teachers have found that using modern computers or computer-related technology can capture of hold students’ attention. (Shelly, Cashman, Gunter &

Gunter, ٢٠٠٤ , p. ١١٨ )

- When technology is effectively integrated into subject areas, teachers grow into roles of adviser, content expert, and coach. - Technology helps make teaching and learning more meaningful and fun

Planning Integration

Integration of the technology into the classroom requires a well-structured instructional design plan. As mentioned in Smith and Ragan ( ٢٠٠٥ ), instructional design refers to

the systematic and reflective process of translating principles of learning and instruction

٣ ) Technological Tools for my Curriculum Design

SCOLA as Technology Presentation

According to SCOLA.org, SCOLA is a non-profit educational organization that receives and re-transmits television programming from around the world in native languages. SCOLA also provides other language learning content on its website. Universities,

Colleges, K - ١٢ schools, language schools and individuals use SCOLA content for

current news, language study and cultural enhancement. SCOLA content is available via satellite, the Internet and through participating cable providers. It provides wide range of learning materials that vary in its content between text, audio, video, and live television. Insta-Class in particular provides the most effective learning experience through technology by combining text, video, and audio into one learning activity where student can actively participate. Insta-Class strengths learners reading, listening, and comprehension skills by listening to a live audio materials while at the same time read through a transcript of the recorded materials. Also, learners can watch the video of the related content.Another important content related learning materials using SCOLA is by watching a live television programs related to the subject learned or discussed. This activity provides real learning opportunity for learners to strengthen their listening and speaking skills

Using classroom technology to foster social interaction

Through the use of Scola in the classroom context, learners are going to be able to interact with each other as well as with members of the speaking community of the target language. Students will be able to continue learning through multimodal means, and enter in direct interactions with the society such as practicing their spoken and written language skills through live conversations. Students will first read a story through Scola. After successful reading of a story in the classroom, students will be involved in the performing practice to actually act the story they have read out in a form of a live skit where students will involve in live

The use of Image, Word, and Experience in the classroom

The use of pictures is part of the multimodality approach as an effective method of teaching for learning. It involves images, words, and experience.

a) Image:a picture can be identified, and described by the learner. (REALIA Project)

The use of image in the language classroom can engage learners to understand, and communicate the meaning of one or more aspects of the image presented. The use of an image in the language classroom will most likely make learning more visible to learners, which will make students think better describing the image presented. In the case of digital storytelling, students will link the image directly to the text accompanying the pictures, which will provide more understanding of the story.

The use of image in the classroom will increase learners’ comprehension skills as well as reading proficiency, as they understand how to read directly from the text with the help of the images within the story. The REALIA Project described below is an excellent example illustrating the practical use of the image in the language classroom. I was involved in the REALIA Project as image contributor for Arabic language. Each picture in the REALIA Project comes with a title, category, description, pedagogical application, geographic location, vernacular title & vernacular description that will help students identify the image, and talk more about it using the target language. The REALIA Project publishes faculty-reviewed media for the teaching and study of modern languages and cultures. (REALIA Project)

Why pictures are powerful:

• Focus on daily culture. • Royalty-free for use by the educational community. • Designed with pedagogy in mind. • Faculty-reviewed prior to acceptance and publication. • Collaborative, with contributions from across consortia. • Both students and faculty are involved in creating and researching media

projects. • Ability to compare sets of images and create custom galleries.

• Ability to export images for self-published webpages or PowerPoint presentations.

b) Words:

According to Gee and Hayes ( ٢٠١١ ) The meaning of a word is a set of conventions

about how it can be used and used somewhat differently in different contexts (Gee and Hayes, ٢٠١١ , p. ١١٣ ). In the Arabic language for example, the word (Fasl) has several

meaning depend on the context used. Some of the different meanings are: a classroom, a chapter in a book, a scene in a play, a season, separation etc..

c) Experience

Experience is an integral part in the learning process. Language learners acquire language most through experience. Experience “is crucial for understanding both

images and language” (Gee and Hayes, ٢٠١١ , p. ١١٨ ). In reality, content can include

images and words; while social interaction can include experience.

III My Curriculum Design Project

The way I propose to design a technology-integrated curriculum in my classroom context is based on the work of West, Farmer and Wolf’s ( ١٩٩١ ) regarding

instructional design. I chose to follow the deign stages that they propose because of its effectiveness, clarity, and overall, the designing stage represents easy method to follow, and covers all areas including reflection, and evaluation.

Instructional Design Stages

According to West, Farmer, and Wolf ( ١٩٩١ , p. ٢ ), instructional designers have

organized their work around five steps or stages: ( ١ ) Setting the objectives

( ٢ ) Pre-assessment, which is determining whether the target students have the

prerequisites to benefit from the instruction ( ٣ ) Planning the instruction

( ٤ ) Testing and evaluation.

Mode of Presentation

The mode of presentation defines how information is presented to the learner (Alessi and Trollip, ٢٠٠١ , p. ٦٢ ).Learning information can be presented to learners in different

formats using textbooks, handouts, posters, pictures, video & audio materials, graphics, and other objects. Pictures, and graphic presentations greatly enhance learning.For example,the mode of presentation can be described as a cognitive way of learning where learning materials are seen, and students can actually feel the presence of a live video, a short movie, or a picture related to the learning context. Students can actively engage to talk about the picture in many ways. In a SCOLA Insta-Class for example, students can watch a live video about a social, political, or economic issue in the target language then, get engaged in reading the transcript of the video also in the target language. Students have the opportunity to see the English translation of the text, which will enable them to understand many of the media phrases, and words used within the context that can be translated differently as a separate word. At the end, students will answer questions in the target language related to the text they learned.

Description of my project:

( ١ ) Setting the objectives: The objectives of the curriculum unit are: a) Students will

be able to accurately read the text provided entirely in the target language b) Students will be able to answer key questions about the text in the target language c) students will be able to actively engage in a conversation about the subject of the text after listening to, and watching the video on their own time, and in the classroom d) Students will be able to write short essays about the subject based on their experience watching, and listening to the video.

Pre-assessment, which is determining whether the target students have the prerequisites to benefit from the instruction. During this phase, students are assessed based on their language level, conversational ability, reading, and proficiencies. The curriculum unit, and its associated learning activities designed for upper intermediate Arabic language students. Planning the instruction: The instruction was planned as follows:

In the class: a) Students will digitally listen to the audio, and follow by reading through the text

b) Students will listen to, and watch the video without reading

c) Students will engage in a conversation about the video. Questions used and exchanged such as: What is the subject of the story in the video, where it happened, what happened, what actions taken etc…

d) Students will work in groups to answer the assigned set of questions about the story e) Students will work individually to write short essays about the story

( ٣ ) Testing and evaluation: During this phase, all participants will be tested as

groups, and individually for their work answering the questions, and writing the short essays about the story.

IV Conclusion

I propose to implement and expand this researchby reflecting on its implementation in a classroom context using a reflective case-study approach to teaching/learning, while at the same time implementaproject-based type of curriculum that uses multimodal means to address the diversity of the language learners. I will also address ACTFL standards guidelines in both oral and writing proficiency and explain how this curriculum design addresses these standards.

I will look at the classroom context in many areas that relate and contribute directly to learning such as students’ diversity, heritage background, and whether or not some of them can be classified as bilinguals, multicultural, and foreign students who study Arabic language. I will also code participants on engagement in the classroom learning Arabic and students’ physical presence, behavior, temperament and motivation.

Also, my study will focus on the use of the target language (L ٢ ) in contrast with the

activities performed in-class. Finally my intended study will address other details such as interactions, and peer relationship between students, likes and dislikes, and mode of thinking and learning.

References

Alessi, S. M., and Trollip, S. R. ( ٢٠٠١ ). Multimedia for learning: methods and development. rd ٣

Edition.Allyn& Bacon. A Pearson Education Company, Needham Heights, MA

Dewey, J. ( ١٩٩٣ ). How we think: A restatement of the relation of reflective thinking to

the educative process. Boston: Heath Education

٢٩ , ٢٠١١ from: http://www.educationworld.com/a_tech/tech/tech ١٤٦ .shtml

Edutopia. As

http://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-introduction ELTO, English Language Teaching Online. As retrieved on December ١٠ from:

http://blog.nus.edu.sg/eltwo/ ٢٠١١/٠٤/١٢ /digital-storytelling-in-the-foreign- language-classroom/

Ertmer, P. A. & Quinn, J. ( ٢٠٠٣ ). The ID Case Book: Case Studies in Instructional

Design, Second Edition. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Gee, J. P. & Hayes, E. R. ( ٢٠١١ ). Language and Learning in the Digital Age.

Routledge, New York, NY Kearsley, Greg ( ٢٠٠٤ ). Online Education, Learning and Teaching in Cyberspace.

Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Belmont, CA Marsh, C. J. and Wills, G. ( ٢٠٠٣ ). Curriculum: alternative approaches, ongoing issues.

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Edition. Pearson Education Inc., Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

Mohan, B. A. ( ١٩٨٦ ). Language and Content. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley

Rance-Roney, J. (February ٠١ , ٢٠١٠ ). Jump-Starting Language and Schema for

English-Language Learners: Teacher-Composed Digital Jumpstarts for Academic Reading. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, ٥٣ , ٥ , ٣٨٦-٣٩٥ .

REALIA Project. As retrieved on October from: http://www.realiaproject.org/ SCOLA. As retrieved on December ٦ , ٢٠١١ from:

Smith, P. L., and Ragan, T. J. ( ٢٠٠٥ ).Instructional Design.Third Edition. John Wiley &

Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ Thorsen, C. ( ٢٠٠٣ ). TechTactics: instructional models for educational computing. Ally

and Bacon, A Pearson Education company, Boston, MA West, C. K., Farmer, A. and Wolf, P. H. ( ١٩٩١ ). Instructional Design: Implications

from Cognitive Science. Custom Edition. Prentice Hall Inc., A Pearson Education Company. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey.

١ Yasir Hamed, Professor of Arabic Department of Modern Languages and Literatures Fairfield University Academic Director, SIT Study Abroad Arabic language Studies Intensive Summer Program,

Jordan Director, Arabic Language Learning Program

TEACHING ARABIC FOR ISLAMIC PURPOSES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS

IN NIGERIA. Dr. Abdulrauf Kehinde Abioye, ١

Arabic Unit, Foreign Languages Dept. Lagos State University,Ojo,Nigeria.

Abstract

Languages invariably are learned/taught to be used primarily as means of communication. Notwithstanding, within the communication objective, languages are sometimes geared toward specific purposes or a particular field of knowledge, e.g., medicine, economics, media, religion, etc. Arabic is not an exception. Since the emergence of Islam Arabic has become it’s concomitant and message conveyer. Given the fact that the Holy Qura’n is written in Arabic, a minimum knowledge of that language has become a must for those who belief in Islam. Without this knowledge believers will not be able to perform their daily prayers and acts of worship. And since Islam is a universal religion that continues to attract non-Arabic speaking communities and individuals, the need for learning/teaching Arabic for religious purposes came into existence since the first decades of Islam.

Our Islamic schools and educational institutions stood for the challenge and tried to respond to the immense need of the non-native speakers Arabic for learning the language of their creed. As a quick fix, some have been using books and curricula designed for native speakers of Arabic. And Undoubtedly, teaching a language for its native audience differs from teaching it to non-native audience. And teaching a language for communication only is different from teaching it for specific purposes. Adopting such curricula and using its materials resulted in a lot of problems. The least, it confused teachers and students as well. Islamic educationalists have been working hard to professionally meet the need. They are following a systematic approach of stating clear and achievable goals, building suitable content, and applying new technology to present these learning experiences and evaluate them.

This paper/presentation suggests a model of designing instructional systems that responds to the need of non-Arabic speaking Islamic communities and provide the knowledge needed in both linguistic and cultural aspects.

Teaching Arabic for Islamic Purposes Introduction

It is almost impossible to find a group of people speaking one language on the same level of proficiency. There is always a wide range of differences amongst them. Some people are extremely eloquent whereas others might be mere illiterates. Between these two categories there is a large spectrum of many levels. Some people are good writers who can express themselves on paper much better than they do orally. Some are fluent speakers and can barely express themselves in writing. These examples are clearly

manifested world wide regardless of language, race, and/or sex. (Unoh ,S.O, ١٩٦٩ )

Surprisingly enough, average people can hardly understand the language used by doctors who share them the same language and culture. The same thing applies to other experts such as engineers, psychologists, lawyers, economists, pharmacists, etc. Eventually this specialized language is difficult for the average person. This simple fact can be understood in the light of there are various facets of any language. Beside the written form of the language, there is the spoken language, and terms for each field of

knowledge.(Thorndon,G. ١٩٨٠ )

Teaching languages for specific purposes

According to ACTFL ٢ , learning a foreign language requires between ١٢٠٠ hours to

١٨٠٠ hours. Apparently, these figures require a great effort and resources. Learning a

language is not an easy task as it might look. Not every body is motivated enough, or can spare the time or the money for that goal. Consequently, the idea of learning a language for specific purpose sprang up. Why should not the focus be only on specific areas in language learning? The idea appealed to both teachers and learners. Enormous numbers of people began to adopt this idea.

This is how the concept of learning languages for specific purposes originated and developed. In fact, it helped to solve substantial problems. It helped students of medicine to narrow their scope of learning the language to medical terms and idioms. Similarly, military personnel focused more on military terms and expressions. Learning languages for business purposes was also an area of interest for a huge number of

The Need for Teaching Arabic

Arabic is no exception. It is a language that is closely related to Islam. There is a huge market for it. Almost ١,٣ billions are a potential audience who are interested in it for

religious reasons.(Amuni,O,Kudus, ١٩٩٩ ). No Muslims can perform his daily prayers

without having some knowledge in Arabic. It is the language of the Qur’an, the Holy Book for that huge audience. Obviously, there is a huge demand for that language.

This is the real motive for writing this article; to help Islamic schools enhance their Arabic curriculum by integrating Islamic subjects into it. The main concern for every Muslim can be addressed by directing their attention to this goal. Many schools and programs began to adopt this idea instead of the spoken language. Using the limited time assigned for learning Arabic now should be geared to learning Islamic Culture. One important factor that made this idea appealing to many schools is the sad fact that there are tens of Arabic dialects instead of one regional language that can be spoken and understood in all Arabic-speaking countries. So, why then should not the focus be on Arabic for Islamic purposes?

The Problem!

In private schools there is always a lot of pressure placed on the shoulder of teachers. In addition to the teaching load, they are asked to carry out other tasks such as curriculum development, section of books, and preparation of instructional media. Unlike public schools, which tremendously benefit from the huge resources of their Department of Education. Private schools are independent. They do not get these benefits.

Islamic schools fall into this category of private schools. Therefore, there is a serious problem of selecting the instructional materials specifically in teaching Arabic as a foreign language. Most schools select instructional materials used in Arab countries, which are not designed for non-Arabic speaking students. Other schools try

developing their own materials.( Oderinde,B.B, ٢٠٠٧ )

In addition to the selection of books, there are other problems as well. Students’ parents come from different backgrounds. They have various expectations from learning Arabic. Some of them want their kids to learn so as to be able to read the Qur’an even if they do not understand it. Other parents come from Arab countries and want their kids to be able to speak Arabic. Ironically, the parents themselves do not communicate with their kids at home in Arabic.

Thus, one can see that the goals of teaching Arabic at Islamic schools are not specific. This causes a state of confusion. Neither the parents nor the parents are pleased with what is currently offered. Additionally, students themselves develop negative attitudes towards Arabic, the language of the Qur’an. Here comes the question: WHAT IS THE SOLUSION? In the coming few paragraphs I am going to propose a suggestion that might not be easy for school administrations to adopt.

Any school needs to formulate specific goal for teaching Arabic as a foreign language (AFL). I suggest that this goal should be to help students understand Islamic texts in general and the Qur’an in particular. In other words, the suggestion is teaching Arabic for Islamic purposes. This suggestion might be the answer for the majority of schools if not all of them.

In fact, there are many other issues that need to be fixed as well. Unfortunately, these issues do not fall within the scope of this paper. This paper focuses only on teaching Arabic for Islamic purposes.

How it works

In this approach, all unnecessary expressions, words, and idioms are replaced by words relevant to Islamic culture. Words such as refrigerator, mailman, and basketball can be replaced by words as messenger, paradise, and straight path.

Arabic names that are not mentioned in the Qur’an can be replaced by the most commonly names such as Muhammad, Adam, Ibrahim, and Musa. Similarly, the names of animals such as alligator, squirrel, and leopard can be replaced by other animals, which are mentioned in the Qur’an e.g. dog, elephant, and cow. This will strengthen the relationship between learners and Islam from the very beginning. However, these words should be presented within these guidelines:

Words should be presented in contexts not in isolation.

Words should be presented in meaningful contexts.

Contexts should be at the cognitive level of students. ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ

New words should not exceed ١-٢ words per line.

Words should be reinforced in various contexts.

Words should be learnt as a whole not as parts. Similarly, words and expressions that are commonly used in Islamic cultures

should be presented instead of words used in specific Arabic cultures. The beautiful names and Attributes of Allah should be presented as early and as gradually as possible. The easy names should come before the difficult ones.

Teaching Arabic for Islamic purposes is much more than just teaching a language. It comprises teaching various Islamic texts via Arabic. The goal here is that the language becomes a vehicle to help learners understand these subject matters (Islamic content-areas).

Teaching Reading via Made-up Islamic texts

Beginners can learn to read from the first day. They can learn even before learning the alphabet. The holistic approach can be used to enhance learning at this level. In this approach, words and phrases can be taught before teaching isolated letters and sounds. Meaning should be provided by any means. Translation is not a taboo (Lawrence,

٢٠٠٣ ). Whenever needed, it should be wisely provided (without excessive use).

The following example shows that new vocabulary should be introduced gradually and intensively at the same time. In this way, it provides an ample room for these words to be adequately reinforced in the same text. New words are introduced

wisely at the rate of ١-٢ words per line. The use of colors is very effective in helping

learners recognize new words. It also helps them associate the meaning with the written script very quickly. (See presentation #١ ).

Although young kids ( ٧-٨ years) can read these texts, they are not designed for them.

The cognitive level of students should betaken in consideration whenever a text is designed. Notice that learning vocabulary should be accumulative. New contexts should

be based on previous learnt vocabulary. Another text that might go after the previous one:

For intermediate-low level and intermediate-mid level a higher language should be provided. After the teacher presents the new vocabulary, the reading passage can take that form:

Teaching Reading Via Qur’an:

In the same way, Qur’an verses can perfectly fit as reading texts. Similar verses that address one theme should be selected to form a beautiful reading text. After introducing the new vocabulary, the following example can be introduced to intermediate-high level as well as for advanced-low level. The texts can be taken directly from the Qur’an and can be presented in a simple and gradual way:

In the above-mentioned example, the reader can notice that these sentences (ayat) have the same theme. It is the creation of man. Most of the vocabulary is repeated. They represent the most authentic text. The introduction of new words is very gradually. The repetition of old words is beautifully reinforced.

Teaching Reading Via Hadith:

By the same token, other texts can be selected from any Islamic authentic texts. The richness of Hadith collections makes it easy for curriculum designers and teachers to make a good selection. However, some criteria should be followed in selecting the Prophetic texts:

 They should be short; one line only.  They should not have many difficult words.  They should have the same theme.  They should address the cognitive level of learners.

( ﺔﻨﹶﳉﺍ ﹶﻞﺧﺩ ﷲﺍ ﱠﻻﺇ ﻪﹶﻟﺇ ﻻ ﹶﻝﺎﹶﻗ ﻦﻣ ) - ١ ( ﺔﻨﹶﳉﺍ ﹶﻞﺧﺩ ﷲﺍ ﻻﺇ ﻪﹶﻟﺇ ﻻ ﻝﺎﻗ ﻦﻣ ): ﺪﻤﺤﻣ ﻝﺎﻗ - ٢ ( ﺔﻨﹶﳉﺍ ﹶﻞﺧﺩ ﷲﺍ ﻻﺇ ﻪﹶﻟﺇ ﻻ ﻝﺎﻗ ﻦﻣ ): ﻢﻠﺳﻭ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ُﷲﺍ ﻰﻠﺻ ﻝﺎﻗ - ٣ ( ﺔﻨﹶﳉﺍ ﹶﻞﺧﺩ ﺎﺼﻠﳐ ﷲﺍ ﻻﺇ ﻪﹶﻟﺇ ﻻ ﻝﺎﻗ ﻦﻣ ) ﻢﻠﺳﻭ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ُﷲﺍ ﻰﻠﺻ ﻝﺎﻗ - ٤ ( ﺔﻨﹶﳉﺍ ﹶﻞﺧﺩ ﺎﺌﻴﺷ ﷲﺎﺑ ﻙﺮﺸﻳ ﻻ ﻮﻫﻭ ﷲﺍ ﻻﺇ ﻪﹶﻟﺇ ﻻ ﻝﺎﻗ ﻦﻣ : ﻢﻠﺳﻭ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ُﷲﺍ ﻰﻠﺻ ﻝﺎﻗ - ٥ ( ﺔﻨﹶﳉﺍ ﹶﻞﺧﺩ ﹰﺎﺌﻴﺷ ﷲﺎﺑ ﻙﺮﺸﻳ ﻻ ﻮﻫﻭ ﱵﻣﺃ ﻦﻣ ﺕﺎﻣ ﻦﻣ ) ﻢﻠﺳﻭ ﻪﻴﻠﻋ ُﷲﺍ ﻰﻠﺻ ﻝﺎﻗ - ٦

Teaching Du’a: Since du’a is a daily practiced by Muslims, teaching it as early as possible would be of vital importance. These segments can be taught to beginners. Whenever needed, English translation can be provided.

ﱐﺪﺑ ﰲ ﲏﻓﺎﻋ : ﻢﻬﻠﻟﺍ

ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ ٥٧٦

One of the main concerns in this approach is selecting the materials that are suitable for students’ cognitive abilities. Stories of the elephant, the ant, and the flame are very appealing to young kids. Stories of the messengers of Allah are suitable for elementary levels. By using some picture, the story of the elephant can easily be understood by first graders or even by younger kids.

The daily supplications can also be part of Arabic curriculum. Easy and gradual texts can do the job. The use of non-verbal language can help students understand without translation.

Creative Exercises can do wonders

Exercises are probably more important than selected texts. Students learn from them more than they learn from the texts. Well-designed exercises are very useful in language learning. The main element in exercises is the comprehension factor. If exercises are based on comprehension, the results are more fruitful. There are mainly two types of exercises:

١ - Exercises that are designed to test students’ performance.

٢ - Exercises that help students acquire a skill or a rule.

In the first examples, students are supposed to select the right answer as in true/false questions, multiple-choice questions, and fill in the blank questions. There are also other forms. These are very helpful in the gradual acquisition of vocabulary and understanding given texts. (See presentation).

Guided Questions:

In this exercise, students are provided with some guidance to help them answer the

questions. Gradually, they get less directions and get more challenging questions. ……….…..

ﺏﺮﻐﳌﺍ

ﻥﺍﺮﻤﻋ ﻝﺁ ﺓﺮﻘﺒﻟﺍ

……….…..

ﻲﺧﺃ

ﻲﻣﺃ ﻲﺧﺃ

……….…..

ﲑ ﺒﻛ

ﺩﻮﺳﺃ ﺾﻴﺑﺃ

……….…..

ﻥﺎﺒﻌﺷ

ﺪﺣﻷﺍ ﺖﺒﺴﻟﺍ

ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ ٥٧٨

The second type is those exercises that aim at helping students learn from the given examples and follow the model. Then, gradually, students can observe the patterns and deduce helpful rules. (See presentation).

Thus far, we have discussed the development of various basic language skills:listening, speaking,reading in the learners of Arabic as a special purpose in Nigeria.It is emphasised that the teaching of all the skills should be integrated.In a single lesson,students should be involved in various activities covering as many of the four

basic language skills as possible. As Williams ( ١٩٩٠ ) notes, the teacher can provide

practice in other language aspect while focusing on a particular aspect of language.To do this, effectively, the teacher should be creative in developing and using language items/exercises that will enable the teaching and learning of one language skill complement and reinforce another.This is necessary because language constitutes an integrated system of human communicative competence, among other things, pressuposes tshe ability to be able to deploy all resources of language intelliibly and effectively

References

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Amuni,O,Kudus,( ١٩٩٩ ), Arabic Language in the Modern World, Debo Press, Lagos, pp ٤-١٠ .

Anasiudu, B.N, et al,( eds), ( ٢٠٠٧ ), Language and Literature in A Developing Country:Essays in Honour of Professor Benson,O.A, ٠ luikpe,Onitsha, Africana-

First Publisher Limited.

Bidmus, M.A, ( ٢٠٠٠ ), The Dynamism of Arabic Language and Literature in NATAIS

(Journal of the Njgerian Association of Teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies),vol ٥ ,No. ١ , pp. ٥١-٥٩ .

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Hisket,M.( ١٩٦٣ ), ٠ n the Teaching of Arabic, Longman. Jamiu, S.M, ( ٢٠٠٠ ), Islamic Education in Nigeria: The Historical Perspective.

Kolawole, C.O.O, ( ٢٠٠٠ ),The State of Reading in Some Selected Secondary Schools in South –Western Nigeria:A preliminary Report, in Dada et al, (eds),( ٢٠٠٠٥ ),

Issues in Language Communication and Education:A Book of Reading in

Honour of Caroline A, Okedara, Ibadan, Ibadan Constellation Books, PP. ٩٨- ١٠٩ .

Lawrence Venuti, ( ٢٠٠٣ ), The Translation Studies Reader, Routledge, p. ٨٤

Malik,S.H.A, ( ١٩٩٥ ), The Impact of Arabic on Linguistic and Cultural life of Yoruba

People, Ibadan, Group Publishers.

Mustapha ,R.( ١٩٨١ ), Arabic Alphabets in Al-Ilm (The Knowledge), Ibadan, Muslim

Students Society, (a Muslim Quaterly)

Nassayi, H .( ٢٠٠٠ ), Towards Integrating Form-Focused Instruction and

Communication in the Second Language Classroom:Some Pedagogical Assibilates' in The Modern Language Journal, ٨٤ , ii

Oderinde, Odedibu, B, ( ٢٠٠٧ )," English and Arabic in CurriculumContent :Benefits to Nigerian Society", LASU Inugural Lecture Series, th ٣٥

Edition, pp. ٢٨-٣٠ .

Thorndon, G, ( ١٩٨٠ ), Teachihg Writing, London, Edward Arnold. Unoh ,S.O, ( ١٩٦٩ ), Reading to Remember, Ibadan, O.U.P.

Williams,D, ( ١٩٩٠ ), English Language Teaching; An Integrated Approach, Ibadan,

Specttrum.

٢ American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

STUDY ABROAD PROGRAMS OF ISLAM/AFL TARGETING MUSLIM

HERITAGE & NON-MUSLIM STUDENTS Dr. Nagwa S. Hedayet ١ Director

Hedayet Institute for Arabic Studies Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

Study abroad programs teaching Islam/AFL target heritage Muslim students who have difficulty to understand their own religion/culture because theyeither live as minorities in areas far from the sources of Islamic culture or in Islamic non Arabic speaking countries who may need deeper understanding of their religion.These programs also target non Muslimstudentswho want to understand Islam and its culture in a time of conflict and rising confrontations between extremist radicalization of religious education& Islamophobic media tendencies and erosion of religious dimensions in worldwide education in general today. This experimental research paper was conducted

on ١٢١٠ heritage and non Muslim studentsin more than one study abroad Islam/AFL

programs at Al Azhar FLI and Hedayet Institute for Arabic Studies in Egypt with different parameters/components & hence resulted into different learned lessons that the author of this paper want to share with the audience for better future programs. Different Islam/AFL teachers’ training, monitoring academic/administrative criteria as well as instruction methodology yielded different results that will be discussed, analyzed and compared. It will suggest the criteria of assessing such programs in the future,enlightened by the study abroad international reports and field latest research.

Introduction

١ -The studystarted in summer ٢٠١٠ by an agreement between the author of this paper

and Al Azhar ALI in Egypt, to revamp and modernize the study abroad program at the institute. This began by a presentation at the WOCMES conference in Barcelona Jul.

٢٠١٠ to present to the convenors the new perspectives of Islam/AFL program at Al

Azhar which the author of this paper presented and was positively received.The researcher was asked by al Azhar to be responsible for teachers’ training at the Arabic

Language Institute for non Natives that was followed by a contract to revamp the institute as the acting field director and consultant who selected Mr. Abbas al Tonsy from Georgetown University site in Qatar then, Dr. Shadya Fahmy from American University in Cairo & Dr. Zeinab Ibrahim from Canadian Carnegie College in Qatar to

be in the board of directors. All are renowned AFL experts who met with the acting director and author of this paper in regular internet skype sessions.

The Study Questions:  What is in-service AFL teachers’ lived experience of learning?

(Camarat.( ٢٠٠٤ ). (Pls. see teachers’ opinion graph in the appendex)

 Can there ever be any balance between temptation of preaching specific modern Islamic trends (Salafi, Wahhabi thoughts etc.) on the part of the instructors enhanced as well by the existing written material for this purpose and actual individual AFL from a liberal arts approach addressing non Muslims as well coming from different educational background (Ex. Turkey, Nigeria, UK, Malaysia, Indonesia etc.)

 Is there a good way for Islam/AFL Content-Based Instruction to be used in a modern liberal and originally and primarily Islamic way addressing the higher meta-cognition of study abroad students, Muslims and non-Muslims? Tens of verses talk about using reasoning and higher metacognition to understand what is around us that is not the place to write them here.

Guidelines in Designing Al Azhar Program:

 A clear overall conceptualization of language planning (status, corpus and acquisition)  Setting of realizable and sustainable targets  Prioritizing:Inspired by al-Qur’an and our great mu’allim Prophet Muhammed

(SAW), revisited: “Iqra’a” the first revealed word contextual meaning was to “recite” or ‘listen well & then pronounce/repeat’, while most such programs emphasize old grammar-translation and traditional memorization method through reading-writing skills as priority skills; if we have to choose, do we train our AFL instructors first or start a full-fledged modern curriculum?

 Monitoring completion and effective outcomes (Dewaele et al, ٢٠٠٤ )

 Contacts with other disciplines at the university or center, materials selection according to learning outcomes, assessment criteria …etc. (Colin Baker’s; N.

Hedayet/Hedaiat, ٢٠٠٤ ).

 Guidance was found in Rogers’ statement: communicative learning teaching (CLT) has branched into several philosophical other approaches talking about details in implications such as The Natural Approach, Cooperative Language

Learning, Task-Based Teaching and Content-Based Teaching. (Rogers.( ٢٠٠١ );

Duenas.( ١٩٩٧ )).

 An attempt to modernize da’wa methods as well in order to address liberal minded students who constitute a considerable body of academic institutions in present time

Program Affordable Components:

a- AFL training of ١٨ teachers (males & females)

b- Prepare a ground for modern systems of administering such programs (a serious issue in education in Egypt, let alone in traditional religious institutes) c- Recruit academic and administrative staff to assist in the different parameters of modernizing the program

d-Few months after the breakout of the Egyptian Revolution on Jan. th ٢٥

٢٠١١ , when all the country was in paralysis, there was a delay of the program start date at Al Azhar AFL Institute academic year start while ١١٨٠ students had already arrived to the institute coming from abroad with the academic year start in the beginning of Oct.

٢٠١١ . The team selected by the author of this research paper* found itself forced to use

the most then convenient for the situation and relatively new existing materials; i.e.,Arabic for Muslims or al ‘arabiyya li l Muslimeen by Dr. M. Seiny. This book is composed of three parts and is heavily religious and methodologically traditional very traditional concentrating on reading and writing language skills basically. It was to be

e- Cultural activities such as trips to tourist Islamic as well as other non Islamic sites, tours and seminars that would be a part of the language curriculum on Islamic arts, architecture, calligraphy, Islamic Law, music, women in Islam, traditions in the Islamic world and exposure to modern living Islam around them etc.

Program Implementation: ١ - Bi monthly TAFL training workshops where conducted in order to expose (and actually proved chocking) Al-Azhar instructors to the field modern methods of student

centered AFL class, a class where all the four language skills are used. Class management, time on task, flipped classroom instruction as well as inviting guest speakers to class were some of what they were trained to do for the first time. Writing class rubrics and course (s) syllabi were the used means to reach the learning outcomes at each proficiency level according to ACTFL in addition to classroom technologies.* Pls. see some of the instructors comments on their in-service training graph

٢ - Assessment criteria of the students’ language proficiency at each level, criteria of

how to choose future instructors, academic promotion and payment scales tied to professional development and performance as well as students’ evaluation of their courses’ instruction were all means to quality control and administer the program

٣ - Audiovisual materials were to be developed by the instructors to complement the

above selected book in case of materials unavailability

Challenges EncounteredAfter One Academic Year of Implementing the Program from Oct. ٢٠١٠ to May ٢٠١١ :

 Bureaucratic/ administrative issues delayed AFL instructors’ retaining, training and facilitatingteachers’ materials development. By the end of the year two instructors left and at least four of them had to teach in private institutes to get reasonable monthly salary despite all the advice offered to the administration of

the institute. See teachers’ retaining in Maria de Duenas. ( ١٩٩٧ ).

ﺔﺻﺎﺧ ﺽﺍﺮﻏﻷ ﺎﺍﺩﺁﻭ ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟﺍ ﺔﻐﻠﻟﺍ ﻢﻴﻠﻌﺗ ﰲ ﻊﺑﺍﺮﻟﺍ ﻲﳌﺎﻌﻟﺍ ﺮﲤﺆﳌﺍ ٥٨٦

 Although the top administration of Al Azhar entrusted us to revamp what we seeneeded to be doneas AFL experts, the direct in the ground administration of the institute seemed to have had difficulty in implementing and effectuating some elements of the program that was agreed upon at the beginning of the academic year. For example, the cultural activities part of the curriculum was seen as insignificant.It was overwhelmed with many new issues at the institute. The students were left only to dry materials focusing on one realm of vocabulary; i.e., the historical and religious. Students were deprived form relatingthe Arabic language to themselves when they are at a tourist site or at a restaurant in order to feel comfortable with it and to enable them to reach the advanced level according to ACTFL world guidelines. These FL guidelines require that a an AFL learner should be able to use the code switch in the right

places and times. (ACTFL Guidelines Revisited. ( ٢٠٠٣ ). Also it captivates

enhancing language functionality at the advanced level which is also a requirementby Al Azhar University for a student to be enrolled in different majors in different colleges there.

 Money from Gulf countries that are given as grants to Muslim students implicitly influences the academic atmosphere and becomes a source of pressure that indirectly (influences) motivates instructors that see it an opportunity to preach modern types of Salafi or Wahhabi Islamic versions.

 Use of Authentic or simplified Islamic materials necessitates use of heritage/classical Arabic language level in class(Badawi.‘mustawayaat al

‘arabiyya.( ١٩٧٣ ) which re enforces isolating AFL students from interacting

with and fully be exposed to the surroundingmodern Arabic culturein the countrythat could have been a tool for enhancing knowledge and understanding ofthe Cairo living book around them and the opensource for contemporary Islamic societies

 The program AFL eight levels of classes had ٣٨ + students in each class to

accommodate a total of ١١٨٠ studentsthat year from different heritage

nationalities. As expected very big class numbers were not so ideal for

 Several students had to join evening private surrounding language centers after Al-Azhar program that were using heavily grammar translation methods of instruction, much positively received by heritage students who were psychologically prepared for this type of instruction. This was definitely counteracting against achieving the targeted learning outcomes. Please see the

assessment criteria in the appendix no. ١ .

For the final aggregate report on AFL teachers’ training al Al Azhar Arabic Language Institute, pleasecheck appendix no. ٢ attached with this paper.

Islamic Studies Program at Hedayet Institute in ٢٠١١ :

 Thinking of the learned lessons in the program at Al Azhar, it was thought that Hedayet Institute was able to design short and long programs where heritage & non Muslim students’ learn/improvetheir AFL skills while using themas tools to acquire information and understand concepts in Islamic Studies. Content-based subjects to learn about Islamfrom itsauthentic sourceswas ideal to implement and culminated in designing curriculum based on content-based instruction (CBI),(Stowell, F. et al,

٢٠٠٤ ), while simultaneously focus on AFL teaching of MSA from the

widely used books in AFL field.  Cultural Activities component becomes an important part in this study abroad curriculum where heritage arts, architecture, Sufis shrines (maqamaat), medieval madrassa & sabils (public watering fountainswere visited and appreciated raising Islamic ethics of societal volunteer services and public domain beauty etc.). These tourist site - actually living Islamic cultural components- visits as well as lectures by globally renowned experts/presenters on Islamic concepts such as:family,women and

children’s rights,(UNESCO, The Muslim Child Rights. ٢٠٠٣ ) when

students realize that human rights were an Islamic balanced invention

The most suitable to serve the above thought was using the content-based instruction in teaching AFL and Islamic studies through Arabic language from the beginning.

Rationale for CBI

• Meaningful information leads to deeper processing and better learning. (Brinton,

D. & Masters, P. (Eds.) ( ١٩٩٧ ).

• Thematically organized materials are easier to remember and learn • Acquiring cultural knowledge is emphsized through content-enriched instruction

(Duenas, M.( ٢٠٠٢ a).

• There is a relationship between students having a purpose (a task to complete) and their ability to process challenging materials • As students become “experts” in a topic, they can tackle more complex tasks,

language and content (Joanne Yanova. ( ٢٠٠٤ ); Ballman, T.( ١٩٩٧ );

(Dupuy.B.C. ( ٢٠٠٠ ).

Hedayet Institute Total Immersion Islam/AFL Program Description:

Last year experimental program wasin either ١٤ week long semester or ٧ week short

one, where students study about ٢٠ hours in Fall, Spring and summer. The program was

attended by ١٦ students; ١٠ heritage students and ٦ non Muslims.

Islam/AFL Curriculum:

١ - Modern Standard Arabic component in ١٠ hours per week

٢ - Content-Based courses Islam/AFL in ٦ hours per week:

A student must choose ٢ from ٥ courses: Maqaasid ash-Shari’a (Jurisprudence),

Islamic History (Sira), Tafisir al Qura’an (interpretation of the Qura’an and Tajweed or recitationof al Qura’an and Calligraphy for beginners only and Islamic Philosophy for intermediate and advanced learners. Each course is given in excerpts of its authentic sources and taught in CBI method

٣ - Cultural Activities integrated in the curriculum of ٢ hours /wk in case of a lecture or

a seminar but in case of a trip it could exceed this time depending on the place visited ٤ - Egyptian Colloquial Arabic ٣ hours per week in order to enhance total immersion

and personal relating to the language learned

Students Improvement and Learning Outcomes:

 In general students were one proficiency level higher compared to the level that was reflected in their placement test upon joining the program  Use of CBI enabled most of the students to acquire learning outcomes form the subject matters as well as improve their four language skills  Samples from both heritage & non Muslim students’ writings will be available with the author should you want to have a look at some.

Hedayet Institute Short Programs for Heritage scholars:

A heritage students’ program between intermediate to advanced AFL levels was designed to ١٣ instructors & professors form the Oriental Institute of Azerbaijan in

Baku in the same year.

Two week intensive program included the following curriculum:

١ - Four hours of language component per week of both MSA & ECA

٢ -Intensive cultural activities on different Arab/Islamic topics& trips

٣ -Gathering with Muslim Scholars at al Azhar as well as gathering with Egyptian

scholars when attending a conference on democratic tradition & procedures held in Cairo University For the final aggregate report of the above Azerbaijan Scholars’ Program, please check

the appendix no. ٣ attached with this paper.

Conclusion

To compare the above three different programs of heritage and non Muslim students, the researcher noticed the following:

Big numbers of heritage students made Al Azhar program phenomenal because of its established reputation over the centuries in serving Islam, but packing them in big language classes because of teachers’ shortage & less trained administration in implementing novel ideas using quality control assessment criteria, yielded weakperformance and made students finally resort to evening support classes to achieve the outcomes of their level.This made measuring the pedagogical results of the experimental programvery difficult. A prevailing culture among heritage students coming for different Islamic countries honor and credit grammar traditional methods of learning Arabic and Islamic studies especially at its stronghold, al Azhar has been an implicit obstacle to the program as well.

Hedayet Institute total immersion program of Islam/AFL that combined both targeted groups in Islam/AFL content-based instruction where cultural activities constituted an important integral part of the program facilitated internalizing language as well as concepts in Islam as well as gained language skills that helped them connect with the culture and learn from their surroundings. Egyptian Arabic variety helped feel comfortable and immerse in the culture even at the beginners’ level in buying the underground ticket to the school or ordering food at a restaurant.

As for short highly intensive cultural programs such as the Azerbaijan one it was the most successful for the content-based topics and concepts given all in MSA, were chosen according to the group interest, such as Islamic economy, Arab culture and traditions etc. in addition to survival Egyptian Arabic that helped the group be immersed in the culture although the program was short. One of the main lectures was on the basic

These experimental attempts prove enlightening and guiding towards designing better Islam/AFL study abroad programs in the future perhaps drawing mainly on CBI presented in the latest pedagogical methods of teaching Arabic as a foreign language in order to help study abroad students to achieve the hoped for learning outcomes as well as build a generation with critical thinking and empowered by IT skills through language learning classrooms and exposure tasks to help Muslims effectively share in building the third millennium civilization using its tools. This research definitely needs more elaboration from other colleagues and researchers.

References:

Badawy, el Sa’ed.( ١٩٧٣ ). mustawayaat al ‘arabiyya al mu’aasira. Dar al ma’arif al

misriyya Ballman, T. ( ١٩٩٧ ). Enhancing Beginning Langage Courses Through Content-

Enriched Instruction. Foreign Language Annals, ٣٠:٢ . ١٧٣١٨٦ -

Brinton, D. & Masters, P. (Eds.) ( ١٩٩٧ ) New Ways in Content_Based Instruction,

Alexandria, VA: TESOL Cummins, J. ( ٢٠٠٠ ). Immersion Education for the Millinium. Retrieved Oct. ٢٠١٢ at:

http://www.lteaching.com/cummins/immersion ٢٠٠٠ .html.

Duenas, M. ( ٢٠٠٠ a). Acquiring Cultural Knowledge Through Content-Enriched Instruction. Babylonia ٣ , ٥٨٦٢ -

Dupuy, B.C. ( ٢٠٠٠ ). Content-Based Instruction:Cant It Help Ease the Transition from

Beginneing to Asvanced Foreign Language Classes? Foreign Language Annals ٣٣:٢ , ٢٠٥-٢٢٢ .

Hedaiat, Nagwa. ٢٠٠٤ . Arabic Across the Curriculum in a Bilingual Gulf University. Learning and Teaching in Higher Education ١ . Dubai, Zayed University.

http://groups.yahoo.com/LTHE/ Kasper, L. ( ١٩٩٥ ).Theory & Practice in Content-Based ESL Reading Instruction.

English for Special Purposes ١٤:٣ , ٢٢٣٢٣٨ -

McLaghlin, M. & Voet, M.E. (Eds.) ( ٢٠٠٠ ). Creativity & Innovations in Content Area

Teaching. Norwood, MA:Christopher-Codon. Publishers, Inc. Stoller, Ferdrica. L. & W. Grabe. ( ٢٠٠٤ ). A Six- T’s Approach to Content-Based

Instruction. Focis on Post Secondary Instruction. http://www.carla.umn.edu/colaltt/modulescurriculum/stoller-grabe

Stoller,F. ( ٢٠٠٤ ). Perception in Curriculum Planning. Annals Review of Linguistics; ٢٤ , ٢٦١٢٨٣ -. Printed in US Cambridge University Press

Evaluation of Islam/AFL Short Study Abroad Program for Azerbaijan November ٢٠١٠

(Total of ١١ responses)

Good Fair

Differences btw ECA & MSA

Egypt History: Muhammed ٥٥٪ ٣٦٪ ٩٪ ٠٪

Ali's Period until Today

ECA use for living in Egypt

The Libyan Culture & ٨٢٪ ٠٪ ٩٪ ٠٪

Tradition

Azhar Roundtable on Islamic ٤٥٪ ٥٥٪ ٠٪ ٠٪

Philosophy Women's

Role

in

Culture/Civilization,

Cairo ٧٣٪

Univ. Conference

Arts in Ancient Egypt Development

of ٧٣٪

Egyptian/Arab Cinema

Oriental Music

Discussion with Hedayet ٩١٪ ٩٪ ٠٪ ٠٪

Teachers about AL Levels

Arabic Media

The Gulf Colloquial

Islamic Economy

Appendix no. ٢

0% V. Good Excellent

Criteria of Oral Assessment

Advanced Beginning

Communicative competence

1-Functions 2- Context

3- Content

Accuracy Code switching Coherence & Cohesion Audience Engagement

Sound Use of Terminology of Is. stds