The Field of Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers

The Field of Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers: Does it Have a Future in Career Development?

Short Answer: Yes. Let's delve into the details point by point.

First: Despite the large number of professionals and numerous centers providing Arabic language teaching services to non-native speakers around the world, particularly in Jordan, the services offered in this field are not yet fully satisfying the needs. This opens opportunities for distinguished individuals to contribute significantly. There is ample room for developing curricula that address the diverse needs of learners—some learn for communication, others for religious, media, social or professional purposes. For example, suppose we have a learner who wants to learn Arabic for communicative purposes, meaning he or she wants to converse in local colloquial language. If we ask, what curricula are available for teaching Jordanian or Palestinian dialects? By "good curricula", we mean systematic and methodological textbooks that explain colloquial language and build vocabulary and structures methodically. In our opinion, such curricula and books are still not available.

Second: Based on our experience in this field, we assert that outstanding teachers are quite rare. We believe this is because most Arab teachers are still bound by the classical approach to Arabic language education—focusing on grammar, morphology, rhetoric and other traditional sciences. This classical approach often does not suit non-native Arabic learners for two main reasons: First, they do not have the innate language skills that native Arab learners might have. Second, the educational plan should be based on the learner's goals. For instance, suppose we have a learner who wants to learn Arabic for communicative purposes, to converse in colloquial Arabic. What benefit would focusing on grammatical syntax (Arabic case endings) for long hours bring to this learner? This does not undermine the importance of syntax (Arabic case endings), of course. But the question is, what is the relevance of this focus for a student who only wants to speak colloquially and does not aim to master classical Arabic, work in media, or engage in writing?

Third: A distinguished teacher who can also train others in this field can open many opportunities in training. This includes specialization and a deep understanding of language proficiency frameworks such as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), the Interagency Language Roundtable (ILR), and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Fourth: After the COVID-19 pandemic, the world became more aware of online education and educational technology. Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence and technology in education, particularly in the field of teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, is very promising. We argue that this field is still in its very early stages with vast potential. If individuals working in this field put effort into developing their skills and understanding of technology and AI, especially in the context of large language models, they could excel and possibly become new pioneers in the industry.

Check out for example our LEARNGROUND, the AI-driven self-learning platform.