Garman blog mod1

Learning Arabic As A Second Languages Hanna Garman // GR 810 Thesis 1: Concept » Background Research » Spring 2015

About My Thesis » Modernizing the teaching materials for Arabic as a second language in USA This is the written form of my Midpoint Review proposal for my thesis project which focuses on identifying the modern teaching techniques which are based on the latest educational theories and the advanced technological tools that are available today, to inspire the design of new teaching materials that aim to improve and facilitate the learning process of Arabic as a second language.

Addressing the deficiency of Arabic language teaching materials in USA is becoming very crucial. There is a high demand for creating new approaches to teach Arabic that utilize new techniques and methodologies to build more effective educational models that could help modern learners master Arabic faster and easier. The current teaching tools available today are mostly based on printed textbooks that are poorly designed, and the subjects used in them are most of the time irrelevant to western life. There is also a lack of digital tools that support teaching Arabic as a second language which is creating a gap between Arabic and the contemporary learners of this language, whose behaviors and expectations are affected and constantly changing by the new technologies that are growing every day.

Learning a second language should be a very enjoyable process. On the other hand, it could become so frustrating and discouraging with the lack of the proper teaching materials that should keep the learners more involved and connected with the new language. Not finding enough tools and materials that are essential in the learning process could become a drawback even for the most enthusiastic learners.

In fact, that is exactly the problem that I faced after moving to USA and having my 2 daughters. Knowing the importance of learning a second language which has changed my own personal life positively, I felt obligated to urge my kids to learn second languages that I’m sure would also play important roles in their future lives. I started with Arabic, my native tongue language, and it was then when I realized the amount of difficulties that were facing me to make them learn it. After several years of trying, my daughters barely know any Arabic! I failed in finding successful programs or any appealing teaching tools that would help my children establish any positive connections with Arabic that would push them forward to put more efforts into learning it. I also have noticed that most of the Arabic programs available around are heavily affiliated with religions, and the focus in most of these programs which usually take place in mosques or churches is on religions and not on the language itself. In my opinion, religion and language are two different fields that should not be conflicted with each other.

Teaching Arabic could improve by separating it from religion; Arabic is so rich and variable and has unlimited uses in many fields. Choosing the most interesting subjects is very significant to facilitate the learning process of this language.

Through my research, I discovered that one of the most important techniques to stimulate the positive motivations of learning a second language is to consider the functional aspects of that language, which would answer these types of questions: what does this language mean to its learners? And in what ways would it be enhancing their social

or professional lives? That’s where the concept of integrating content and language has become one of the most significant strategies in the process of second language learning; coming up with teaching materials that would appeal and serve the learners’ goals and objectives for learning a second language would tremendously improve their progress in learning that language.

The new digital technologies have added new dimensions to the second language learning process. More dynamic and interactive exercises could be accessed to allow learners to get into the essence of the second language easily. While traditional materials such as the text based ones continue to be also in use in all classrooms that teach a second language, but today’s learners tend to rank digital based materials as more intriguing than their traditional counterparts. M.L.Carrio Paster explains in his article “The internet as a tool to learn a second language in a technical environment” that using the web activities has truly enhanced the second Language learning experience by elevating the students’ self-confidence. It has also expanded their abilities to comprehend the concepts they are learning about, which has helped in constructing better communicative skills related to these specific concepts; this will prove to be very useful later on when practicing the professional careers they are pursuing.

Although the digital tools are becoming more popular in the present, the traditional tools are still very important and would become more effective when directed to support the use of the digital tools. My plan is to use graphic design to design an educational system that creates

Modernizing the teaching materials for Arabic as a second language in USA balance between traditional and digital tools that teach Arabic in fun and creative ways.

A system that would integrate both approaches and use them efficiently to achieve more successful results, and to attract more audience who are interested in learning Arabic as a second language.

During my primary research which was directed towards Arab American kids, since they are the most interested category in learning Arabic in USA, I found out that most of them think that writing is the hardest part of learning Arabic. They have stated that there is a lack of interesting Arabic books that could improve their comprehension of this language at different levels in the learning process. They also have stressed on not being able to find engaging and effective digital teaching tools, such as websites or Apps, which seem to rarely exist; this is a good area where I could work on extensively in my project.

While my audience could be everyone who is interested in learning Arabic as a second language, but I choose to focus on children ages 5 – 15 years old. For that age group, it will be ideal to work on designing a complete digital educative system that would speak the language of this age group perfectly to keep them engaged and more involved in learning Arabic.

I propose to design: »»An interactive website: to help those who want to teach their kids

Arabic; it would still include printable teaching kits that would be designed for different levels (beginners, intermediate and advanced) Also it would include variable interactive video materials to engage the kids with the content they are trying to learn. I could create games, puzzles which they could be something about subjects that the kids are interested in like science, history, math, etc. »»An App: for digital storybooks for kids ages 5-9. Each book would come with a game that would be related to the story in the book to enable the kids understand them better. This could take the form of asking the kids about finding a certain letter in a word, or make them organize pictures to demonstrate the events that are happening in the story. Or May be ask them to find certain things, colors, or shapes in the story. »»A weekly or monthly fun magazine for older kids 10-16 years old, it could be digital and printable at the same time. It would available to be purchased through the website. This magazine would include a variety of interesting subjects to encourage kids to read more in Arabic.

The time that I would need is the time needed to complete each one of my deliverables. I know that a website would take a lot of time in between planning, organizing, and finally creating the final design.

Plus it should be always tested to make sure that it is effective and user friendly. This would be the hardest and possibly the most time

consuming in the entire project, therefore, I would give it 6 months to accomplish. The App is the second thing that could also take some time, my estimate would be 5 months. The magazine would take 2 months to design. So all in all, I would need a whole year of work to finish my project.

Being a native Arabic speaker, and a fluent in the English language, in addition to my background in the educational field, gives me a great advantage to play the role of bridging between these two languages. Not only this could be useful for Arab American kids to become bilingual but this could be further developed to appeal to broader audience who are interested in learning Arabic as a second language in United States and the World.

The time it takes to a learn a language depends on a number of factors » »» »» »» »» »»

How close the new language is to your native language of other languages you might know.

How complex the language is How many hours each week you devote to learning the language The language learning resources available to you Your motivations

Arabic Arabic is is considered considered one the hardest hardest one of of the languages languages to to learn learn for for native native English English speakers. speakers.

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-hardest-languages-to-learn-2014-5

01

Find and conduct benchmarking on any similar organizations, companies, products, or thesis projects // Top 10 Language Courses »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»

Speed Learning Languages Pimsleur Michel Thomas Fluenz Rosetta Stone Removed Learn to speak Tell me more Instant Immersion Berlitz

Analysis to some of these programs follows in the next pages.

Reviews at: http://www.effectivelanguagelearning.com/language-course-reviews

www.speedlearninglanguages.com

Speed Learning Languages

The Fastest and most effective way to start speaking a new language » »» »» »» »» »»

Learn a new language both fast and effectively Be able to speak the new Language confidently Be able to understand native speakers Memorize vocabulary with ease Your motivations

Applied Teaching Methods »

1

Speak The language right at the beginning

2

Learn Vocabularies in a context

3

Systematic repetitions

Speed Learning Language’s programs Doesn’t teach Arabic!

Personal Observation »

Speed Learning Languages uses well structured content that less designed but it still work for its users.

Reviews »

+ Very effective learning approach + Can be used without computer + Goes from beginner to advanced most thorough course -

Can be too fast-paced for slow learners Less illustrations or cultural information Audio quality not as high as Pimsleur

Insight »

Well thought of methods of teaching a language should work with or without illustrations or cultural information.

www.Pimsleur.com

Pimsleur

It’s a scientifically proven set of principles designed to take a learner directly to the heart of the language. » »» »» »» »»

30 minutes a day Anywhere, anytime Scientifically proven No confusion, and information overload.

Applied Teaching Methods »

1

The main method is the audio lessons

2

Structured spaced repetition system

3

Not suitable for Children

Teaches different dialects of Arabic in seperate programs.

Personal Observation »

The method might be different but it is using the same approach as the other leading programs for learning languages.

Reviews »

+ Very good for beginners + Can be used without computer + Can be used in the car, train, etc. + Each lesson only takes 30min -

You won’t leave beginner level at the end Can be too slow for some beginners Very expensive You will only learn phrases

Insight »

Audio listening could be a good way of getting started with learning a language, but learners would also need more engaging and interactive methods to develop a full understanding of all aspects of the new learned language.

www.fluenz.com

fluenz

With an engaging & beautiful design, get Inspired and Be Fluent » »» »» »» »» »»

Fluenz tutors clearly explain how the language works.

Designed to get English speakers to achieve fluency in other languages Specifically designed for teens and adults.

Fluenz connects the language to its culture Will inspire and motivate you in every step of the way.

Applied Teaching Methods »

1

leveraging English to learn the new language

2

Learn Vocabularies in a context

3

Strong visual system

Flunez’s programs Doesn’t include the Arabic language.

Personal Observation »

This software seems to be the most attractive visually. The colors are strong and unifying the entire program very well.

Reviews »

+ Private teacher environment + Good explanations on grammar + Varying exercises -

Bugs in every lesson Sometimes missing explanations Usability problems

Insight »

Function and aesthetics could be the key to create the best design work. Most programs I analyzed are usuing good methodes but somehow ignored sides of aesthetics. Designing for teens would need strong visuals to attract them.

www.michelthomas.co.uk

Michel Thomas

Learning Should be about excitement and not work » »» »» »» »»

No books / No writing / No memorizing / Just confidence // fast.

Stress free / All Audio Learning A Virtual Classroom There’s no such thing as a poor student, only a poor teacher

Applied Teaching Methods »

1

Focuses on the similiarities of the learned language to English

2

Audio Listening

3

logical explanations

Michel Thomas offers Egyptian Arabic on thier iphone App.

Personal Observation »

To me this method of teaching is no engaging enough and boring, but it seems to be suitable for some people!

Reviews »

+ Very good for beginners + Can be used without computer + Very good way to learn grammar -

No native speakers in the audio The 2 students in the audio can be annoying Doesn’t work for kids

Insight »

It is acceptable to come up with your own unquie ways of teaching a new language, and make them work!

www.rosettastone.com

Rosetta Stone

If you want to learn to swim, you need to get in the water. »

.

Interactive immersion creates a language-learning experience you won’t forget.

We introduce new words and concepts in a carefully designed sequence that accelerates your language-learning process

Applied Teaching Methods »

1

Never uses translation Exercises

2

Uses successful use of imagery system

3

Very interactive system

Rosetta Stone offers programs for MSA Arabic

Personal Observation »

Among all the other programs this is my favorite. They not only teach a language but also is building a network for its users

Reviews »

+ Very playful + Good to learn vocabulary + Can be used at the age of 6 + Easy to use -

No explanations on grammar, you have to guess Mostly good to learn vocabulary At the end you won’t be able to build complex sentences Meaning of a picture is not always clear

Insight »

Building a communication network could be the way to success. It is like creating a culture for the brand, that will make it stronger; the users would feel good to have advantages that would not be offered to others.

Kids oriented products and best The Best Language-Learning Softwares // »» »» »» »» »»

http://kidworldcitizen.org/2013/01/28/top-10-resources-arabic-for-kid/ www.araboh.com/ Little Pim Dino Lingo http://www.alsalwabooks.com/page/Find_Our_Books.aspx

Successful iphone and ipad Apps for learning languages »» »» »» »» »» »»

Duolingo (for iPhone) // No Arabic Availabe Little pim // No Arabic Available Rosetta Stone // Arabic is Available/ content is more for adults Rosetta Stone kids 3-7 Adventure on the farm (Arabic story) Busuu

http://Littlepim.com

Little Pim is the leading language program for young children. Winner of over 25 awards, it’s Entertainment Immersion Method makes it fun & easy for babies, toddlers and preschoolers to learn. Little Pim is available in 11 different languages including Spanish, French, Mandarin, German, Italian and more.

Little Pim is the leading language program for young children. Winner of over 25 awards, Little Pim’s Entertainment Immersion Method makes it fun & easy for babies, toddlers and preschoolers to learn. Little Pim is available in 11 different languages including Spanish, French, Mandarin, German, Italian and more.

The Little Pim videos are all beginner level, with child-friendly vocabulary that any parent or caregiver can learn along with their child. Kids respond enthusiastically to Little Pim’s videos, which feature a variety of proven educational techniques for young children, including strategic repetition,

the use of call and response, and an engaging main character kids can connect with. Songs, books, flashcards, and a Progress Tracking App reinforce the video series, creating a more engaging program with ample opportunity for family involvement.

With parent and caregiver reinforcement, the children can build on their learning and create new sentences and phrases using their expanding vocabulary. The goal is for children to master the program’s 360 words and phrases.

Personal Observation Âť

Little Pim is still not fully developed, it is just for beginners. There is no system to teach how to write the language. So it is not focusing on all aspects of developing a new language.

When my daughter used the App, the voice system was not clear enough, that affected her pronunciation.

http://dinolingo.com

Dino Lingo is an interactive language learning program for children. Fueled by your child’s imagination, learning a new language through our immersive teaching techniques has never been easier. Dino Lingo incorporates play and storytelling into their language learning programs; this method encourages your child to start speaking it almost immediately!

Dino Lingo understands that learning the new language for children is different than it is for adults. Language learning for kids requires a radically different approach. Our lessons for children use fun DVDs, books, flashcards, games, songs, and online lessons. With our approach, children learn to speak the language in a more organic, less regimented way. Our program makes learning for children fun. Soon children understand and speak the targeted language in a naturalistic manner. There’s never been a more powerful and easy method for teaching Arabic to a child. No other lesson system or course is quite like it.

Our award winning Arabic teaching method incorporates the stuff kids love with results that are truly amazing and praised in testimonials and reviews by parents and schools alike. In short, Dino Lingo gets results. Our

animated dinosaur characters do the Arabic teaching in the most efficient way. The results are linguistic magic. Our system of Arabic learning DVDs, books, flashcards, games, songs, online lessons and cartoons gets your kid motivated, fully engaged, and speaking Arabic fast.

Dino Lingo employs an interactive teaching method which encourages children to immerse themselves in the language learning process, right away. By utilizing games, and engaging thematic reviews, children will be encouraged to speak and express themselves in the target language. Dino Lingo language learning programs are designed to feel natural and engaging to a child’s imagination.

Personal Observation Âť

Dino Lingo uses captive visuals For children that are not that very well designed. However, they are supported well with some engaging and interesting teaching methods.

Children would like colorful visuals and interesting sounds! This could be one of the best strategies to use

www.rosettastone.com/kids/reading

Rosetta Stone Kids App This is a good example to be studied well and analyzed. This could be a great help for me while building my own thesis. I could set that as a standard and find other ways to make my work different, but sharing the same level of effectiveness.

Good themes and good visuals, it’s only available in English and Spanish. Their model is very similar to what I have in mind for my project. There is a lot to learn from their ideas. The challenge would be how to create something different than what they are offering. The good news is that they don’t offer the Arabic language.

www.lingholic.com/duolingo-review/

Duolingo.com

+ Duolingo Free iphone App Very well structured content. Good pace of activity. Fun exercises.

Not available in many languages. May contain some inaccuracies due to crowd-sourced information, especially at higher levels.

The story behind this website is truly inspring! https://www.ted.com/talks/luis_von_ahn_massive_scale_online_collaboration#t-979556

It uses more traditional ways of teaching, but in an engaging design. The interface is clean and very easy to use. Their approach could be combined with the complete immerison approach that most modern programs for kids to use.

02

Identify the thought leadership and their key ideas. Does everyone agree?

Where is there disagreement? // There are a lot of thoughts on in the second language field. I need further ivestigations to find the true leaders and their key ideas. I’m finding though that the main ideas for learning or acquiring a new language are: »» »» »» »»

The immersion method Interactive exercises Audio listening Leveraging the knowledge of the mother tongue language

03

Identify and assess any useful non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and gather anything relevant that they provide to the public (most have press kits, reports, etc.). // https://startalk.umd.edu STARTALK’s mission is to increase the number of Americans learning, speaking, and teaching critical need foreign languages by offering students (K–16) and teachers of these languages creative and engaging summer experiences that strive to exemplify best practices in language education and in language teacher development, forming an extensive community of practice that seeks continuous improvement in such criteria as outcomes-driven program design, standards-based curriculum planning, learner-centered approaches, excellence in selection and development of materials, and meaningful assessment of outcomes.

http://www.talk12.org/ The Teachers of Arabic Language K-12 (TALK12) is a professional organization dedicated to supporting elementary and secondary classroom Arabic teachers in the United States. The purpose of this web site is to disseminate information about teacher-training workshops, grants and job opportunities, and for mutual support among practicing teachers.

http://www.cal.org/ The Center for Applied Linguistics is a private, nonprofit organization promoting access, equity and mutual understanding for linguistically and culturally diverse people around the world.

http://www.nationalataonline.org NationalATA is a non-profit organization established and operated exclusively for charitable and also educational purposes. The purpose of NationalATA shall be to: To enhance and advance the quality of teaching of the Arabic language, literature and cultures at all levels. To serve as a forum for the Arabic language teachers to share ideas and disseminate information. To provide its members with educational and professional services. To publish an official journal(s) or newsletter. To encourage, support and conduct research in the field of Arabic language studies. To cooperate with other professional organizations that support NationalATA’s purpose.

http://kidworldcitizen.org The goal is to increase global and cultural awareness. On Kid World Citizen you will find an everexpanding database of age-appropriate, fun activities that are gathered from around the world, which are organized by topic and by country.

https://centerforarabicculture.wordpress.com The Center for Arabic Culture [CAC] is a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating the Arabic language, culture, art, history, and Arab-American cultural experience. CAC promotes Arabic culture in all of its regional and historic varieties and links to other cultures in an open, democratic, and humanistic way.

http://www.actfl.org The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) is dedicated to the improvement and expansion of the teaching and learning of all languages at all levels of instruction. Its mission is to Providing vision, leadership and support for quality teaching and learning of languages.

I could use the organizations above to find more resources and help throughtout my process.

04

Gather articles from newspapers, magazines, trade publications, and blogs; read and write up the most relevant points. //

Teaching English as a Second Language

http://esl.about.com/od/teachingenglish/u/teach.htm This blog would help me to understand what teachers would need in the classroom that teaches ESL, things like handouts, activities and more. Plus it would educate me about the process of teaching a second language in general.

Rosetta Stone Launches A Digital Learning App For Preschoolers http://www.forbes.com/sites/jordanshapiro/2013/09/17/rosetta-stone-launches-a-digital-learning-app-for-preschoolers/ This Magazine Article is good to understand the system Rosetta Stones using in their App for kids. I’m very interested in studying this App closely. They are using creative techniques in merging fun with education.

Little Pim Overview https://www.littlepim.com/guides-and-scripts/fact-sheet.pdf This PDF will help me understand the best Entertainment Immersion Methods used by one of the most successful programs in teaching languages.

05

Conduct academic research through Google Scholar and read the most relevant papers. //

Aspects of Game- Based Learning http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.97.8613&rep=rep1&type=pdf This article might help me in understanding how to create effective learning experiences, that are going to be applied to the design of the digital game that I’ll be developing for kids.

06

Identify and acquire any relevant books; try to read the most relevant sections or chapters. // This is to be furture researched this coming week.

Book // Attitudes and Motivation in Second-Language Learning.

07

Identify conferences (download and read any relevant parts of the conference proceedings). // This is to be furture researched this coming week. https://www.ted.com/talks/luis_von_ahn_massive_scale_online_collaboration#t-979556

08

Identify any volunteering opportunities and make contact to find out how you might get involved. //

»» »» »» »»

http://www.arabicsummeracademy.org Alhamra Academy // Islamic school that teaches Arabic everyday http://www.meetup.com/BostonArabic/ https://centerforarabicculture.wordpress.com

09

Find out where your audience hangs out and how you might meet them (go ahead and make contact if possible). //

»» »» »» »»

Social events Facebook Twitter Schools

10

Write down any observations drawn from your personal experience of the topic, especially anything about any relevant design that you have seen. // Some designs are using imagery and others are using illustrations... I discovered strong visual are just part of the story, applying new and creative teaching methods would play an important role as well. I believe Rosetta stone for kids is my very interesting. It has what I have in mind initially, the good thing is that it is only in English and Spanish, so that is an advantage that I have. I have to study it, analyze it carefully this week to see how I could make my project different and successful as theirs.