Learning a new language requires someone with experience to guide you through your journey. To learn a foreign language, you want to enroll in a place that has great teaching methods and accredited credentials.
Ask yourself the following six questions before taking an Arabic course. That way, you’ll ensure that you’re making more informed decisions without wasting your time, money, or energy.
1. Does This Course Focus on Memorization Only?
Memorization of words is an important component of learning any language. That being said, relying solely on memorizing words can be frustrating, boring, and ineffective.
So look for an Arabic course that integrates various teaching methods to help learners absorb and retain new concepts.
2. Does the Teacher Do All the Talk?
It’s important to know if your course is teacher-centered or student-centered. Simply put, teacher-centered courses depend on teachers being proactive while students sit, listen, and perhaps take down notes.
Student-centered courses ensure that teachers and learners are taking turns throughout the session through practical applications, activities, discussions, debates, and so on.
You want to pick courses where teachers are native speakers who will allow you to practice enough to reach your goal. The real learning process takes place when a learner is actively participating and getting real-time feedback.
For example, IH Cairo’s non-native Arabic speakers and Arabic teachers join discussions and debates that boost learners’ confidence and correct their mistakes. That way, they apply grammatical rules and theoretical concepts in real-life contexts.
Remember, an Arabic course where you’re actively engaged in your learning experience will make all the difference.
3. Do I Have to Cross the Oceans to Attend the Course?
No, you no longer have to live in an Arab country to learn Arabic as long as you get your hands on an effective online course.
Traveling abroad to an Arabic-speaking country will boost your learning pace. That is because such experience gets you fully immersed in real-life conversations and contexts. As a result, you start to pick up Arabic naturally without limiting yourself to traditional ways of learning.
But since traveling abroad just to learn Arabic isn’t always a choice that you can easily make, you want an online course that can simulate that real-life experience for you.
A great question to ask yourself at this point is, “Does this online Arabic course offer language immersion?”
Travel to an Arab country if you can. But if you can’t, choose an online Arabic program that brings the language and the culture of the Middle East to the comfort of your home.
4. Am I Just Paying Money Solely for the Reputation of the Institution?
The reputation of your Arabic course matters, but so does your learning outcome.
Take a look at the curriculum of the course and its intended learning outcomes. Then, ask yourself, “Does this course cover the points I want to learn?” If your answer is yes, grab your spot.
However, contact the institution for more information if your answer is something like: “I’m not sure but I know that this place has a great reputation.”
Enroll in a place, such as IH Cairo or any other credible institution, that can help you make tangible progress and give you a certification accredited by most universities and other professional institutions.
5. Does the Course Offer Variety in Teaching Methods?
Every learner has a unique learning style. Some students, for example, prefer learning through listening to reading. To maximize your Arabic learning experience, you want teaching methods that are compatible with your learning style.
In addition, some learners prefer to use learning materials to support them after their classes. Others prefer to learn by engaging in conversations with native speakers. Therefore, eliminating one part of the process can do more harm than good.
You want a place that knows how to address all possibilities. That is, choose the institution that provides you with learning materials, such as books and other resources, along with allowing you to learn through field trips and real-life contexts.
6. Does the Course Cover My Learning Goals?
This question is more about you than it is about the place. You have to identify your goals and set realistic expectations based on your time and level. Similarly, the course you’ll take should lead you to your ultimate goals.
In other words, the institution you’re applying to should help you reach your end goal. Therefore, be sure to choose an Arabic course that aligns with your desired outcomes so that you can reach fluency in the Arabic language as soon as you possibly can.
Speak Arabic Fluently with IH Cairo Arabic Courses!
Arabic is the sixth most spoken language in the world with 420 million people around the world speaking the language.
Making Up Your Mind on an Arabic Course
Arabic courses are everywhere, whether online or offline. And with all the differences between Arabic learners, institutions can take different teaching approaches. As a result, doing proper research is key to setting your Arabic learning journey up for success.
Start by setting your goals and ask yourself the questions we’ve covered to learn more about the institutions you’d love to consider. Moreover, make sure that the teaching methods of that place are compatible with your learning style.
Even better, check out IH Cairo’s Arabic school to save yourself the trouble!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Improve your Arabic faster with IH Cairo!
We provide well-designed materials and qualified teachers who can simplify the language for you to make visible progress in a short time.
