Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language: Techniques for Developing Language Skills and Grammar
Book Review
Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language: Techniques for Developing Language Skills and Grammar
Reviewed by Hanan Khaled, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center,
and Gaye Walton-Price, Independent Scholar
Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language: Techniques for Developing Language Skills and Grammar
Mohammad T. Alhawary
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2024, 158 pp.
ISBN: 978-1-138-92100-9 Paperback $44.99
Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language: Techniques for Developing Language Skills and Grammar
Reviewed by Hanan Khaled, Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center,
and Gaye Walton-Price, Independent Scholar
Professor Muhammad Alhawary’s extensive experience in Arabic linguistics and second language acquisition is evident throughout the book, reflected in the depth and practicality of the activities presented. The book’s emphasis on creating engaging and interactive learning experiences is particularly noteworthy, making it a useful tool for fostering student participation and enhancing language acquisition. The book is an important resource tailored for both inexperienced and well-seasoned teachers of Arabic. It offers a comprehensive collection of 125 practical techniques, well-organized across five chapters focusing on key language skills: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, and Grammar. These techniques are thoughtfully categorized according to three proficiency levels—Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced—based on the standards of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Each technique is structured into three sections: Purpose, Procedure, and Variations. This format simplifies the application of each technique. The book’s clear organization makes it an invaluable asset, particularly for less experienced instructors, offering a strong foundation for building effective and engaging lessons to guide their students through the complexities of learning Arabic. Additionally, the inclusion of variations for each technique is especially beneficial, allowing teachers to tailor activities to their students’ diverse proficiency levels and learning styles.
The book presents a thorough introduction, and five chapters, each one portraying comprehensive techniques, sample exercises, and a wide variety of tasks to engage students in practicing, learning, and developing the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing along with essential grammatical competence. The five chapters are arranged in the following order: Chapter 1—Listening Techniques; Chapter 2—Speaking Techniques; Chapter 3—Reading Techniques; Chapter 4—Writing Techniques; and Chapter 5—Grammar Techniques. It provides an excellent format for learning and understanding, especially for those students who regularly want to know, “Why is this a certain way?”. The book addresses this and many other learner questions through clear and methodological presentation.
It is a user-friendly textbook for both students and instructors. And, as mentioned earlier, each chapter is organized in a progressive manner starting from the very basic elements and building upon these, advancing from the novice to the intermediate and advanced levels. It clearly utilizes the essential cumulative process that gaining competence in the Arabic language requires. Another appealing aspect of this book is the fact that it presents instructions in English as well as Arabic throughout, and the instructions gradually increase in complexity to continually challenge learners to learn and progress on many levels through the book, as the material gains greater and greater difficulty moving from novice levels to advanced levels.
All that being said, the book’s practical focus, while admirable, reveals a notable gap—the absence of a theoretical framework. Without this, inexperienced instructors may miss a crucial layer of understanding regarding the effectiveness of these methods. For instance, the book would be significantly enhanced by explaining how interactive listening activities align with Krashen’s Input Hypothesis or how communicative speaking exercises support the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). By grounding each technique in established SLA theories, the book would provide teachers with practical tools and empower them with a deeper comprehension of the underlying mechanisms that make these activities successful. This understanding would enable educators to grasp not just what to do in their classrooms, but also why these techniques work, leading to more informed, intentional, and effective teaching practices. Such an approach would elevate the book from a collection of activities to a comprehensive guide that bridges theory and practice, empowering teachers to make more strategic decisions in their lesson planning and execution.
Overall, the book is a well-organized and practical guide that should be a staple in the library of any Arabic language instructor, including those courses that are designed to instruct any of the specific dialects that exist alongside Modern Standard Arabic. Its practical methods and procedures are equally applicable in such cases. Professor Alhawary’s clear, methodical approach to teaching Arabic makes this book an excellent resource for creating dynamic, effective, and learner-centered classrooms. Despite its minor shortcomings, the book provides a solid base for less experienced instructors and has the potential to greatly enhance Arabic language education when coupled with a deeper understanding of SLA principles.
