7 Tips For Arabic Courses For Beginners in London
So, you are from London and you have finally decided that you want to learn Arabic, well, congratulations on taking this step. Arabic is one of the most beautiful languages in the world and once you immerse yourself in it, this language will change you, give you a new outlook on life and open new doors and opportunities for you.
First, I want to be honest with you, The Arabic language is not easy to learn, but with the right teaching method, the right teacher and some commitment on your part, you can become fluent in just 6 months.
Based on my 15 years of experience teaching Arabic in London, the best Arabic course for beginners as native English speakers is one that includes the following points:
Master The Pronunciation of The Arabic Alphabet.
It is imperative that any Arabic course you take includes the pronunciation of the Arabic alphabet. Arabic alphabets have completely different ways of pronouncing letters, especially for non-native speakers.
. Make sure to spend enough time saying each letter individually until you become familiar with the sounds, shapes, and spellings.
For example, the letter (ح) (ع) (خ)
Ability To Read and Write Simple Sentences and Phrases
Once you’ve mastered the Arabic alphabet, it’s time to spend a reasonable amount of hours learning how to read simple Arabic words, sentences, and phrases. Unfortunately, many Arabic courses in London offer courses using English transliteration, I don’t personally recommend this and here’s why:
First, by relying on English transliteration, you mispronounce many Arabic words and weaken your Arabic accent.
Second, when you start to advance in Arabic, you will come across many Arabic words that have almost 95% the same pronunciation but are completely different in meaning. (jaami3) (jum3a)
And finally, you won’t be able to speak Arabic fluently using only English transliteration. My advice: find an Arabic course that will give you the basics of reading Arabic. This will help you a lot in the future. it’s a good investment.
The Arabic language Course Should Focus On Speaking, Not Grammar.
I met many adult Arabic students in London who had previously taken Arabic courses at SOAS University or at city lit, and they complained that the course was mainly focused on grammar and boring texts that make you give up on learning Arabic and demotivate you.
The most motivating aspect when learning any language is to speak it and practice it in a real scenario, if a student had to deal with so many grammar rules at the beginning of learning Arabic, not only will they lose motivation, but they will also lose confidence.
A Good Arabic Textbook.
I am very surprised that most of the Arabic language courses in London, both for beginners and advanced, use a set of textbooks called Alkitab 1,2,3. These books are, in my opinion, the most outdated, academic and confusing books that I have come across.
First, most of the texts are old and boring, containing useless vocabulary and exercises, and in the latest edition, two dialects, Levantine Arabic and Egyptian Arabic are included in each book. Imagine that the first word you learn as a beginner is (الأُمم المُتَحِدة) ياسلام والله.
It is very important to choose the right book for learning Arabic. Be sure the Arabic course you choose includes an up-to-date Arabic textbook with useful exercises and vocabulary.
Good Arabic Tutor in London
There are many Arabic tutors in London today who offer Arabic courses in person or online via Zoom Skype. Finding an Arabic tutor is much easier than before. Here are the qualities you need to search for when looking for a private Arabic tutor in London.
- He makes what sounds difficult to you sound very simple,
- He is patient and flexible in teaching,
- He is creative and develops his own teaching method, not only relying on textbooks.
One-on-One Tuition Or Group Classes In London
Some students like to study in a group, while others prefer private classes in London. It depends on many factors such as:
- Your financial situation, one-on-one tends to be more expensive than in a group setting.
- Your timetable, if you have a busy or flexible schedule.
- How fast do you want to learn Arabic?
- Your level of Arabic, if you are an absolute beginner then group classes are suitable for you, if you are intermediate you can spend a lot of time in group classes as the teacher follows a certain basis which is slow for you. For example, if individual tuition might be best for you.
Choose The Right Arabic Courses In London
I left this for last, and I think this is the most important piece of advice I can give you in this article. Arabic has two different types of languages, they are called classical or modern Arabic and dialects. The Arabic language we speak is not the language we read. Confusing? I know. But don’t worry! If you make the right decision about which path to take right from the start, you will find that learning Arabic is easy and fun.
My Conclusion
Most universities and language schools in London mainly teach Classical Arabic, why I don’t know, maybe they don’t know that Arabs don’t use Classical Arabic when they communicate on a daily basis, or maybe they think “Fusha” is the most important thing to learn. But recently I have noticed that these language schools in London are finally starting to offer courses in spoken Arabic such as Levantine Arabic, Egyptian Arabic and Gulf Arabic, which I think is a good thing.
If you want to speak the language first, take a “Spoken Arabic Course, such as a beginner’s Levantine Arabic course, and later, when you feel more confident, you can move to Standard Arabic. it’s your choice in the end.
مع تحياتي
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