Building continuity in language learning from primary school to university.
As more primary and secondary schools offer Arabic, a growing continuity gap has emerged between these programs and those at the university level. To address this challenge, QFI’s Programs Department identified three central needs to bridge the gap and create long-term, successful Arabic language programs in state-funded schools.
- Increasing educators’ access to evidence-based teaching methodologies and teacher certification opportunities.
Arabic teachers face tremendous credentialing and professional development challenges. QFI’s primary goal is to support professional development opportunities that use evidence-based strategies and to create credentialing or certification pathways that align Arabic teaching methods with world language instruction standards. Through these efforts, we aim to increase the number of qualified, certified Arabic teachers in schools.
- Building institutional capacity for Arabic classes in schools.
Many schools need support to lay the groundwork necessary for creating autonomous programs that can provide a learning pipeline from primary to higher education. QFI’s support could include seed funding coupled with district investment and long-term commitment, advice on best practices for building a sustainable program, or ensuring Arabic’s inclusion in education- and language-policy agenda setting and implementation.
- Expanding student access to Arabic programs and immersive opportunities to promote second-language acquisition and cultural enrichment.
Another major challenge is students’ limited access to Arabic language programs and opportunities to use the language. QFI is dedicated to expanding access to Arabic programs that allow students to learn and grow confident in using the language, thereby deepening their connection with the Arabic language and culture.
QFIs approach to addressing these needs is multifaceted.
Through collaborative efforts, including targeted grants, programs, and community engagement, we have not only grown and nurtured Arabic language education, but we have also developed initiatives to set the framework for Arabic’s future as a global language in the classroom.
