Five Ways to Prevent Arabic Summer Reading Slide
We’re delighted that the world is slowly going back to normal, but as moms, we’re working hard to ensure that the summer reading slide, especially Arabic reading, doesn’t affect our children.
We’re delighted that the world is slowly going back to normal, but as moms, we’re working hard to ensure that the summer reading slide, especially Arabic reading, doesn’t affect our children.
For the past couple of years, we published an annual list of Arabic summer camps in the US, and we were excited to share information for hands-on Arabic language learning opportunities for your children this year as well.
How do we deal with a prolonged “shutdown” of normal activity in light of a pandemic like the Coronavirus? That is a question parents the world over are grappling with right now. With little time to plan or prepare, we are entering uncharted territory. For many of us, access to unlimited online resources that are being widely shared on social media can be overwhelming. For many, the idea of trying to homeschool one or more children while “teleworking” or managing a home is daunting at best.
Here are five ways you can make the most of this time with your kids at home (and naturally, use Arabic along the way):
When it comes to teaching one’s children Arabic, in a non-Arabic speaking country, and in the face of technology and shortened attention spans, there’s not much in the way of “past experience.” Yes, many of our parents had to teach us Arabic too, but for most, it was their dominant language as immigrants to the US or Canada. For second or third generation Arab-Americans, that is not the case. So the challenge is even more daunting but the desire to maintain one’s connection to their heritage, faith, and culture is strong enough to motivate many of us to stick to it.
We asked ourselves and other parents teaching their kids Arabic about the mistakes they made in their journey and we found several common answers. Here are the top five mistakes parents make when teaching their kids Arabic, and ways to avoid them (if you’re new to this) or fix them (if you’ve already made some).
If you’ve planned for summer camps before, you know that the time, effort, and investment you make can be a big one. It takes weeks on end to figure out where your kids will go and what camps you want them to enjoy during their summer break. We also know how important the summer can be in continuing kids’ education and is a perfect time for students to continue reading, learning, and exploring. We’re in the midst of summer planning now, and we know many of you are too. Since we couldn’t find a list of Arabic camps in our area, we made one ourselves! Some are more Arabic-focused than others, but everyone on this list has at a minimum an Arabic language component. So, if you’re looking for an Arabic summer camp for this year, check these out! If you have others to add, please comment below and let us know or email us at info@maktabatee.com. Happy camping!
Arabic music has always been a part of my life—it was the way my parents entertained us in the car on road trips before iPads and car DVDs became popular, and one way we learned a lot about our religion, culture, and heritage. On our annual summer trip to Jordan, our aunts and great aunts would commonly bust out with a tabla and start a dance party in the kitchen while washing dishes, or even sing together cultural songs in preparation for a wedding or graduation party.
Our goal at Maktabatee is to provide you with a toolbox of resources to make Arabic learning fun and accessible. Versatile, interactive, and innovative, the Arabic Letter Connector is the newest tool to be added to the Maktabatee collection. It is made up of 104 magnetic Arabic letters and accent marks and includes a magnetic board that allows Arabic learners to put the letters together to form words.
I have one underlying theory to how I teach my son Arabic: make him associate Arabic with fun things. My own experience with Arabic growing up was miserable, making me associate the language with painful and boring lessons and constant failure on my part to fully understand. The little I do remember from my childhood Arabic is the fun stuff, and eight years of private school lessons have been blissfully blocked out.
Spring is here! While some of us may still have snow on the ground from last week’s storm, we can confidently say we’re all ready for some warmth, sunshine, and the great outdoors! In a few weeks, school children here will be off for a week for spring break, with lots of energy to burn and time to kill.
Whether you are driving or flying, travel can be stressful. Add kids to the equation, and the “to pack” lists can get crazy and overwhelming. The fear of having un-entertained kids on a long car ride or in a stuffy airplane can make even the most seasoned traveler a bit queasy.
It’s September, and that can only mean one thing: back to school season! While we love the summer and its long, fun-filled days, the new season bri...
From the comfort of hearing a loved one's voice repeating the same words, to a warm snuggle that they begin to associate with reading in a parent's...