Introduction We often hear complaints such as: “Students don’t speak,” “There’s no interaction,” or “They know the grammar but can’t communicate.” Responsibility for this failure is usually placed on the learner: low motivation, shyness, or lack of practice outside the classroom. But the truth is simpler—and...

Introduction A learner may acquire grammatically correct Arabic structures and possess an acceptable lexical repertoire, yet still fail to communicate effectively because they use language in a way that is socially inappropriate. This issue is not purely linguistic; rather, it is pragmatic and cultural—that is, it...

Introduction Some curriculum developers have made a critical mistake by reducing the competency-based approach to a mere change in terminology without changing the system itself. As a result, we may read statements such as “a competency-based curriculum,” while lessons continue to rely on rote instruction and...

Introduction One of the most common mistakes in designing Arabic for Specific Purposes (ASP) programs is reducing them to mere “terminology.” In reality, specialized programs fundamentally aim to transform language into professional competence, enabling learners to perform discipline-related tasks in Arabic. For example, a law student...

Introduction No educational tool shapes learners’ behavior as strongly as assessment. A test is not merely the “final stage” of a curriculum; rather, it is the institution’s message to both learners and teachers: What is worth learning? When tests measure memorization, learners learn to memorize. When...

Introduction The phenomenon of “learner silence” in Teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers (TAFL) classrooms is one of the most misleading indicators of learning. It is often misinterpreted as a result of low motivation, shyness, or insufficient personal effort. However, a careful pedagogical reading reveals that silence...