Modes of Communication

In the west, Arabic has traditionally been taught as a classical language and teachers tended to focus on the interpretive mode. Unfortunately, this approach still tends to predominate in Arabic classes. Arabic is a living language and I believe it should be taught as such. Students must develop active as well as passive skills in MSA, despite the fact that it's no one's first language. To that end, I'm always focusing on ways to get students to produce the language. Always.

At Pacific Arabic we no longer use Al Kitaab for first-year Arabic classes (and good riddance!). Al Kitaab used to take the class away from our teachers. Class meetings would become a matter of correcting homework, and students would engage in interpretive exercises like discerning the topic of an encyclopedia article about New York City. Classroom discussions were invariably in English. I had to force time into class meetings to engage students in conversation practice.

Unfortunately, not all my teachers did this. Some of them could have done more to avoid having the students sit so passively in class. However, things did change in 2008 when we switched to a different text. When we made the switch, I compelled teachers to use a communicative, interactive approach involving role play, dramatization, association and repetitive analogies. Their task was to inject steady doses of vocabulary while keeping things fun and engaging. This was much easier with the new textbook, as students were able to talk about "coffee with/without sugar" and formed their first iDaafas in texts about a trip to Sharjah (fish market, art museum). Our students are working adults and aren't too keen on discussing admissions offices or graduate fellows (the stuff of Al Kitaab).

As I mentioned, I always try to get students to produce the language (verbally and in writing), and use part of every class meeting for conversation practice. As I see it, conversation practice is the one thing students aren't able to do at home so I always consider it a good use of class time. I may be too focused on the interpersonal mode. I suppose I could incorporate activities that engage the interpretive and presentational modes, while continuing to stress active use of the language.

For instance, I could have each student read a weather forecast of a different city for certain certain days in the immediate future. I could then put them in groups to discuss a trip they'll take over the weekend. Which town should they visit, based on the weather? They could then appoint a spokesperson to report to the class on their decision. This would incorporate all three modes: interpretive, interpersonal and presentational.

In a blended environment I could utilize online materials to do the exercise described above. In a fully-online class I could have students interpret the weather from a video before the class meeting. I could then put them into breakout groups in the web-conferencing environment. Finally, students could present their travel decision in the conference. I suppose there's a way to mimic just about any face-to-face activity online. Lots to think about here!