The field of Teaching Arabic as a Second Language is experiencing a silent tsunami that we are ignoring.
The majority of students aren’t anymore white western kids, but rather:
(1) heritage learners who wish to (re)connect with their Arab roots and
(2) Muslim students who seek a spiritual connection to their faith. This is happening in most programs and institutions across the world (public or private), including the United States and Europe.
Given this new reality, it is important to ask ourselves whether mainstream textbooks are suitable or even attractive to this new generation of students. Because without curricula that appeals to their motivations, they won’t learn and we won’t be able to retain them.
The current gap between student needs and available materials presents a challenge, but also an unprecedented opportunity. By integrating proficiency oriented goals and meaningful cultural content, we can take the field to new heights, and we can continue appealing to all kinds of students, without excluding anyone.
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