Benefits of Learning Arabic for Children in Dubai

Published 26 November 2024 at 15:00

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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has over 200 nationalities with expats outnumbering locals, making it a cultural melting pot. Dubai, one of UAE’s 7 emirates, is a global economic and tourist hub due to its location, with 1/3 of the world’s population within a 4 hour flight. By the end of 2023 Dubai had 292,000 citizens and 3.36 million non-citizens.

This diversity has led many private schools to offer curricula in English, French and German. While learning Arabic isn’t compulsory for school admission, it can really open up social and future opportunities for the kids.

Benefits of Learning Arabic for Children in Dubai

Social Communication

Learning the basics of the Arabic language will help a child communicate with their peers and boost their self confidence while living in an Arab society. This will help the child to:

Make more friends

When children live in an Arab city they have great opportunities to meet Arab children and make friends with them, whether in private schools attended by Arabs as well as foreigners or in parks and recreational areas. So learning Arabic or at least the basics, such as greetings, expressions of gratitude, days of the week in Arabic, Arabic alphabet and more will definitely create unique communication, cultural exchange and deep friendships among them.

Join cultural activities

Mastering the Arabic language will open up more activities for the child in Dubai, reading Arabic books or stories, attending plays and all events, activities and festivals.

Future Opportunities

Scholarships

Although most people in the UAE speak English due to the large number of expats, the UAE is an Arab country and Arabic is the official language. So knowing Arabic will be an added advantage that will increase the chances of success in the UAE in general and Dubai in particular, especially when applying for fully or partially funded scholarships offered by Dubai universities in various fields. For some fields, knowing Arabic is a basic requirement for scholarship applications.

Business

Dubai aims to be the top destination for global entrepreneurs and continues to be a pioneer in economic innovation and international investment. The city offers unique opportunities on the global economic stage, it’s a destination for talents, startups and new investments and a hub for international companies looking to expand their business.

In a city like this, developing many skills for the child’s future is key and learning Arabic is one of them. It will give them an edge in the job market along with other skills.

Cognitive Development

Learning languages in general develops and enhances children’s cognitive abilities and learning Arabic does that by:

Problem solving

The unique shape and connection of Arabic letters is a challenge that develops analytical thinking in children.

Concentration and memory

Learning Arabic improves a child’s concentration and memory.

Building a foundation for multilingualism

Learning multiple languages requires a foundation, and learning Arabic from a young age will be a strong base that paves the way for a smoother and easier journey in acquiring additional languages.

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Different Ways to Learn Arabic

First, it’s important to understand that Arabic is diverse and not a single standard language across all Arab countries. It is divided into Standard Arabic, which is the official language in Arab countries and used in newspapers, books, official documents, government schools, and news; and colloquial Arabic, which refers to the Arabic dialects spoken in daily life among people. In Dubai, the Emirati Gulf dialect is used in daily life.

However, learning Standard Arabic or one of the dialects complements the journey of learning the other types. They are forms of Arabic that have many commonalities and complement each other rather than being entirely separate.

After understanding this important information, you can choose the method of learning Arabic that suits you:

Joining Arabic language institutes

There are many institutes and centers for learning Arabic in Dubai, but they often require commitment and determination, making them a better option for adults than for children.

Joining community initiatives

Many local organizations organize initiatives to teach Arabic to non-native speakers. These are sometimes free or low-cost and are a great option for learning Arabic while also meeting friends from diverse cultures.

Online Learning

Learning through Arabic language learning apps is an excellent option due to the flexibility of learning times and locations. You can choose the place and time that suits you to teach your child some Arabic.

The best way to teach Arabic to children and adults is through exposure to the language as it is used in daily life, in programs, and more. This can be achieved by watching diverse videos from the real world designed to teach Arabic, with subtitles, accompanying texts, exercises to aid understanding, and other enjoyable and practical tools. You can access all of this through Playaling, which specializes in teaching Modern Standard Arabic and major dialects. These methods ensure that children don’t get bored of learning and that video-watching time is effectively utilized in an entertaining way.