reimas recommends the owcp

8/4/2019 Reimas Recommends the OWCp

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Online Writing Collaboration Project

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Ask DrOWCP.

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http://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.htmlhttp://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/The_WATA_Library/Research_Papers_and_Studies/Excerpts_from_Papers/2004/march/research1.html


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College Students Attitudes towards Using English and Arabicas a Medium of Instruction

Prof. Reima Sado Al-JarfKing Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

http://www.owcp.net/clc/user/index.php?id=130&sort=lastaccess&dir=desc&perpage=99

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http://www.owcp.net/clc/user/index.php?id=130&sort=lastaccess&dir=desc&perpage=99999http://www.owcp.net/clc/user/index.php?id=130&sort=lastaccess&dir=desc&perpage=99999http://www.owcp.net/clc/user/index.php?id=130&sort=lastaccess&dir=desc&perpage=99999http://www.owcp.net/clc/user/index.php?id=130&sort=lastaccess&dir=desc&perpage=99999


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Abstract

The study investigated college students attitudes towards the teaching and

learning of English and Arabic, towards using English and Arabic as a mediumof instruction at the university level, and the types of educational reforms that

need to be carried out in the light of their responses. Findings of interviews and

questionnaires administered to a sample of students at Jordan University and

King Saud University showed that 45% of the subjects prefer to educate their

children at an international school where they can learn all the subjects in

English at a very young age. 96% of the students at Jordan University and 82%

of the subjects at king Saud University believe that Arabic can be used as a

medium of instruction in religion, history, Arabic literature and education,

whereas English is more appropriate for teaching medicine, pharmacy,

engineering, science, nursing, and computer science. Findings indicated that the

students are more keen on teaching their children English than Arabic. They

consider English a superior language, being an international language, and the

language of science and technology, research, electronic databases, technicalterminology, dictionaries, and teaching methodology. They gave many

educational, vocational, technological, social reasons for favoring the English

language. The study concluded that Arabic is facing a serious threat by the

expansion of English language in all walks of life, lack of language planning,

linguistic policies that protect, revive and develop the Arabic language,

inadequate Arabicization processes in the Arab world, inadequate number of

technical books translated and published in Arabic, misconceptions among

college students about first and second language acquisition by children and

adults, and about the language of instruction at medical and technological

colleges around the world.


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http://www.arabicwata.org/Arabic/ou.../research4.html

A response to Prof. Remia Paper by Meteab

Prof. Reima

Thank you very much for posting a link to the paper in OWCp. I posted the abstract here

so we can discuss with other international peers who might have difficulties to access the

English abstract in Wata. webiste.

I found your paper of a great importance for discussion here. I wish OWCp members readthe paper and share their viewpoints with us. I am positive that Prof. Reima will be glad

to answer any question you might have about her study. So please let us discuss thisimportant study.

Prof. Reima, your studys findings and recommendations support THE ARAB HUMANDEVELOPMENT REPORT 2003 Building a knowledge society, which calls forreforming the Arabic language teaching methods. As all of you may have read, the report

has examined the status of Arab knowledge today in terms of demand, production and

dissemination, and has indicated that the Arabic language is, however, facing severe

challenges and a real crisis in theorization, grammar, vocabulary, usage, documentation,creativity and criticism (p.7).

Authors of the report emphasized the importance of the Arabic language as the systemthat should be the medium of the new technologies in the Arab world. However, they

indicated that there are external (political) and internal factors (social, economical,

educational, and others) that have negatively influenced teaching and learning Arabiclanguage. Educationally, The teaching of Arabic is undergoing a severe crisis in terms

of both methodology and curricula. The most apparent aspect of this crisis is the growing

neglect of the functional aspects of (Arabic) language use. Arabic language skills in
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everyday life have deteriorated and Arabic language classes are often restricted to writingat the expense of reading(P.7).

I would argue here too that both reading and writing are almost neglected to be taught

interactively and reflectively. Both skills are taught as two distinct units and studentswere taught a language in classroom that is to some extent not connected to their daily

life. The Arabic language students learn in classroom is not exact same one they use forcommunication. It is only the language of reading and writing; the formal language of

intellectuals and academics, often used to display knowledge in lectures. Classical Arabic

is not the language of cordial, spontaneous expression, emotions, daily encounters and

ordinary communication. It is not a vehicle for discovering ones inner self or

outer surroundings(p.7)

The report thus underlines that it has become necessary to work determinedly on

strengthening the linguistic shields of Arabic and on sharpening its practical attributes,

which emphasize its universal character and its ability to assimilate new informational

and technological developments. This is in addition to consolidating its relationship with

world languages and providing the necessary economic, social and technical conditionsfor enhancing the language and its creative products (p.7)

Moreover, the report has also discussed the issue of how the Arabic language and culture

are facing serious challenges of an emerging global cultural multiplicity, culturalpersonalities, the issue of the self and the other, and its own cultural character (p.27)

Concerns about the extinction of the language and culture and the diminution and

dissipation of identity have become omnipresent in Arab thought and culture. (p.27)

This issue in particular was discussed by Chill out, Prof. Reima, Meteab. Hanan, Sadeem

and others in this thread http://www.owcp.net/forums/showthre...mp;pagenumber=1

Authors indicated however the importance of global and human cultural interaction. Theyalso have emphasized the need of advancing the Arabic language by undertaking

serious research and linguistic reform for translating scientific terms and coining

simple linguistic usages(p.31).
http://www.owcp.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3437&perpage=5&highlight=Arabic&pagenumber=1http://www.owcp.net/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3437&perpage=5&highlight=Arabic&pagenumber=1


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Authors have also called for facilitating the acquisition of Arabic through formal andinformal learning channels to produce creative and innovative writing for young children.

One of the major reform authors emphasized is the use of technology in the language

classrooms to provide students with interactive tools that links learners with globalaudience to receive new forms of knowledge, to facilitate and encourage greater

interaction with other nations and cultures of the world. Authors argue. Openness,interaction, assimilation, absorption, revision, criticism and examination cannot butstimulate creative knowledge production in Arab societies, (p.27).

However, authors view the rise of information technology as a new challenge to the

Arabic language today. So to create a knowledge society, to increase the hope for Arabhuman development, authors suggest that the Arabic language system should be the

system used for building the knowledge society and shaping its success.

The Arabic language is the distinctive feature that distinguishes the Arab identity. It isthe language of the holy Quraan. And it was the rallying point for the intellectual,

spiritual, literary and social activities incarnated in an entire human civilization, namely

the Arab Islamic civilization. (p.133)

To empower the Arabic Language in the Information age, Arabic should be the mediumused for Information Communication Technologies (ICT). This according to the authors

requires strong commitment to sharing information resources on both the national andregional levels.

ICT as a tool for knowledge acquisition should focus on:

(a) boosting literacy, especially among women;

(b) lowering monopolistic barriers for Internet providers and

telecommunications developers;

(c) lowering other costs affecting access to the Internet;

(d) overcoming restrictions on ICT access by gender, economic

capability, geographic location or social conditions;

(e) Using ICT as a tool for life-long learning.


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At the regional level, a strong pan-Arab information policy could be founded on thefollowing strategic principles:

o Adopting a supra-sectoral approach, i.e., policies that respond to the

growing integration of the information, media and telecommunications

sectors

o Adopting a cultural approach to the information industry while

recognising the computerization of the Arabic language is a basicspringboard for Arab ICT development and applications.

o Emphasising Arab information integration, especially the principle of

sharing resources and data.

o Giving priority to the utilization of ICT in the fields of education,

training, and public health and building an infrastructure for the Arab

cultural industry.

To conclude the authors have suggested some proposals to construct a simplified Arabic standard toadvance Arabic Some specific suggestions follow:

1) One proposal in this regard is to initiate a creative composition movement for

young children: a movement conducted by renowned, capable writers able to

tame, simplify and modernize the language without sacrificing its inherent

values. Success would give new generations of Arab writers and readers a

vibrant medium for producing Arab works with new vistas and inspiration.

2) Related to this, the inauguration of serious research in Arabic language studies,

preferably on the pan-Arab level, is a key priority. Arabic linguists should

participate with specialists in other disciplines to:

3) Compile specialized, functional dictionaries and thesauruses. These could be

especially useful in the production of materials for children and educational

curricula, in addition to specialized scientific materials.

4) Cast scientific terminology in Arabic and coin derived terms free from

obscurities.


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5) Conduct research to facilitate Arabic grammatical rules and simplify their

terminology.

6) Write general books on Arabic grammar transcending national curricula to

present

7) models that show how to teach correct language without excessive reliance onrules.

8) Facilitate the acquisition of correct Arabic via various formal and non-formal

learning channels.

9) Encourage the computerization of the Arabic language.

10) Enrich the Arabic content of information networks and websites.

More supportive quotes

The Arabisation of university educationis a further priority, not for reasons of nationalism

per se, but as a prerequisite for developing native tools of thought, analysis and creativity.

Arabisation of higher studies will also accelerate the social assimilation of rapidly changing

and advancing knowledge, a marked feature of the knowledge society. Moreover, so long as

the sciences are not taught in Arabic, it will be difficult to build bridges between the various

disciplines. But it is absolutely critical that efforts to Arabise knowledge proceed in tandem

with the improvement of foreign language teaching in all fields of knowledge. Both avenues

of knowledge acquisition must be kept open (p.182)

Promoting Arabisation also requires a new outlook on the mechanisms of word-construction;

encouraging writing in Arabic in various scientific fields; supporting machine translation

and using information technologies to build terminology banks and to analyse the

conceptual structure of Arabic words so that foreign terms pass into Arabic with maximum

fidelity to the concepts they contain. (p.182)

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