Sharjah, the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai and Abu Dhabi, recently hosted the third International Forum of Arabic Language Teachers at its University City.
The forum showcased distinguished educational experiences in teaching the Arabic language at both local and international levels and explored the best ways of utilizing technology tools and artificial intelligence techniques in language education through innovative and unique methods.
During the opening ceremony, Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, chairperson of Sharjah Private Education Authority (SPEA) and president of the Sharjah Education Academy, announced the launch of Passion for Arabic, which is Sharjah’s approach to teaching and learning Arabic for native speakers and nonnative speakers. She explained that this name was derived from the passion of the educational community—including mothers, fathers, teachers, and students—for the Arabic language.
She stated, “The letter sheen signifies inclusivity in caring for and meeting the needs of Arabic language learners. The letter ghayn refers to instilling a sense of belonging, loyalty, and commitment to the values and traditions represented by the Arabic language. As for the letter Fa, it represents the diverse arts and contemporary tools with references from dictionaries and sources, deepened by research and scientific studies, to sustain the love for the Arabic language.”
Dr. Al Hashimi highlighted in her speech a number of recent achievements made by the authority in the field of the Arabic language, including the results of the standardized Arabic language proficiency tests TALA for native speakers, which assess progress in reading comprehension and writing skills. Students in Sharjah’s private schools in the academic year 2023–24 achieved levels above average in all educational stages.
She announced the launch of the digital Arabic language library initiative, as an extension of the “Read, You Are in Sharjah” campaign initiated by Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi. She also announced the authority’s launch of an exceptional award named the Arabic Language Gem within the 29th Sharjah Award for Educational Excellence. This award, competed for by all state and private schools in the country, aims to enhance the Arabic language and empower the entire educational community to possess Arabic language skills and apply them in the fields of science and life.