[lg policy] UAE: Arabic must be the focus in pursuit of 'true' bilingualism

[Harold Schiffman]

Arabic must be the focus in pursuit of 'true' bilingualism

Ahmad Al-Issa
Feb 9, 2012



Recent articles in The National have discussed and debated the role of
English in the UAE, and highlighted concerns with the place of Arabic
in this diverse nation. Government officials say they hope to
implement bilingual education earlier to help students improve their
English language proficiency, and ease their transitions into
universities where English is typically the language of instruction.

The idea of bilingual education is sound in principle. However, any
language policy promoting bilingualism must be well thought out. It is
important that language policies introducing bilingual education be
done with an intensely balanced emphasis on both languages. True
bilingualism can be achieved, but the method of instruction, and the
attention and status each language receives in the classroom, matters.
Simply introducing a new language earlier in a child's education is
not necessarily the best way to attain a multilingual population.

No one disagrees that English is today's lingua franca; it is a global
language that most people require in order to get ahead. Yet for
children and students to gain a strong balance between their languages
they must first have a very firm grasp of their mother tongue at an
early age.

With Arabic in the UAE, this is not always the case.

Research has shown that students who are taught core subjects, like
maths and sciences, in their native language understand the material
better and become stronger communicators. Take the example of Finland,
which has the highest literacy rate in Europe but whose children do
not start learning English until they are seven or eight years old.
English in Finland is taught as a foreign language, not a second
language.

In the UAE there is the further notion that native speakers of English
are best suited to teach the language. But there are many well-trained
English language teachers here who are native speakers of Arabic and
fluent in English. Unfortunately, they are often overlooked in favour
of native speakers of English. This is an out-dated notion that has
been discarded by most scholars.

When it is said that parents want their children to learn English, one
has to ask how the parents were consulted. Do parents really have any
option? The combination of the language policies of the country, the
fact that English is the medium of instruction in higher education,
and the fact that they see English as a pathway to success, all lead
parents to seek out the best for their children.

One must also question if parents are aware of possible detrimental
effects of English at such an early age. If students are over-exposed
to English and its colourful books and exciting methodologies, their
interest in Arabic can be diminished. Certainly, people will continue
to speak Arabic, but fluent classical or Modern Standard Arabic (MSA)
will become a language of the past.

The book Global English and Arabic: Issues of Language, Culture and
Identity marks the latest warning regarding the status of Arabic.
Researchers from the Arab world and beyond report growing apprehension
over the role of Arabic in the Arab world generally, and in the Gulf
and UAE specifically.

To be sure, there will always be those who stand firm in their belief
that classical Arabic will never be reduced or lost in the Arab world
due to its central role in Islam and being the language of the Quran.
However, no matter how hard they attempt to make their case it does
not stand up to serious scrutiny. If we view language as a standard
bearer of identity, then the gradual loss of Arabic in the UAE is a
serious problem in need of immediate attention.

There is hope that the roots of Arab linguistic history can be
salvaged. But language policy needs to be well thought out; linguists
and specialists from the UAE and surrounding Arab nations need to be
involved in crafting smarter ways of incorporating Arabic instruction
into our classrooms . This is not a job for foreign consultants alone.
Our pupils need to know as many languages as they can or desire, but
it should not be at the expense of their mother tongue.

Much as identity characterises people, native languages are of great
importance in defining people. For the Emirati identity to remain
strong, Arabic proficiency must be maintained.



Ahmad Al-Issa is an associate professor of English and linguistics at
the American University of Sharjah

http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/comment/arabic-must-be-the-focus-in-pursuit-of-true-bilingualism#full

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