ESL Teaching and Learning Tips
Well, I really like your intentions of getting involved in a culture other than your own and to have an interest in the Arabic language.
To teach her reading and writing, I think you perhaps may need some material on phonics, that is on how letters of the English alphabet are associated with the sounds of English words and phrases. At this very elementary stage, you could start with teaching her the writing and reading of single words - those of daily life like "car", "house", "family", "child", "children". Concentrate on nouns first. Move to simple adjectives and verbs next. Then, combine them with nouns to get simple sentences like "The car is big", "The child goes home", etc.
Start with reading first, then move on to writing the same sentences your student has mastered already in reading.
You may have to do it in a systematic way, so look for an appropriate primer or lesson book.
Vowels like a, e, i, o, u, y and their combinations like ou, ew, etc. are a crucial point. Some of them are pronounced differently from the way they are written or can be pronounced differently in various contexts, e.g. "a" in "arm" and "allowance".
If you are interested in the Arabic language, start with learning the Arabic script. You may need to get yourself a textbook, it is not so easy. Note that Arabic normally only has three vowels: "o" as in "or", "a" like in "but", and "e" like in "see". There may be long or short vowels, and the pronunciation of these three vowels varies greatly in the Arabic speaking world according to region. One thing that may interest you is perhaps that normally Arabic is a language that, like Hebrew, is written without vowels. For example, an Arabic word like "kitab" for "book" is written in Arabic only as "k-t-b", likewise its plural form "kutub". The reader has to "guess" the appropriate vowels to be used from context when reading a text in Arabic.
Please be reminded that this may be a heavy task on you when trying to teach them. If there are problems, always bear in mind that you are still quite young and not a professionally trained teacher. Ask for advice whenever you feel you may need it.
Good luck in your noble efforts!
Messages In This Thread
- Teaching Iraqi to write? -- Anna
- Re: Teaching Iraqi to write? -- Turnoi
- Re: Teaching Iraqi to write? -- Anna
- Re: Teaching Iraqi to write? -- Turnoi
- Re: Teaching Iraqi to write? -- Anna
- Re: Teaching Iraqi to write? -- Turnoi