Why Most Teachers Like to Teach MSA and Not Dialects
If you are exploring the possibility of learning Arabic and considering your options, you will find that there are a number of teachers who focus on teaching MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) instead of dialects. Before choosing a program, you need to know the reason for this preference, and which focus will benefit you most as a language student.
What is MSA (Modern Standard Arabic)?
Modern Standard Arabic is the written language used in the North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Middle East. Most printed materials, such as books, magazines, newspapers and official documents are written in MSA.
It is the language used to teach schoolchildren to read, and the following countries have mandated that MSA be taught in schools:
- Egypt
- Iraq
- Saudi Arabia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Yemen
What are Dialects?
A dialect is a variation of a language spoken in a particular place by a particular group of people. Arabic is one language which has different dialects, which means that the expressions and vocabulary used vary by region.
Why Most Teachers Like to Teach MSA
There are a number of books available about MSA. It’s very easy for a teacher to choose one and follow it to prepare lessons for students.
When it comes to teaching students about the different Arabic dialects, there are only a few books available. The ones that are on the market only cover the basics of learning how to speak Levantine, Egyptian or Gulf Arabic.
Learning MSA First Not Best Approach for Students
Many students who focus their studies on learning MSA first give up on their goal to learn Arabic after only a few months because they have spent a lot of time learning to read and write, which involves studying rules and heavy grammar.
It is not a form of language that is used in conversation, although it is understood by Arabic speakers. When new language students try to use it with a native Arabic speaker, the student will find out very quickly that they are not very skilled conversationalists. This type of encounter may even be enough to shake a student’s confidence at being able to learn how to speak Arabic at all, since they are likely to conclude that it is a difficult language to master.
In fact, Arabic is not hard to learn as long as you are being taught in the right manner.
Learn to Speak Arabic First
Our approach to teaching Arabic is to teach our students one dialect first. We believe that language students want to learn how to speak the language so that they can have conversations. This is the way that children learn Arabic; they hear the language being spoken at home and in conversations around them in everyday situations. It’s the most natural way to learn Arabic.
After a few months of learning conversational Arabic, if you would like to start learning MSA to read and write the language as well, you can start taking that type of course.
The Nassra Arabic Method for Learning to Speak Arabic
The Nassra Arabic Method of learning to speak Arabic is a personalised learning tool that you can access at your convenience from your mobile or tablet. Log in when you have a few minutes to get access to more than 300 interactive videos and audio recordings, ranging from beginner to advanced levels.
Our courses are structured so that you can work at your own pace, but always in a way that makes learning to speak Arabic an enjoyable experience. When you learned to speak English as a child, your parents did not have to sit you down and say, “Today we are going to teach you how to speak.”
With our courses, we want to make learning the same natural process by focusing on words and phrases you would use in everyday conversations. You develop your knowledge of Arabic by building on what you have already learned.
Our course material is updated regularly, so there is no chance that you will get bored with our offerings. Every month, we have audio and video lessons made available to our students in our “Members Only” area.
Are you ready to start learning to speak Arabic today? Contact us to learn more about our course.