How Soon Can I Start to Speak Arabic?

Assalaamu Alaykum

I am still getting frequent questions regarding the new Speak Arabic Today course.  Here are some of them, with my response.

When will the Speak Arabic Course start?

The new Speak Arabic Today course will start on Sunday 3 August 2014 from 10 am to 11 am.  The course will be conducted at the Gatesville Mosque every Sunday for the next four months of the year (Aug.- Nov.). 

Every week about 20-40 sentences will be covered.  These sentences will be given in English and Arabic.  The Arabic will be explained and drilled, so that the student will be able to speak using these sentences on a daily basis.  Additional words and explanations will also be given so that the student can start generating his/ her own sentences in Arabic right from the first week.  Ideally approximately 100 - 125 new sentences will be covered per month.  The aim is the cover at least 500 sample sentences for the year, however with the additional vocabulary and grammatical explanations, the student should be able to generate at least 3/ 4 times more sentences by the end of 2014.  In addition to speaking, the student should be able to read, write and understand everything covered during the year.

Although the classes are only once a week, the student will be assisted with audio and video materials (which will be made available from time to time) to ensure regular (daily) drilling and revision takes place.  Weekly exercises will also be given to help ensure success.  The student will soon be able to communicate using these sentences, In-Sha-Allah. 

Will this help to understand Al-Quran?

A large portion of the vocabulary will be found in the Quran.  The Grammar will be very similar to that of the Quran, so the student will be able to understand many ayaat from the Quran.  Reference to Quranic ayaat will be given on a regular basis.

What do you need to know to start the course?

It would be great if the student knows the Arabic Alphabet and can perhaps read a few words (even without any understanding).  Other than this no previous knowledge is needed. 

Who will present the course?

The course will be presented by Ustaadh Idrees Kamish, who holds an MA degree in Arabic & Islamic Studies.  Mr Kamish is also a qualified educator and school principal with more than 30 years teaching experience.  Idrees Kamish has written several Arabic books and programmes and has taught Arabic for more than two decades.  Idrees is the principal of the Madrasah At-Tayyibah School of Arabic & Quran Studies.  Idrees also writes and maintains several blogs. 

Where can I get more information?

You are welcome to visit the following blogs/ websites:

1.        http://schoolofarabic.blogspot.com;

2.       http://speak-arabic-today.blogspot.com;

3.       http://readarabictoday.blogspot.com

What does the Speak Arabic Today Course entail?

Assalaamu Alaykum Everyone

Speak Arabic Today 2013

A number of people are still enquiring about our beginners courses for 2013.  Thus far only the Saturday morning (09.00-10.00) Speak Arabic Today Course will be offered to beginners.  Students, who take this course, will also have the option of taking The Second Course (10.15-11.15).  This option will be explained in class on Saturday (02/02/2013 at 08.45).  The Tuesday Evening – Understand Al-Quran Course is only available to existing students and to students who has done a similar course elsewhere.  New students, who want to take this option, must please indicate so on Saturday.  They must then join us on Tuesday (05/02/2013 at 19.00-21.00).  For more info regarding the Understand Al-Quran Course, please visit: http://schoolofarabic.blogspot.com/p/simplified-method-towards-understanding.html

If you are not sure whether this is the course you want to take, or if you would be able to manage, please feel free to join us on Saturday morning in the auditorium (upstairs) at the Gatesville Mosque, where all questions will be answered. 

What does the Speak Arabic Course entail?

During this course the primary aim is to speak Arabic, as the name suggests.  Beginners will cover ± 20-40 sentences per session, amounting to about 100 sentences per month.  The aim is to cover at least 800 sentences this year.  These sentences will be explained grammatically, so that the student can produce more sentences on their own.  For example:  If one learns – Read the book.  And you know words like page, chapter, sentence, etc. then you can generate sentences such as: Read the page; Read the sentence, etc., because you understand the grammatical pattern.  The grammar is thus explained in order to facilitate further understanding (not for the sake of learning terminology). 

How is it possible to learn & speak Arabic once a week?

It would be very difficult to learn any language, if the only exposure is once a week.  Students are therefore encouraged to practise the words and sentences covered weekly - on a daily basis.  Audio and video materials will be made available to help with this process.  It has been proven that if one listens and repeats the same sentences (with understanding) a few times, this helps a lot with communication.  Furthermore a number of oral and written exercises will be done weekly (which should be revised daily).  This ensures success.  The students who attended last year, successfully managed to learn and communicate using 600 sample sentences.  Due to their grammatical understanding, they could add to it and produce their own paragraphs and dialogues – which they presented orally towards the end of the year.  With the exception of a few students who opted to take the exam at a later stage (Yes, you have that option!), all the other students obtained passes between 80-95%.

Will this course help you to understand Al-Quran?

Yes, definitely!  Because we teach the Spoken Fushah (Classical Arabic) and not the Aamiyyah (Colloquial Arabic).  This is the language found in Al-Quran and in most books and magazines.  It is also found in all classical Islamic texts.  Arabs use this MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) throughout the World for educational purposes.  For more information regarding the MSA as opposed to Colloquial Arabic, please visit the Madrasah At-Tayyibah – School of Arabic Blog at http://schoolofarabic.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-learn-arabic.html

FEES:  The registration fee is R100.00 per student.  The monthly fees are also R100.00.  Discounts may be requested.

Shukran

Idrees Kamish