Boost your job chances: LEARN ARABIC FOR FREE
Image by Dr Yuri
A number of the jobs in Dubai posted online and in the paper require the applicant to either be fluent in both English or Arabic or at least know a little Arabic.
And a little will go a long way.
While you’re waiting for that dream job to pop up why not learn Arabic for free at the Al Safa and Al Twar Public Libraries.
Classes are from 8pm to 9:30pm from July 19 to August 7.
The Al Twar library will hold lectures throughout the week. The Al Safa public library will host lessons on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.
Learning the Arabic language for free is all part of the Arabic Language protection Campaign.
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Language Institutes in Dubai
If you’d like to take your language learning to the next level. Check out these language learning centres in Dubai:
- Alliance Francaise (04 335 8712)
- Arabic Language Centre (04 308 6036)
- Dar El IIm (04 331 0221)
- Dubai International Art Centre (04 344 4398)
- Eton Institute of Languages (04 360 2955)
- Goethe Institut (04 359 0529)
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Language Learning Software and Audio courses
If you’d prefer to learn Arabic from the comfort of your home, or you haven’t yet arrived to Dubai and would like to brush up on some key phrases before coming over check out these language courses:
1. Unforgettable languages
This computer course uses the Linkword method to teach you words by associating them with an image.
For example the Arabic word for fish is Samakah. So, you imagine smacking a fish. Over time you build up a large vocabulary that stays locked in your brain for a surprisingly long time.
This software is an excellent beginners course to a language. You build confidence with each new word you store away.
The downside to the software is that it doesn’t expand on grammar and sentence structure. So, although you learn a lot of new words you must invest in a grammar book to put them in practice.
2. The Pimsleur Approach
This audio course, used by the CIA, FBI, and business professionals, involves repetition of key phrases at spaced intervals.
Just when you’re about to forget how to say “would you like something to eat?” the speaker tests you again. Each session lasts half an hour and breaks down each word so you get the pronunciation just right.
The Pimsleur approach covers a large number of languages and includes Arabic, Armenian, Farsi and many more.
It even has courses on English for Arabic speakers, and Hindi speakers.
3. Rosetta Stone.
Rosetta Stone is an interactive computer program that covers all areas of language learning: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and sentence structure.
It teaches in much the same way as you would teach a small child by presenting real life images linked with words and phrases to describe them. For example when I read a picture book to my two year old nephew, together, we point out the farm animals, what they are doing, and the various colours on the page. I say the word aloud and he mimics me.
The Rosetta Stone software program acts in the same way.
According to press releases the software is being used by NASA, the US Army (which has a military edition for learning Arabic), the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, and over 10,000 schools.
So, there you go. Plenty of language learning resources to get you speaking Arabic in no time. Good Luck.
