Arabic language skills of children 'need to improve'

Urgent action is needed to improve Arabic reading and writing skills among junior pupils, according to a study.

Poor teaching and uninspiring text books are some of the reasons why children are struggling with the language, says Shaikha Saeed Obaid, an elementary schoolteacher in Dibba Al Fujairah, in her study.

Shaikha Saeed has asked the parents and teachers to come together to improve pupils' skills.

"It is quite clear that a large number of our pupils at elementary school level have a serious problem reading and writing Arabic. This, according to a number of teachers and supervisors whom I interviewed, needs urgent action and parents should help," she said.

The teacher said pupils who were unable to read and write Arabic tended not to bring their Arabic textbooks to school and did not regularly visit the school library.

"They lack the necessary motivation to read and write in Arabic. This should be instilled in them by their teachers who should adopt new techniques to make pupils love their mother tongue," she said.

Other reasons behind reading difficulties could be related to some deficit or weakness of vision, hearing or general poor physical and mental condition, she said.

She said some teachers were unenthusiastic. Others did not even speak correct formal Arabic in the classroom and did not encourage pupils to visit the school's library.

She said the environment in which pupils live also had a significant influence. Pupils usually spoke in slang with relatives and friends and listened to Arabic TV shows, where presenters also spoke in slang.

"In Gulf society, where various nationalities live and work, pupils are in great danger of forgetting the Arabic language," Shaikha Saeed said.

She said that parents should play a more effective role in urging their children to read Arabic.

Parents should cooperate with the school and teachers should make children speak formal Arabic inside the classroom, arrange contests in reading and upgrade the role of the school radio.

They should teach pupils how to translate sounds into letters and how to make words out of letters, she added.