Arabic Program for non-natives by Hussein Maxos. Damascus, Syria. 1990-2011 http://hmaxos.

com

Our Strategy (Diversity within Unity) :

Introduction:
Our strategy may look normal, because it is the rule in
the modern methods of teaching a second language.
In Arabic, our strategy is new or maybe radical. It
could be considered strange or even scary, because
the strictly traditional methods are dominant and are
based on nationalist and religious causes. It is a
mentality attached to the past that is the golden age
for both religious and liberal nationalists. That past
represented by its language. For them, it matters how
language was and how it must be much more than
how it is now the written or the spoken form.
We believe in the unity of Arab language and culture.
It is real and found in hearts and minds of millions of
Arabs and all who lives with them.
The fake unity of elitist culture is artificial and
supported by separatist institutions. Arabic has also
been under a heavy political influence from another
group thats the isolationists. They consider natural
accent variation a separate language (i.e. originally

Pharaonic or Phoenician). They run programs

and wrote books about many Arabic dialects and
accents which isolate them from the mother
Arabic. We think it is the divide and rule policy
adopted by separatist rulers and elite who
inherited colonialism.
Arabic dialects use the same essential words but
different accent. The different expressions are
derived from the same origin according to the
same patterns. Whats completely different is
insignificant, and found in all world languages.
Arabic needs to bridge the gap between spoken
and written, which means reconciliation between
past and present. Arabic needs reform to
approach the people and modern age.
General Strategy
1. The unity of Arabic: We developed a program that
includes an integrated system which interprets the
richness and diversity of Arabic language and culture.
We depend on the actual usage of Arabic by the
majority of Arabs. We depend on modern principles of

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Arabic Program for non-natives by Hussein Maxos. Damascus, Syria. 1990-2011 http://hmaxos.com

teaching second language worldwide. It stands in

contrast with both the elitist mentality thats pro written
and isolationist thats pro slang. They are promoted by
separatist rulers who manipulated the media and
education during the last fifty years, which confused
Arabs in their own language.
Uneducated Syrian, Yamani and Libyan mutually
understand each other just like Canadian, South African
and New Zealander understand each other using
shared English. The two groups automatically avoid
their local slang when they speak with someone from
distant area.
Universally, the spoken type is easy and simple in
grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. The written
language is the formal and complicated type. Therefore,
beginners should study spoken language and advanced
students study the written. Despite the controversial
situation in Arabic, Universal theories are still applicable
but under strict conditions: A. focusing on shared
language. B. comparing spoken with written including
various dialects (similar to teaching English. They compare
American to British, or in Spanish, they compare Spain,
Mexico and Argentina etc.). Then, students learn to speak

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the common version as an active skill, and understand

variation as a passive skill. C. Analyzing spoken to find
its roots in written.
2. Studying a language with its own alphabet: It is
necessary to know Arabic alphabet when studying
Arabic. The alphabet is globally the natural container of
its language that doesnt miss any of its letters whether
consonants or vowels. Avoiding Arabic alphabet is a big
mistake particularly that its a normal and easy alphabet.
3. Cultural immersion: living, befriending Arabs,
dealing with difficulties in language practice, combing
fun with benefit and generally connecting language with
real life are all important goals. This way studying
Arabic turns to real life experience with its colors and
feelings together with having a deep understanding to
local culture within its Arab, Islamic and oriental context.
4. Continual Improvement: Curriculum development
goes through frequent improvement in compliance with
several factors such as connection to real life now,
students feedback, scientific development around the
word in linguistics, sociology, cultural anthropology,
concepts and technology of knowledge and modern
communication.

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Arabic Program for non-natives by Hussein Maxos. Damascus, Syria. 1990-2011 http://hmaxos.com

5. The conversation: Since most of the natural usage

of a language is oral communication, and the best
opportunity to study a language in its own country is
speaking to people, conversation is a top priority.

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6. Enjoying the Arab cultural diversity: Seeing the

diversity within the unity makes it both understandable
and enjoyable. Mixing with people from different age,
origin, religion, ethnicity and class also helps to
eliminate generalizations and stereotypes about Arabs
and Muslims.

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7. Introducing the Arab culture to non-specialists

and to the audience that doesnt know any Arabic
through various cultural activities such as arts, movies,
music, books, library, and using electric materials on PC
or on the internet.
8. Our love and pride of Arab culture and Islamic culture
do not conflict with our scientific and secular approach.

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9. New language is new way of thinking and learning

a new culture is a new way of life, especially if they are
from a different region. We maintain connection with
many of our students after they leave and help them
improve their knowledge of the Arab culture.

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10. As the concept of the modern language is still

vague in Arabic, one has to fight two different groups,
the traditional big one pro written and the isolationist
smaller one pro slang. Both are intentionally breaking
the unity of Arabic. The first one ignores the modern
spoken and the modern grammar, and the second
ignores the natural connection of spoken Arabic with the
rest of the region and the Arab world. What matters
most is that pedagogically, it makes studying Arabic
lengthy, painful and confusing.

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Curriculum Development

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1. Practical grammar: focus on the common grammar in
use, distinction between rules and exceptions, comparison
between spoken and written grammar, discovering the new
rules and usages evolved during the last two centuries are
all important to reform the archaic Arabic grammar.

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Arabic Program for non-natives by Hussein Maxos. Damascus, Syria. 1990-2011 http://hmaxos.com

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2. Vocabulary: Utilizing the Arabic derivation system to the
maximum. Its a vocabulary system that turns words origins
to family groups, and makes similar forms for similar
meanings. It so advantageous that it makes Arabic the
richest language in vocabulary the easiest one to learn.
Comparison between the actual and metaphorical
meaning. Offering fewer words with more practice in
beginning levels.

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3. Pronunciation: it is a difficult skill, because it needs

more practice and remembering it is different from words
meaning for example. Pronunciation is the most essential
skill for oral communication. It is also a quality skill, which
means, it takes a limited time and doesnt need to practice
all the language in order to pronounce it well. Compared to
vocabulary thats a quantity skill and takes unlimited time.
Pronunciation is also a hidden skill abandoned by
traditional methods. It is a top priority.

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4. Practice: introducing the common language thats

accepted by people guarantees easy and enjoyable
conversation. Class conversation is necessary and has to
gradually approach real life conversation. Discussion of
students difficulties in real life language practice and
offering solutions and plan.
5. Translation: Functional translation is useful. It provides
a temporary interpretation, and must shrink then
disappears as the students progress. Translation is
important in the beginning when teaching adults, because
unlike children, they need explanations to be convinced
and convert their life experiences.
6. Home assignment: Homework helps students face the
language alone and find out whats understood and whats
not in order to catch up. Students feel confident with the
teacher. This confidence weakens in real life.
7. Testing: helps students discover their weakness and
catch up. They deal with amount of language bigger than
homework in limited time, which is similar to real life
practice.
8. Arabic Programs and books are in chaos, and what is
available in libraries and bookshops has several problems
as follows:
1) Modern Written or Modern standard Arabic books have
two problems. First, they completely abandon modern

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Arabic Program for non-natives by Hussein Maxos. Damascus, Syria. 1990-2011 http://hmaxos.com

spoken Arabic, and they use old grammar.

2) Grammar books use medieval grammar that mix live

and dead grammar, common and rare grammar, and mix
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rules with exceptions.
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3) Arabic dialects books have many problems. A, they
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focus on local slang, which is useless in another town or
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neighboring area. B, they ignore whats common with

written and with other spoken Arabic. C, most of them
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believe that spoken has no rules and they dont apply
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Arabic grammar on spoken, so we see strange rules most
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of them are exceptions. D, most of them dont use Arabic
Alphabet.
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4) Dictionaries have many problems too. Dictionaries of :
written abandon spoken and vice-versa. Dictionaries of

spoken focus mostly on specific town. Most spoken
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dictionaries dont use Arabic alphabet. They also treat any

pronunciation or accent variation as a different vocabulary,

which is linguistically wrong.

5) Idioms books have a strange mixture of idioms,
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proverbs, religious and colloquial expressions. These

expressions are different from each other in terms of
structure, content and social functions. The other problem
is the focus on the old, unknown and the local ones.
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6) Many Textbooks are full of translation from beginning to
end. This is universally unprofessional and creates a

barrier between the learner and the new language,

because it doesnt let him/her use what hes been learning.
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Therefore, we had to create our own program and teaching
materials in order to embody our strategy and offer a
program that achieves better results and satisfy the needs
of the increasing number of people interested in Arabic. It
was a tremendous challenge that took over fifteen years.
Our books and teaching materials include:
A. Arabic Alphabet book.
B. Syrian spoken Arabic for beginners and intermediate,
which includes spoken Arabic comparison.
C. Arabic language and culture in the media: for
advanced written Arabic.
D. Modern Arabic Grammar: translated to English.
E. Comparative spoken Arabic: for advanced students.
F. Arabic Idioms: Arabic-English dictionary.
G. Arabic Proverbs: Arabic-English dictionary.
H. Arabic Politeness Expressions: Arabic-English.
I. Arabic Religious Expressions: Arabic-English.
J. Spoken Syrian Arabic: Arabic-English dictionary
includes spoken-written comparison.
There are also many recordings for the books and other
compilations in addition to a library of other books, movies,
recordings and a digital library.
Our book are in final stages and done up to 70 to 80%. We

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Arabic Program for non-natives by Hussein Maxos. Damascus, Syria. 1990-2011 http://hmaxos.com

are in contact with publishers from US and Europe to

publish part of our books, and we are still searching to
publish the other books and searching for better options
and circulation. If we reach an agreement, our books will
be available in the near future.

conclusion:
This program has been developed (according
to our limited resources) and tested for over
twenty years. It achieved a success with over
four thousands students from US, Europe and
around the world. The first time in Arabic,
students could learn Arabic reading, writing,
speaking and understanding many dialects
only in five months. This way the myth that
Arabic is weird and complicated language and
must stay so because its a holy language has
fallen. Arabic became a normal and easy
language spoken by over 400 million and the
religious language of over a billion Muslims.

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