I thought it was a good idea to write a post on how I will deliver my reading Arabic lessons instead of creating a video. Despite having a background in language learning and second language acquisition, I believe the practical side of language learning really comes from a mix of all efforts and, most importantly, from your unique learning style (not just the typical visual or auditory labels). I don't claim my approach is the best, but since it helped me master reading in other languages, I believe it will be highly effective for those who learn like I do.
The Arabic Alphabet: Your First Mission
Therefore, without further ado, these lessons are designed for complete beginners who have no background in Arabic. I will start with the alphabet, as letters are the building blocks of words. In reading, specifically, it’s important to spend some time learning about letters.
Arabic has 28 letters. Most of them correspond to English sounds, while others are a bit more challenging. Yet, as human beings sharing the same speech organs, we are all capable of producing these sounds.
For this reason, I've divided the 28-letter alphabet into two practical sets: we'll start with the easy set (the ones with clear English sound equivalents) before tackling the more challenging, yet fun to produce, sounds.
Speaking of English, the language of instruction is English because I think it’s spoken by most people. I also use English as a reference when comparing language structures or to present an analogy that simplifies linguistic concepts.
The Arabic script is distinctly different from the Roman script, plus it reads from right to left. So, it’s worthwhile to spend time understanding the form of each letter in different positions within a word and the specific sound of each letter.
The good news is that Arabic is a phonemic language — each letter that forms a word is pronounced. There are no silent letters, and even borrowed words are written exactly as they are pronounced.
Moving to the Next Level
Up to this point in writing this post, I am still working on introducing Arabic, so I encourage you to pay attention to each lesson until you learn them by heart.
Once you’ve mastered the alphabet, we will move to the next level: the vowel system and other special features important for learning to read.
When we reach a level where we can read whole words, we will then explore the universe of meaning — which is so much fun in Arabic.
In addition, we will naturally integrate essential grammatical rules as we go. This makes learning to read not only fun but deeply meaningful.
Final Advice: Your Role in Learning
That’s the essence of my teaching style. Now, for your part, your main focus must be on memorizing the connection between the letter's form and its sound. How you memorize is up to you—whether you use simple repetition, my occasionally funny connections, or create your own—you are in control of your retention.
The connections I use with English words, instead of Arabic words, are meant to help you focus on remembering the letters. I believe this is a good approach for adults learning a new language.
We all rely on accumulated knowledge, so it's smart to use what we already know to our advantage. While individual differences are a factor that can’t be ignored, your only mission for now is to master these building blocks. Once we do, we can move swiftly to the next level: forming words and unlocking the language!
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