Last night was my first experience as a private Arabic teacher. In fact that was the second night, but the first one just to introduce myself and to present my teaching method. I was invited to teach Arabic language a small group of ‘high class people’. I have enough experience teaching the students in the class, couple experience teaching the adults, but this is my first experience teaching high educated people who of course have a high expectation.
The class went quite well, started with the listening program. I think this is the first step to learn the new language, like a baby who spent his listening from his parent. The listening class took about an hour. I spend another half of an hour talking and sharing the experience in Arabic grammar (Nahu and Sarf) .
Beside teaching ( I prefer using sharing my experience ) Arabic language, I’m also learning the English language. All of them are fluent in English, and I use this opportunity using my ‘bad’ English to translate whatever word need to be translated, so again I kill two birds with a stone.
The main question about learning a new language is : do you want to learn language or grammar? I see lot of people who learn language do not learn the language but learn the grammar. Of course grammar is very useful, especially in writing, but if we want our grammar to be perfect before we start to speak and write, I think we are in the wrong way. I think we must use our language despite to the ‘bad’ grammar, because the major purpose from the language is to communicate with others. If you can understand what I write or what I talk, I can say that I get that language in my opinion. Of course learning the grammar will make our language perfect, but we must start it by using it.
The class went quite well, started with the listening program. I think this is the first step to learn the new language, like a baby who spent his listening from his parent. The listening class took about an hour. I spend another half of an hour talking and sharing the experience in Arabic grammar (Nahu and Sarf) .
Beside teaching ( I prefer using sharing my experience ) Arabic language, I’m also learning the English language. All of them are fluent in English, and I use this opportunity using my ‘bad’ English to translate whatever word need to be translated, so again I kill two birds with a stone.
The main question about learning a new language is : do you want to learn language or grammar? I see lot of people who learn language do not learn the language but learn the grammar. Of course grammar is very useful, especially in writing, but if we want our grammar to be perfect before we start to speak and write, I think we are in the wrong way. I think we must use our language despite to the ‘bad’ grammar, because the major purpose from the language is to communicate with others. If you can understand what I write or what I talk, I can say that I get that language in my opinion. Of course learning the grammar will make our language perfect, but we must start it by using it.
