The Arabic Language Forum in Private Schools and Kindergartens kicked off Sunday under the theme of 'Arabic language in the AI era' to mark the World Arabic Language Day which annually falls on Dec 18.
Organised by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), in collaboration with the English Modern School in Doha, the two-day forum was held in the presence of HE Undersecretary of MoEHE, Dr Ibrahim bin Saleh al-Nuaimi.
The forum was intended to promote the stature of the Arabic language in the educational curricula and leverage AI to generate the techniques for teaching the Arabic language, in addition to sharing expertise among teachers and experts, and enabling them to utilise cutting-edge technologies in education.
In his opening remarks before the forum, Assistant Undersecretary for Private Education Affairs at MoEHE, Omar Abdulaziz al-Naama, underscored the importance of enhancing Arabic language teaching as it is the language of the Holy Qur'an and strengthening its position in light of the cultural and linguistic challenges of the modern era and rapid technological advancements.
He underlined that the forum's objectives go beyond the improvement of conventional practices in school classes to encompass the advancement of Arabic language teachers' skills to keep up with epochal requirements, especially in light of AI's revolutionising of teaching tools.
Al-Naama stressed the role of families and communities in supporting Arabic language teaching and entrenching its stature among young generations through forging partnerships with schools, highlighting that sharing expertise is a core pillar of having a professional educational community, since teaching the language is not solely an educational mission, but rather a civilisational one to safeguard cultural identity and to polish the skills of generations to come.
HE Assistant Professor of Education Sciences at Qatar University, Dr Hessa bint Hamad al-Thani, underlined the importance of the Arabic language in AI.
In a recorded video, she stressed the importance of Arabic as the language of identity and her people, confirming that she becomes unencumbered when she speaks fluently without shackled expressions. She offered a combination of advice to maintain love for this language, emphasising that Arabic words are flexibly synonymous and interchangeable, as well as the vessel of soul, heart, and mind, the driving force of the body and the tongue of society, she said.
Director of the MoEHE's Kindergarten Department, Dr Rania Mohammed, underscored the importance of this forum, adding that the Arabic language is not only a means of communication but rather the essence of nations' identity.
Head of the Arabic Language Programme at the English Modern School, Dr Jalal Adi, emphasised that the Arabic language is not merely a passing language between nations, but one of the pillars of civilisation and a constant ambassador of culture and thought. He stressed the importance of safeguarding the Arabic language in light of the rapid digital advancements and the emergence of AI technologies.
Dean of the College of Education and Arts at Lusail University, Dr Ramzi Nasser, highlighted the importance of integrating AI in language learning through improving learning quality, stating that AI offers educational experiences that meet students' needs and enhances their motivation for learning the Arabic language.
The first day of the forum featured many workshops, particularly those related to reading skills, reimagining education using AI in Microsoft Teams, as well as educational, literary, artistic, and theatrical activities related to the theme, among others.
