Al-Shatibi discusses the development of Arabic in Malaysia

A new academic educational book by Moroccan researcher and writer Khalid Al-Shatibi was recently published by Dar Al-Mashreq Al-Arabi Publications in Malaysia, entitled: “Teaching Arabic according to modern strategies of international references: The art of debate to solve the dilemma of speaking and develop communication skills.” This new book by the writer residing in Malaysia comes after his literary book in travel literature, from the narrative and satirical story art, entitled: “Diaries of the Pain of Exile in Malaysia.”

The book is 245 pages long, medium size, and falls within the large, specialized, and comprehensive academic educational project: “Developing the linguistic, communicative, and cultural competencies of Arabic language teachers and learners by employing modern strategies according to international references,” which has produced and will produce a series of articles, research, and academic educational and training books that will enrich the library of teaching Arabic to non-native speakers around the world.

The project aims, according to the same source, to develop the linguistic, communicative and cultural competencies of Arabic language teachers and learners according to the standards of international frameworks and references, most notably the CEFR and ACTFL, while taking into account the characteristics and features of the Arabic-Islamic language and culture and the learner’s environment.

The book is divided into an introduction and four chapters with appendices. The first chapter deals with the Arabic language between universality, the problem of research, and the failure of its people. The second chapter constitutes a critical study of the reference frameworks and standards for teaching foreign languages, while the third chapter reviews modern strategies for addressing weak speaking and communication skills, using the art of debate as a model. The fourth chapter is devoted to the art of debate and its use to develop speaking and communication skills.

The importance of this book lies in the fact that it employs the essence of the gains and achievements of the most important international frameworks and references in teaching foreign languages, in order to benefit from them in developing curricula for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers, through the use of modern strategies and mechanisms adopted globally, and starting with the art of debate, by merging and harmonizing theoretical studies with the skills of applied workshops based on a field training program that took a full year at prestigious Malaysian universities, and crowned with valuable conclusions, proposals and recommendations that are submitted to decision-makers and all those concerned with teaching Arabic to non-native speakers.

The culture of debate is also considered a necessity and a civilized practice that elevates reason, logic, and dialogue in managing differences. The world needs it today to spread the values ​​of democracy, peace, tolerance, human rights, respect and acceptance of other opinions, commitment to truth and rightness, and promotion of the values ​​of science and knowledge in building society, the homeland, and the nation.