Arabic teachers to be in high demand on KHDA's decision
The Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA) recently introduced a new policy under which Arabic must be incorporated into the early years of a child's education. This requires Early Childhood Centres (ECCs) to adhere to pre-approved language models and teacher qualification standards. In order to assure compliance, this is likely to spike the demand for Arabic-speaking educators.
'The advantages of learning multiple languages is a skill that is widely recognised by the parents of today. They are also able to see how significant strengthening their child's mother tongue is during these formative years,' said Arwa Naccho, Principal and CEO of Green Grass Nursery.
Bilingual nurseries are becoming more and more popular. 'Arabic-speaking families particularly are paying special attention to ECCs that offer a strong foundation in both Arabic and English. This new policy means that Arabic will play a significant role when choosing a school. At Green Grass Nursery, we have a well-established model that guarantees proficiency in both languages through immersive learning, putting us ahead of the curve in bilingual education,' Naccho added.
Using the EYFS framework as a basis, Green Grass Nursery's Arabic teachers, with years of expertise, are successfully incorporating Arabic into the students' learning, he said.
This policy also facilitates collaboration between nurseries and schools, establishing a smooth transition into primary education. 'We frequently host and visit schools to demonstrate how we include Arabic into a vibrant, engaging environment. We also work closely with schools to match our bilingual programmes (which still are very few) with their language requirements to ensure our graduates enter primary school with a strong proficiency in both Arabic and English,' Naccho said.
Hiring seasoned Arabic teachers that have a passion for early childhood learning that also fulfill the KHDA's new qualification requirements is our priority. By offering continuous training, mentorship, professional development and a structured appraisal system, we guarantee the retention of outstanding talent. Early childhood educators select Green Grass nursery as their place of employment due to our strong team culture and innovative bilingual teaching approach.
Green Grass Nursery has been at the forefront of bilingual Arabic-English education for over five years, already putting the KHDA policy into practice. 'Through everyday routines of story-telling, music and play-based activities, we provide a balanced exposure to both English and Arabic using an English based bilingual programme. Our systematic approach builds a love for Arabic, making learning feel effortless and interesting. Through immersive sessions taught by Arabic experts, children are able to develop excellent verbal communication and strong literacy skills early in their life in an engaging and supportive environment,' Naccho said.
The bilingual blueprint empowers future generations through innovative Arabic and English play-based learning. 'By 2025, we aim to expand our team of Arabic specialists and introduce a new bilingual Primary Key Stage 1 and 2 programme for children aged five to seven years. We are also exploring opportunities to join a larger educational organisation to share and scale our unique bilingual model,' Naccho said.
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