Problems experienced with the teaching of Arabic to learners in Muslim private schools in South Africa and Botswana

Abstract

This article discusses a number of problems that are unique to the teaching of Arabic in private schools in South Africa and Botswana. Specific attention is given to aspects of teaching that mean that learners are unable to reach a level of communicative competence in Arabic or to understand the Koran (despite the fact that this is an important goal in teaching Arabic). An investigation conducted with the aid of questionnaires revealed that Arabic teachers do not have confidence in their own language proficiency or their ability to speak Arabiefluently. It seems that teaching is largely based on the Grammar-Translation method: learning of new vocabulary and grammar rules. It also appears that most teachers believe that learners study Arabic for religious purposes (to be able to read the Koran) so they are not so much interested in developing communicative skills as in extending their vocabulary and knowledge of grammar so they will be able to understand the formal language of the Koran. In hierdie artikel word 'n aantal probleme wat eie is aan die onderrig van Arabies in Moslem privaatskole in Suid-Afrika en Botswana bespreek. Daar word spesifiek aandag gegee aan onderrigaspekte wat instrumentee! is tot die leerders se onvermoe om 'n mate van kommunikatiewe bevoegdheid in Arabies te bereik en om die Koran met begrip te lees (ten spyte daarvan dat dU 'n belangrike doelstelling met die onderrig van Arabies is). Vit 'n ondersoek wat met behulp van vraelyste gedoen is, blyk dit dat die meerderheid Arabiese onderwysers nie vertroue het in hul eie taalvaardigheid en hul vermoe om vlot in Arabies te kommunikeer nie. Daar word ook aangedui dat onderrig hooftaaklik gebaseer is op die grammatika-vertaalmetode, die aanleer van nuwe woordeskat en die leer van grammatikareels. Dit blyk ook dat die meerderheid onderwysers van mening is dat leerders Arabies bestudeer vir religieuse doeleindes (om die Koran te kan lees) en daarom nie soseer ingestel is op die ontwikkeling van kommunikatiewe vaardighede nie, maar eerder op die nodige woordeskatuitbereiding en grammatika wat hulle in staat sal stel om die formele taalgebruik van die Koran te kan verstaan.

Keywords

• teaching of Arabic
• private schools
• South Africa and Botswana
• Muslim schools