How to Increase Your Motivation to Learn Arabic

March 29, 2023

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Learning Arabic can be a challenging but incredibly rewarding experience. Whether you’re studying for personal or professional reasons, increasing your motivation to learn Arabic will positively affect your effort which can help you stay on track and achieve your goals. However, sometimes we lose sight of our motivation in learning a language when we meet a few obstacles.

Here are some tips and strategies to help you boost your motivation and make the most of your Arabic langauge learning journey.

1- Take learning Arabic as a challenge

Learning a language like Arabic requires patience and acceptance of moments of boredom and frustration. So, to overcome these feelings, it is important to acknowledge that Arabic is not a simple language. Be sure that your moments of demotivation are shared by many Arabic learners around the world.

By staying patient and focused, progress and motivation will find their way back to you. Hence, you will not be always trapped in the “beginner” level. The bottom line is DON’T GIVE UP.

2- Make it personal

When you make learning a language personal, you increase your motivation and deepen your connection to the language. Personalizing your language learning experience can involve: Selecting topics that align with your interests or goals, incorporating relevant cultural elements into your studies, and finding ways to apply your language skills to your daily life. By making the language a part of your personal journey, you can develop a stronger connection to it and remain motivated to continue learning. What’s more, finding an emotional connection and remembering the reasons for which you started learning Arabic will help you to stay on track.

Below we share with you a part of a study conducted by Elise Hagan, Ahlan Alexandria intern, who asked 60 Ahlan students: What motivated you to learn Arabic?

The ‘Interest in Arab culture (music, literature, food)’ and ‘Travel to Arab countries’ responses dominated, with 73.3% and 63.3% of students choosing these responses. According to Gardner’s (1985) theory of motivation, one of the most powerful types of motivation in learning a second language is the ‘integrative’ aspect, or the desire to interact with members of that community. As such, it is unsurprising that the two highest-rating responses relate to Arab culture and interaction with the community. One additional answer provided under ‘Other’ was ‘motivation from Arabic-speaking friends’, which also falls under this category.

3- Celebrate your achievements (No matter how little they are)

By acknowledging your small wins like: learning new vocabulary, reading a text successfully or conjugating an Arabic verb correctly, you are reinforcing your language skills and building confidence.

Remember how excited you were when you started learning your first Arabic words? Don’t lose that spirit along the way.

4- Use engaging materials

Learning a language can quickly become boring if you’re not engaged with the materials you’re using. Experiment with different learning resources, such as textbooks, online courses, podcasts, and videos (Check this collection of resources) to find what works best for you.

Look for materials that cover topics you’re interested in or that align with your learning goals. For example, if you’re learning Arabic for business, you may want to focus on materials that teach you key vocabulary and phrases for professional contexts.( Questions and answers about work in Egyptian Arabic).

Finally, here are some responses to the question:” What advice would you give to someone starting out in Arabic?”, as a part of Elise’s survey.

In conclusion, there are several practical ways to increase your motivation in learning Arabic. It starts with setting clear goals, breaking them down into achievable milestones, and tracking your progress. Incorporating different learning methods, such as speaking with native speakers or watching Arabic media, can also be helpful. Additionally, finding a study group or learning Arabic online with a native Arabic teacher. Lastly, it’s crucial to remember that language learning is a journey, and setbacks are inevitable, but by staying motivated and consistent, you can achieve your goals and gain proficiency in Arabic.