Teach in the Middle East
Designer and Instructor: David McCormick
Teachers who wish to teach English in the Middle East – or who wish to teach English to Arabic speakers in their own home country – can choose to specialize in Teaching English to Arabic speakers. Teaching in the Middle East is an increasingly sought-after placement for teachers due to the high salaries and generous employment packages.
First language interference is commonly referred to as L1 interference. L1 interference refers to the common errors and difficulties faced by non-native speakers that are caused by reliance on their knowledge of the rules and structures of their native language, which are usually drastically different from those of English.
Each culture and language group has its own unique difficulties when learning English. It can take years for teachers to build knowledge of common first language interference problems, so being aware of these problems and their causes is a major advantage when teaching in a new country. In this unit, teachers will learn about the common difficulties native Arabic speakers face when they enter an English language classroom, as well as activities and techniques to help students overcome these difficulties.
Specialization in Teaching English to Arabic Speakers
After completing this specialization, teachers will be able to:
• Recognize common phonological errors to help improve Arabic speakers’ pronunciation of English vowels, diphthongs and consonants
• Counteract the problems caused by differences in syntax and morphology between Arabic and English
• Improve students’ abilities to use the proper tense and aspect of English verbs
• Adapt teaching style and classroom management techniques to better suit the culture of Arabic-speaking students