Bridging the Cultural Divide Through the Study of

Arabic Language and Arab Culture

Arabic is the second official language in Israel

Arab citizens comprise almost twenty percent of Israel’s population

ARAB SCHOOLSARAB SCHOOLS JEWISH SCHOOLSJEWISH SCHOOLS Learn Arabic, English, and

Hebrew beginning in elementary school

Have special Jewish culture and Hebrew curriculum

Mandatory matriculation exam in Hebrew – Language and culture.

Required to learn Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) 3 hours weekly only from grades 7-10.

Law is rarely enforced Start late; Only MSA

Reality: only about 50% of Jewish pupils learn Arabic for the required three years, and those fluent by the end are almost non-existent.

International Evidence:International Evidence:•Germany: German Embassy•LuxembourgLuxembourg: : Kirps, Josée et al, 2001•CanadaCanada: : Bond•Europe GenerallyEurope Generally: : EC, 2004

International Evidence:International Evidence:•United States: United States: Cultural and Language Barriers in the Workplace, 2002

International Evidence: •Brussels: Brussels: Janssens, 2008•France: France: Alsace International •United Kingdom: United Kingdom: Michel Thomas Language Centre , 2004

International Evidence: International Evidence: •United States: United States: Dumas•Canada: Canada: Globe-Gate Research

International Evidence: •Canada: Canada: Core French Survey: A Regional Report; Core French Survey: A Regional Report; •Bulgaria: Bulgaria: Supplement to the Eurydice study on "Foreign Language Teaching in Schools in Europe", 2001; •United States: United States: Cazabon, Labert, & Hall, 1993; Lambert & Cazabon, 1994•Evlang ProjectEvlang Project

International Evidence: •Slovenia-Italy and HungarySlovenia-Italy and Hungary: Savec; •South Africa-ApartheidSouth Africa-Apartheid: Webb; •Germany-FranceGermany-France: German Embassy, Washington DC, 2008; •Brussels: Flemish-FrancophoneBrussels: Flemish-Francophone: Janssens, 2008

(Platform for Discussion Herzilya Conference, 2008)

(Platform for Discussion Herzilya Conference, 2008)

(Racism Survey 2007, ACRI Report 2007)

Declaration of Independence guarantees:•"complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or gender"

•Population/Land Discourse

•Socio-Economic gap between Jews and Arabs

•Arabs under-represented in the civil service

•75% Jewish Israelis feel disgust from hearing Arabic

spoken•31% feel hatred towards the

Arabic language

International Examples:International Examples:•Croatia Study: Croatia Study: EC, 2004•United States: United States: Kennedy, Nelson, Odell & Austin, 2000•Korean speakers Study: Korean speakers Study: Flege et al, 1999•General European School System: Housen, 2001

International Example:International Example: •Netherlands: Netherlands: Edelenbos & Vinje, 2000

International Examples:International Examples: •ESL study: ESL study: Vollmuth, 2000 •German study: German study: Schwob, 2001 •Small-scale study in England: Small-scale study in England: Bolster, Blanadier-Brown and Rea-Dickens, 2005

International Examples:International Examples:•Canada’s Core French Program: Canada’s Core French Program: Core French Survey: A Regional Report; •Slovene Istra: Slovene Istra: Šabec; •United States: United States: Mantle-Bromley, 1995 •China: China: Ay-Young, 2005; Lin, 2002)

International Examples:International Examples:•Finland: Finland: Pufahl et al, 2001 •Morocco: Morocco: Pufahl et al, 2001

International Example:International Example:•EU study: EU study: Francescini and Ehrhart (2002 as cited in EU study)

International Examples:International Examples:•EU study: EU study: Marschollek, 2002•Brussels State Education: Brussels State Education: Lebrun & Baetens Beardsmore, 1993

International Example:International Example:•Germany: Germany: Likata, 2003)

Native speaking teachers positively influence student perspectives and learning

Significant proficiency reached if start young

Maximize exposure to foreign language Establish link between primary and

secondary language education Culture curriculum needed as supplement Begin with spoken Arabic

Purpose of Program:• Teach shared citizenship through the study of

communicative Arabic in 4th, 5th, and 6th grades in regular state schools (24)

Participants in Evaluation Program• Randomly selected 4th graders• Focus group: Arabic and EFL• Control group: EFL only• Teachers: Native speakers of Arabic

Merchavim-“Let’s Talk”Merchavim-“Let’s Talk”

Purpose of Program• to build peace between Jews and Arabs in Israel

through development of bilingual and multi-cultural schools.

Program Details• teach the regular curriculum of the state school

system• both Hebrew and Arabic are used as languages

of instruction. • teach holidays of both religions

““Hand in Hand”-Four Bilingual Hand in Hand”-Four Bilingual SchoolsSchools

Purpose of Research• to investigate whether changing the starting age and

language variety causes changes in the learners’ attitudes and motivation towards the target language.

• aimed to investigate the extent to which parental attitudes affect their children’s motivation to study the language by changing the educational context

Research Details• Experimental Group: 9 schools where spoken Arabic

taught• Control Group: 5 schools no Arabic taught

““Tel Aviv Research-1996” Tel Aviv Research-1996” (Donitsa-Schmidt)(Donitsa-Schmidt): : BackgroundBackground

Tel Aviv ResearchTel Aviv Research Both sets of parents agreed that the preferred starting age

for spoken Arabic is third to fourth grade (ages 9 to 10) whereas the study of MSA should follow later in the fifth to sixth grades or even in the seventh or eighth grades.

Hand in HandHand in Hand By the end of first grade, pupils have mastered both the Arabic

and Hebrew alphabets and are reading at a first grade level on a par with the Israeli national average

Results Related to Significance of Results Related to Significance of AgeAge

MerchavimMerchavim Transition: Negative attitudes and

apprehension regarding Arabs Realization that Arab minority is part of Israeli society.

97% of focal agreed important to study Arabic compared with 50% of control

Hand in HandHand in Hand Arab and Jewish children began to associate Arab and Jewish children began to associate

with each other both in and out of the with each other both in and out of the classroomclassroom

Tel Aviv ResearchTel Aviv Research Control group focused more on need to study

Arabic based on surrounding countries and in order to deal with Israel’s enemies as opposed to experimental group which focused on becoming familiar with Arab’s culture, and for the sake of peace

Results Related to Easing TensionResults Related to Easing Tension

MerchavimMerchavim 66% of focal group though

important to learn Arab culture verses 15% control

50% focal agreed with “I like Arabic Culture verses 7% control

Hand in HandHand in Hand Arabs and Jews alike agree Arabs and Jews alike agree

that culture and religion that culture and religion are the areas which can are the areas which can help bridge the gaps that help bridge the gaps that separate both populations separate both populations in Israelin Israel

Results Related to Culture Results Related to Culture CurriculumCurriculum

MerchavimMerchavim Creates positive attitudinal

change regarding: Arab language, Arab society and Arab culture

Hand in HandHand in Hand Having a native teacher

gave the children the ability to differentiate between the individual Arab and the group stereotype

Results Related to Native TeacherResults Related to Native Teacher

Tel Aviv ResearchTel Aviv Research Both groups of parents perceived the studies of spoken

Arabic as significantly more important than the studies of MSA

Results Related to Method of Results Related to Method of TeachingTeaching

Parental opinions on Importance of Spoken Arabic vs MSA

Abraham Fund Initiative:Abraham Fund Initiative:Language as a Cultural BridgeLanguage as a Cultural Bridge

Goals•To make Arabic communicative language and cultural study mandatory in all Jewish Israeli schools to provide education for a shared societyProgram•Includes elements of conversational and literary Arabic•Exposure to contemporary Arab culture is integrated into the curriculum•Implemented mostly in 5th, 6th, 7th grade in 111 schools around the country

Program from 5th-6th grade

Special Curriculum• Explore different

aspects of Arab Culture

Learn about:• Places• Food• Traditions.• Music• Holidays, • Values

Ambassadors of Arab culture.• Share: Activities they did with their family

Different cultural traditions

Holidays that they celebrated earlier in the week.

2-3 workshops per year• Includes:

Music Theatre Traditional storytelling

• Conducted by Professional Arab artists.

Program's website includes web-based learning and communication options

Encourages interactions & encounters between Jewish and Arab children

Mostly teach Spoken Arabic• Teach words that overlap between Spoken

and MSA

Also learn to read and write Arabic (MSA)

Teachers from primary and secondary schools communicate• Invited Arabic teachers from junior high school (usually

teach MSA) to join teacher seminars get exposure to materials; reinforce oral skills and knowledge of culture

Meet principles and Arabic teachers of receiving junior high school tell them about program

Future plans:• Make Jewish teachers from secondary school to meet

with Arab teachers in elementary schools creates personal connection

• Secondary school teachers watch classes elementary classes

More eager to learn Arabic Positive attitudes towards Arabs Greater willingness to engage with Arab

neighbors 78% of children happy to learn Arabic(Meltzer-Geva & Awade, 2007)

No Exposure to Native-speakers/

culture

No enforcement

of Arabic education law

““Be the change you want to see in the world.”Be the change you want to see in the world.”~Mahatma Gandhi~Mahatma Gandhi

“ “ Change starts when someone sees Change starts when someone sees the next step” ~William Draytonthe next step” ~William Drayton

Merchavim Results Related to “Easing Tensions” Merchavim Results Related to “Easing Tensions” (Achva (Achva College of College of

Education, 2006)Education, 2006)

Before learning Arabic After learning Arabic Relied on media for

information about Arab-Israeli society

Negative attitudes and apprehension regarding Arabs

Increase of curiosity regarding customs and life of Arab-Israelis

Realization that Arab minority is part of Israeli society.

Realization Arab Israelis have distinct culture, customs, and traditions

Raneem (R), a 4th grade Arab student, helps Adva, her Jewish classmate with

Arabic reading

Jewish and Arab school-friends share the playground during recess

““Hand in Hand”: Eases TensionsHand in Hand”: Eases TensionsArab and Jewish children began to Arab and Jewish children began to associate with each other both in and associate with each other both in and out of the classroomout of the classroom

““Tel Aviv Research” Results Related to “Eases Tensions”Tel Aviv Research” Results Related to “Eases Tensions”

MotivationMotivation ExperimentalExperimental ControlControl

Peace/CulturePeace/Culture 44.5% 32.7%

PragmaticPragmatic 39.1% 31.5%

Security/EnemySecurity/Enemy 6.2% 10.6%

Student’s Motivation for Studying Arabic (Donitsa-schmidt, 2004)

““Tel Aviv Research” Results Related to “Significance of Tel Aviv Research” Results Related to “Significance of Age”Age”

(Donitsa-schmidt, 2004) (Donitsa-schmidt, 2004)

Kindergarten

1st-2nd 3rd-4th 5th-6th 7th-8th

SpokenExperimental 16.8% 15.3% 38.1% 23.4% 6.4%Control 14.8% 16.9% 32.5% 26.1% 9.6%

MSAExperimental 5.6% 5.7% 21.2% 34.1% 33.3%Control 1.1% 6.6% 25.0% 30.1% 37.2%

Parent’s opinions on when to begin Spoken Arabic and MSA

Merchavim Results Related to “Culture Curriculum”

““Hand in Hand” Results Related to “Culture Curriculum”Hand in Hand” Results Related to “Culture Curriculum”

Arabs and Jews alike agree that culture and religion are the areas which can help bridge the gaps that separate both populations in Israel

Creates positive attitudinal change regarding:• Arab language • Arab society• Arab culture

Merchavim Results Related to “Native Teacher” Merchavim Results Related to “Native Teacher” (Achva College of Education)

Interview with Arab teacher in “Let’s Talk”:Interview with Arab teacher in “Let’s Talk”:

Q: Hazaar [Arab teacher], how did the school children receive Q: Hazaar [Arab teacher], how did the school children receive you at first?you at first?  A: A: In the beginning I was afraid, because of my clothing and the fact In the beginning I was afraid, because of my clothing and the fact that I'm a religious Arab. After a few classes the children told me that I'm a religious Arab. After a few classes the children told me that they thought all kinds of things about me, including that I was that they thought all kinds of things about me, including that I was scary, They asked if Nasrallah was a relative of mine, but then scary, They asked if Nasrallah was a relative of mine, but then everything was fine. everything was fine.

Structure:• Each class is "team-taught" by

an Arab and Jewish teacher.  Result:

• ability to differentiate between the individual Arab and the group stereotype

““Hand in Hand” Results Related to “Native Teacher”Hand in Hand” Results Related to “Native Teacher” (Mendelson, 2004)(Mendelson, 2004)

Seven-year-old Adam, a Jewish child in second grade, was playing at Seven-year-old Adam, a Jewish child in second grade, was playing at aa

neighbor's house when a bomb exploded on a bus in Jerusalem. The neighbor's house when a bomb exploded on a bus in Jerusalem. The neighbor,neighbor,

angry at the news, shouted out "these Arabs just want to kill us all," angry at the news, shouted out "these Arabs just want to kill us all," toto

which Adam replied, "I don't think that's true, my teacher is Manal which Adam replied, "I don't think that's true, my teacher is Manal and Iand I

know that she loves me and doesn't want to kill me.“ know that she loves me and doesn't want to kill me.“

““Tel Aviv Research” Results Related to “Method of Teaching Arabic”Tel Aviv Research” Results Related to “Method of Teaching Arabic”Parental opinions on Importance of Spoken Arabic vs MSA

Background• Italy used to own western part of Slovenia

Education system• Pupils in schools where the language of instruction is

Slovenian must learn Italian as the second language• Children in schools with Italian as the language of

instruction must learn Slovenian as the second language. • They also learn about the history, culture, and natural

heritage of both nations. Benefits of Foreign Language

• Improved political situation

Background• Officially bilingual country since 1982Reality: 95% of French

speakers live in Quebec (Statistics Canada, 1996). • Until recent years, French-speakers were often discriminated

against when applying for work, and received incomes 35% lower than that of the Anglo-Québecer.

Education System• “Core French” Program

French typically taught from either Grade 4 or Grade 5 until Grade 9

Most provinces and territories aim to provide about 600 hours of French instruction by the end of elementary or middle school.

Special emphasis placed on education of culture Benefits of Foreign Language

• Strengthened economy• Businesses profited• Eased tension

Background:• 14 million U.S. households people speak a language

other than English• Total of 311 languages spoken in the country; 162

being indigenous, and 149 immigrant languages. (2000 census)

• Around 14.8% of the population is Hispanic. Benefits of Foreign Language

• Businesses profited• Eased tension

Background• European Union Initiative• Countries: France, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and

Austria• aimed at developing an original approach to

languages in elementary schools Education Policy

• make children aware of variety of human languages in their environment and wider world

• feel at ease with unfamiliar sounds, words and patters

Benefits of Foreign Language• Eased tension

Background:• Apartheid era

English =highly prestigious Bantu and Aricaans=uneducated.

Education system for black child• Mother-tongue education for the first four years

of primary education European language, English, French, or Portuguese,

offered as a subject. • From fifth grade onwards, a European language

becomes the sole medium of instruction. Benefits of Foreign Language

• Improved political relations

Background• Majority population of 80% French speakers and a minority of

20% Flemish speakers• For many centuries, Brussels was a Dutch-speaking city• Small French-speaking elite began to take over in the 15th

century. • Inspired by civil rights movements elsewhere in the world,

Dutch speakers gradually asserted their rights in the 1960s, leading in 1962 to the creation of a language frontier dividing the country into two regions.

Education System• Two independent education systems in Brussels

Flemish-Dutch speaking French Community one.

• First foreign language in French-speaking schools is obligatorily Dutch and vice versa

Benefits of Foreign Language• Individuals prospered• Improved political situation

Background• Changed nationality from French to German no less

than four times.• Parents requested schools to begin teaching German.

Educational System• Emergence of bilingual schools• Most Public schools- 2-3 hours of German every week

Benefits of Foreign Language• Strengthened economy • Individuals Prospered

Background• German-French Friendship Treaty

Special emphasis on cooperation in culture and education

Education Policy• 2000: introduced foreign language teaching to

primary schools • Made learning another foreign language

mandatory from 6th grade onwards Benefits of Foreign Language

• Strengthened economy• Improved political situation

Background• Located between French-speaking and German-speaking

civilizations. Education System

• Primary education-German French taught as a subject from the second year.

• Lower secondary education-French gradually replaces German science subjects, as well as history and geography,

continue to be taught in German. • Upper general secondary education-all subjects are

taught in French. Benefits of Foreign Language

• Strengthened economy

Education Policy• Students must start a first foreign language in

grade two and a second in grade five. Benefits of Foreign Language

• Eased tensions