°ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳

Education

Dearborn: Modern Standard Arabic Instruction

April 04, 2006 3 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print
Email Copy URL
Elementary School Level

Only one of the district’s 22 elementary schools—Becker—offers Arabic. Pupils receive at least two 40-minute periods of Arabic a week. The school gave up a two-way immersion program, in which students were taught half their subjects in English and half in Arabic, in the 2001-02 school year after a federal grant for the program ran out.

Number of students at Becker: 60
Ideas for expansion: Increase the amount of time children at Becker learn Arabic. Offer Arabic classes in other elementary schools. Make foreign language a required subject.

Middle School Level

Three of the district’s seven middle schools teach Arabic. At Lowrey School, 7th and 8th graders can take Arabic as an elective.

Number of Arabic students at Lowrey: 50
Number of Arabic students at Woodworth Middle School: 100 (some take Arabic only for a semester)
Number of Arabic students at Donald Unis Middle School: 68 (includes some students taking a half-French, half-Arabic semester class)
Ideas for expansion: Lowrey Principal Samir Makki says that if his school had the money to pay for another foreign-language teacher, he could double the number of students taking Arabic there. He’d also like to see Arabic offered to 6th graders. The school’s Arabic teacher would like the district to require middle schoolers to study a foreign language.

High School Level

Two of the district’s three high schools offer Arabic. Students at Fordson High School can take four years of Arabic as an elective. Dearborn High School offers three years of Arabic study.

Number of Arabic students at Fordson High: 250
Number of Arabic students at Dearborn High: 144
Ideas for expansion: More classes could be offered at the lower levels of Arabic study, so students aren’t turned away. Fordson High could offer advanced classes in Arabic literature and composition for students who test out of all the levels already offered. Require all high school students to study a foreign language.

SOURCE: Dearborn Public Schools and °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳

Elementary School Level

Only one of the district’s 22 elementary schools—Becker—offers Arabic. Pupils receive at least two 40-minute periods of Arabic a week. The school gave up a two-way immersion program, in which students were taught half their subjects in English and half in Arabic, in the 2001-02 school year after a federal grant for the program ran out.

Ideas for expansion: Increase the amount of time children at Becker learn Arabic. Offer Arabic classes in other elementary schools. Make foreign language a required subject.

Middle School Level

Three of the district’s seven middle schools teach Arabic. At Lowrey School, 7th and 8th graders can take Arabic as an elective.

Number of Arabic students at Lowrey: 50
Number of Arabic students at Woodworth Middle School: 100 (some take Arabic only for a semester)
Number of Arabic students at Donald Unis Middle School: 68 (includes some students taking a half-French, half-Arabic semester class)

Ideas for expansion: Lowrey Principal Samir Makki says that if his school had the money to pay for another foreign-language teacher, he could double the number of students taking Arabic there. He’d also like to see Arabic offered to 6th graders. The school’s Arabic teacher would like the district to require middle schoolers to study a foreign language.

High School Level

Two of the district’s three high schools offer Arabic. Students at Fordson High School can take four years of Arabic as an elective. Dearborn High School offers three years of Arabic study.

Number of Arabic students at Fordson High: 250
Number of Arabic students at Dearborn High: 144
Ideas for expansion: More classes could be offered at the lower levels of Arabic study, so students aren’t turned away. Fordson High could offer advanced classes in Arabic literature and composition for students who test out of all the levels already offered. Require all high school students to study a foreign language.

SOURCE: Dearborn Public Schools and °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳
A version of this article appeared in the April 05, 2006 edition of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ as Dearborn: Modern Standard Arabic Instruction

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Literacy Success: How Districts Are Closing Reading Gaps Fast
67% of 4th graders read below grade level. Learn how high-dosage virtual tutoring is closing the reading gap in schools across the country.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
Artificial Intelligence Webinar
AI and Educational Leadership: Driving Innovation and Equity
Discover how to leverage AI to transform teaching, leadership, and administration. Network with experts and learn practical strategies.
Content provided by 
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳'s editorial staff.
Sponsor
School Climate & Safety Webinar
Investing in Success: Leading a Culture of Safety and Support
Content provided by 

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: October 2, 2024
Here's a look at some recent °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: September 18, 2024
Here's a look at some recent °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 28, 2024
Here's a look at some recent °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: August 21, 2024
Here's a look at some recent °ÄÃÅÅܹ·ÂÛ̳ articles you may have missed.
9 min read