Speak Up, Shine Bright: How the Arabic Speaking Competition Inspires a New Generation of Arabic Speakers

The winners file up to receive their certificates, and the invited audience of parents and teachers beam, reaching for their mobile phones to snap away. This was the scene at the 2024 award ceremony, honoring the 30 top students who travelled from all over the UK to celebrate their achievements in the Qatar Foundation International (QFI) Arabic Speaking Competition.

This event is more than just a celebration; it is the visible outcome of a powerful initiative. Arabic is an important and useful language for a young person to learn, but the reality is that pupils don’t always have opportunities to see the value of their linguistic abilities in their daily lives and study. The QFI Arabic Speaking Competition (ASC) was created to solve this problem.

The Strategic Imperative: Why QFI Invests in Your Proficiency

QFI runs this contest because it acts as a powerful catalyst, providing a unique platform for learners to engage with Arabic beyond the traditional classroom, fostering authentic use and skill development. It is a targeted intervention designed to ensure the value of Arabic is recognized and that participants are inspired to achieve high levels of proficiency.

QFI’s Core Motivation is to:

• Drive Proficiency and Motivation: The ASC is proven to boost student engagement, develop vocabulary, improve pronunciation, and enhance conversational abilities. This, in turn, builds confidence for oral examinations and empowers pupils to use Arabic in other contexts. Research suggests that involving students in competitive activities can significantly increase their drive to learn a language.
• Validate All Learner Journeys: The contest is strategically inclusive, with categories for everyone from beginners just embarking on their studies, to those preparing for GCSEs, and heritage speakers who exhibit significant fluency. Because the format is suitable for learners from all backgrounds, it highlights the educational journey itself. This encourages those just starting out to continue and see a pathway to success.
• Counter Linguistic Marginalization: The ASC has proven deeply meaningful for those with Arabic as a home or heritage language. It acts as a critical counter-narrative to the pressure to assimilate, publicly validating the linguistic talents students possess in environments where they might otherwise feel awkward speaking Arabic outside the home. This is a direct response to the issue where parents may downgrade the use of the language at home, or schools may give the impression that English is more important. As one delighted father at Oxford explained: “As a proud Arab parent, I wanted my child to participate because I wanted them to feel proud of their heritage and connect with their roots.”

Measurable Impact: The Power of the ASC

The program’s success is undeniable, having grown from 48 entrants to almost 500 since it began in 2021. We are taken aback by its success, thrilled that so many learners of Arabic enter and put themselves through the challenging process involved. This popularity resonates because the ASC provides tangible, high-value recognition for linguistic effort.

The Competition's Key Impact Points:

• Assessment and Mastery: Participants appreciate the chance to test their mettle in a demanding and exacting process. It is designed to inspire and motivate—allowing students to display their Arabic abilities, creativity, and self-assurance, while supporting proficiency aligned with formal assessments like the GCSEs, AAPPL, or OPIs. The recognition and reward, such as the ceremony we held at Oxford, are powerful reinforcers of the value of learning another language.
• Community and Expansion: The contest offers opportunities for more advanced learners to share their talents with a broader community. Students tell us they enjoy the chance to meet other young people who are also passionate about Arabic. This success has led to a major expansion, strengthening connections among learners.

Engage with the Initiative: The Call to Action

Talking to teachers, parents, and most importantly students, it becomes apparent why the ASC has proven so popular. Participants are in no doubt as to the benefits. They use words like “fun,” “enriching,” “beneficial,” and “motivating” to describe the experience.

For Students: Empower Your Voice

• Showcase Your Voice: Share personal stories and express your skills in Arabic in a fun, creative environment.
• Build Real-World Confidence: Gain invaluable experience and self-assurance by speaking Arabic in a formal, supportive setting.
• Join a Broader Community: Connect and compete with other passionate learners from around the world.
• Unlock Your Future: Earn recognition that can open doors to academic and professional opportunities.

This is your opportunity to speak up and shine bright. Embrace the challenge, celebrate your language, and become part of this celebration of linguistic excellence.

For Educators and Teachers: Energize Your Classroom

• Enrich Your Curriculum: Access practical tools to integrate vital speaking and listening skills into your lessons.
• Boost Engagement & Motivation: Use the contest as a proven tool to inspire students and develop their core linguistic abilities.
• Mentor and Guide: Play a key role in mentoring students, preparing their entries, and celebrating their achievements.
• Build Community: Connect your classroom with a broader community of Arabic learners and educators.

Your role is vital. By encouraging your students to enter, you are elevating the importance of Arabic education within your school and beyond.

For School Administrators: Demonstrate Tangible Outcomes

• Showcase Program Success: Use student performance in the ASC as clear, tangible evidence of your language program's impact and quality.
• Support Student Achievement: Champion an initiative that directly encourages communication, confidence, and cultural engagement.
• Promote a High-Impact Offering: Reinforce the value of Arabic as a relevant and prestigious part of the school curriculum.
• Engage the Wider Community: Strengthen school-wide interest in multilingual learning and foster a robust future for Arabic studies.

BREAKING NEWS: THE ASC EXPANDS TO NEW COUNTRIES!

The 2025 Arabic Speaking Competition is expanding! Learners of Arabic from the USA, Canada, Ireland, Italy, and Sweden will be joining their peers in the UK for this celebration of Arabic language and culture. An international panel of judges has been selected. This expansion will ensure that pupils will grow their proficiency, and the network of Arabic learners will be strengthened and inspired to continue their study for years to come.

The 2025 Arabic Speaking Competition is open now! Learn more: https://qfi.smapply.org/prog/asc_2025/

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Qatar Foundation International (QFI). While QFI reviews guest contributions for clarity and to ensure the content is valuable for our audience, the accuracy and completeness of the information are the responsibility of the author.