Building a Personal Connection with Arabic from Day One: The Example of the Daftar Method

Yet for this bridge to be strong enough to carry us through the challenges of language study, it needs solid foundations. One of the most crucial and often overlooked foundations is the learner’s personal connection with the language itself, a bond that must be nurtured from the very beginning and that continually develops, bringing countless benefits, especially in sustaining motivation along the way.

Learning Arabic, like any language, is indeed a lifelong journey. Throughout its different stages, students will inevitably face moments of frustration, doubt, or stall. Inevitably, in teaching Arabic, one cannot overlook the central role of motivation, as it directly influences learners’ persistence, engagement and overall success in the learning process (Lapadat & Lapadat, 2024). Moreover, it is crucial to recognize the distinction between internal motivation, which stems from personal interest and self-concept, and external motivation, which arises from outside pressures or rewards, since each shapes the learner’s trajectory in different ways (Ushioda, 2014).

Thinking about my own journey with Arabic, I can recall numerous moments when the learning process felt particularly challenging. In those times, having a personal connection with the language made all the difference, helping me stay motivated, resist the temptation to withdraw and continue moving forward, seeing the beauty of this language behind its undeniable difficulties and remembering the reasons why I had started this challenging path.

For Arabic learners, cultivating this bond early on can be a crucial strategy for building solid foundations that support persistence and sustain internal motivation over time, allowing them to see Arabic not just as a subject to study, but as a companion throughout the journey,

Among the different strategies available to foster personal connection, this summer I was able to explore firsthand, while working as a credit curriculum facilitator and teacher at Al-Waḥa Arabic camp in Minnesota, a unique one: the daftar method.

Al-Waha Arabic camp: immersion, language and cultural exploration

Al-Waḥa (“The Oasis”) is an Arabic-language immersion camp for students aged 7 to 18, affiliated with Concordia Language Villages (CLV). The camp embraces the CLV philosophy, emphasizing immersive language learning and cultural exploration through four core principles: grand simulation, community-based learning, lived language & culture and outdoor learning.

At Al-Waḥa, Arabic is taught not merely as a language but as a living cultural experience. Daily life is organized around themes, covering countries, cuisine, literature and art, using games, songs, sports, dances, arts and crafts. All activities are conducted in Arabic, with signage in Arabic script, creating a fully immersive environment that integrates both Modern Standard Arabic and various dialects.

While villagers are exposed to the richness of Arabic dialects through skits, songs and interactions with Arabic-speakers from different countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Libya and beyond, the credit program, which includes three hours of daily classes for a maximum of four-week length, focuses primarily on Modern Standard Arabic. By blending standard Arabic and dialects within this culturally immersive setting, Al-Waḥa aims to spark curiosity, foster authentic communication and inspire villagers to continue exploring Arabic language and culture beyond their time at camp.

What is the Daftar Method?

For the credit classes, Dean Lucy “Lulua” Thiboutot encourages teachers to use the daftar method, an approach that places the daftar (“notebook”) as the primary tool for organizing learning content, following the Marhaba! Curriculum (Berbeco, 2012).

Teachers and students use the daftar not just as a workbook, but as a learning companion, a space where students take ownership of the content learnt, transforming the learning process into something personal, creative and long-lasting (Berbeco, 2012). Below some key features on the use of the daftar:

• Introducing the daftar: Teachers begin by showing the physical daftar with blank pages and invite students to number its pages. They first demonstrate an example entry, then encourage students to replicate the format in their own notebooks. On the first page, teachers guide students through the structure of each letter, followed by the qamus (“dictionary”) section for collecting vocabulary starting from the other side of the notebook.
• Letter templates: Each page offers a consistent format for writing new letters, providing structure while leaving room for personalized creation.
• Personal qamus (“dictionary”): One section is dedicated to vocabulary, starting from the opposite side of the notebook. Students collect words not only from class but also from songs, projects, and casual conversations throughout the day.
• Ownership and creativity: Unlike traditional textbooks, the daftar invites learners to contribute, decorate and make it uniquely their own, as most of their learning is recorded in it and occurs through its use (Berbeco, 2012).

This approach emphasizes cooperation between teachers and students: teachers provide the framework and students fill it with their own information, reflections and content. In this way, the daftar becomes a space where students actively construct their learning, guided by teacher support but energized by their own curiosity and creativity.

Introducing the Daftar: surprise, beauty and ownership

The way the daftar is introduced to students represents a crucial moment. On the first day of credit class at Al-Waha, students were told: “We have a gift for you, something you’ll carry with you forever.” Then, each received a beautifully designed empty daftar, carefully chosen by the dean before the beginning of the program.

The reaction was unforgettable. Students lit up, flipping through the pages with curiosity and pride. The beauty of the notebook itself made it feel special. That indeed matters: when learners receive something they find beautiful, they value it, care for it and return to it with excitement.

This element of surprise, beauty and ownership introduced in the first day by gifting students the daftar created an emotional bond. Students were not handed any other workbook. They were entrusted with what will become their own daftar, a personal space to grow with Arabic, page by page.

Reflections on the use of the daftar method at Al-Waha

The combination of the daftar method and the immersive environment of Al-Waḥa highlighted several essential principles to keep in mind when teaching Arabic:

• Encouraging responsibility: Students develop a sense of ownership over their learning instead of depending on the teacher for every answer.
• Promoting engagement: The creative format keeps learners active and motivated, transforming them from passive recipients into active and engaged participants.
• Supporting long-term growth: Each daftar becomes a lasting record of progress, something students can look back on with pride and continue to use beyond the classes at Al-Waha.
• Building autonomy: Teachers guide and elicit responses by asking questions like “What do you think, and why?” rather than providing ready-made answers. This shift in responsibility empowers students to become independent learners and continue their learning journey after the program ends.

Conclusion: Making learning Arabic personal

The daftar method shows us how something as simple as a notebook, introduced with care and beauty, can transform learning into a deeply personal journey. For students of Arabic, that personal connection is vital. It fuels motivation, helps overcome challenges and sustains long-term growth.

This summer at Al-Waḥa affirmed that when learners are given ownership and personal creative tools such as the daftar, they do not merely study Arabic; rather, they begin to cultivate a lifelong relationship with the language. Perhaps that is the deeper lesson: just as each daftar is filled page by page, our connection to Arabic is built word by word, moment by moment. As the Arabic saying reminds us, “the treasure lies in the journey itself”. ”الكنز في الرحلة"

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.

References

• Berbeco, S. (2012). Marhaba! An invitation to Arabic: Curriculum guide. Boston, MA: Cheng & Tsui Company.
• Concordia Language Villages. Arabic language village (Al-Wāḥa).https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/languages/arabic
• Concordia Language Villages. Our teaching philosophy: The CLV Way.https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/our-teaching-philosophy-the-clvway
• Lapadat, L. C., & Lapadat, M. M. (2024). The importance of motivation in foreign language learning. Scientific Bulletin of the Politehnica University of Timişoara Transactions on Modern Languages, 22, 142–152.
• Ushioda, E. (2014). Motivational perspectives on the self in SLA: A developmental view. Multiple perspectives on the self in SLA, 127–141.