Using Virtual Exchange to Advance Arabic Language Learning and Friendship

For Arabic language education in particular—where access to immersive, real-world practice is often limited—virtual exchange provides a much-needed bridge between the classroom and the Arabic-speaking world.

Through structured, meaningful online interaction, learners engage with peers across borders in ways that go far beyond traditional instruction. They practice listening and speaking, but more importantly, they create community. They ask questions, tell stories, and build friendships. They laugh, stumble over words, compare traditions, and grow. In the process, Arabic becomes not just a school subject, but a living, breathing means of connection.

What Is Virtual Exchange (VE)?

Virtual exchange (VE) refers to sustained, technology-enabled, people-to-people learning, typically across cultures and/or borders (Baralt et al. 2022, Byram, 2008; Helm et al., 2020; O’Dowd, 2020). What does this look like? Students might meet in small-group or one-on-one conversations over Zoom, start a WhatsApp chat, or explore immersive virtual reality spaces together. Virtual exchange can happen synchronously or asynchronously. Regardless of the technology or participant set-up, the key to a meaningful VE is to emphasize real-world tasks, authentic human connection, and opportunities for reflection on both language learning and cross-cultural affinities.

One example is a program that we have created, Virtual Tabadul, where U.S. and MENA-region students meet four times across a semester in pairs for language exchange (Baralt et al., 2022). Half of the meeting is in Arabic and half is in English. Students explore immersive virtual reality spaces together, such as a university classroom in Algeria or an Arab American bakery in the U.S. As partners move through the VR space, they discover “clues,” that when found, unlock a short audio, video, or other digital asset in Arabic and English. These clues provide historical, cultural, religious and linguistic background to the virtual space and also serve as conversation starters for the exchange partners.

While Virtual Tabadul integrates VR to enhance the experience, virtual exchange does not have to be complex to be meaningful. Even a few intentional conversations across a semester can make a lasting impact.

The Power of Task-Based Learning

Virtual exchange is most effective when centered around Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT; Ellis, 2003, González-Lloret, 2015). This approach prioritizes real language needs—meaningful conversational interaction with a purpose—over rote memorization or textbook drills. Students work together to complete tasks such as giving directions, describing their family’s holiday celebration, or preparing a short video message to a future exchange participant.

These tasks are informed by Task-Based Needs Analysis (TBNA), which asks: What kinds of situations will learners encounter in real life for which they will need Arabic? (E.g., Elsakka, 2023; Long, 2005; Malicka & Gilabert, 2022). The goal is not linguistic perfection, but rather, successful communication. After each meeting, learners complete a post-exchange task or reflection that serves as a form of task-based assessment. This helps teachers track progress, engagement and help their students navigate building cross-cultural communities.

During classroom debriefs, students in Virtual Tabadul are asked to reflect equally on the Arabic they learned and the English they taught. One student recently shared that he struggled to find new English words to teach, so he walked around his apartment holding up random objects to the camera. It was hilarious, he said—but not very effective. His teacher suggested trying expressions instead. At their next meeting, he taught his partner the phrase “One day at a time.” She hadn’t heard it before, and it sparked a deeper conversation about how each of them copes with hard moments in life.

Moments like this show how a simple yet purposeful language-focused exercise can open the door to meaningful, personal connection—transforming language learning into a rich exchange of perspective, empathy, and shared human experience.

Why Colloquial Arabic Matters—and How Virtual Exchange Supports It

One of the most persistent challenges in Arabic language education is bridging the gap between Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and colloquial dialects used in daily life (e.g., Alibirini, 2015; Huntley, 2024). Many learners are comfortable with MSA but feel lost in casual conversation. Virtual exchange helps solve this by putting learners face-to-face with native speakers in authentic settings where Arabic dialects naturally emerge.

In one exchange, a U.S.-based student recently shared her excitement: “I learned the phrase for “how are you” as kayfa Haluka, but my partner kept saying labas 3lik? I realized it was Moroccan Darija—and now I listen for it everywhere!” These moments of discovery—realizing that Arabic isn’t one monolith but a living, diverse language—are critical for learners’ language development and motivation.

In other cases, U.S. students who have had exposure to one Arabic dialect are not guaranteed to be paired with a MENA student who speaks the same one. Again, students find themselves working to communicate across multiple registers of Arabic, which is exactly what native Arabic speakers do when encountering Arabs from other parts of the Arabic-speaking world. By mirroring real-life language situations, students can feel the importance of the skills they’re building through virtual exchange.

By hearing and using colloquial expressions, students gain a more nuanced understanding of language in context. After all, what is language without context? They also become more attuned to register, translanguaging, and the cultural significance of key phrases—skills that are difficult to teach in a traditional classroom but come to life through real human interaction. Virtual exchange makes this possible (O’Dowd, 2020).

Supporting Heritage Learners

Virtual exchange is also uniquely meaningful for heritage learners—students who grew up with Arabic in the home but may lack formal literacy or academic vocabulary (Elsakka, 2023). For these learners, virtual exchange validates their linguistic and cultural identities while challenging them to engage in deeper, more structured communication.

One heritage learner reflected after several exchange sessions: “I always felt embarrassed about my Arabic because it’s just the way my family talks, not the ‘real’ Arabic. But during the exchange, I realized my Arabic is real—and I actually had to help my partner understand some dialect words that my ajdaad say.”

This kind of empowerment is invaluable. Virtual exchange can restore confidence, offer pride in linguistic roots, and create a space where academic Arabic and home Arabic are both honored.

Overcoming Challenges: Time Zones, Schedules, and Personalities

Of course, virtual exchange isn’t without its challenges. Coordinating time zones across countries can be tricky. University students often juggle packed schedules. Cultural norms or personality differences may make initial conversations feel awkward.

The solution? Flexibility and regular support from the teacher. For university students, we suggest that they come up with their own meeting schedule and times with their partner. For high school students, this same scheduling could be done or, a teacher could set a meeting time on Zoom for everyone, and then put students into break-out rooms. This can happen during or outside of class time. Teachers should check in weekly, offer rescheduling options, and provide gentle mediation when needed. It is also helpful to (1) offer students conversational guides, (2) model what it’s like to ask for linguistic help during a conversation, (3) talk openly about ‘struggle’ moments in virtual exchange, and (4) provide deadlines for completing the post-exchange tasks that both sides agree upon and uphold.

A weekly rhythm—even if it is just a few minutes in class—builds momentum. Consistent teacher presence (even just a quick classroom debrief or online post) keeps learners on track. As trust builds, students become more invested—not just in the exchange, but in one another.

How to Start Your Own Virtual Exchange

Educators interested in starting a virtual exchange don’t need VR headsets or major funding. Here’s a simple roadmap:

1. Find a partner class—reach out through networks like QFI, language forums, or professional organizations.
2. Set 3–4 anchor meetings over the semester, with clear, purposeful tasks for each.
3. Use the platforms that your institution has access to. You can also utilize free tools—Zoom, Google Docs, WhatsApp, Flip, or even email. Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Jitsi, Skype, and Webex are all examples of platforms for video-based interactions.
4. Assign mini-tasks after each exchange—a short reflection, a 1-minute video in Arabic summarizing what they learned about their partner, or a class presentation.

Check in weekly—even a brief message helps students feel supported and seen.

The virtual exchange experience can culminate in a class-based final presentation, in which students share their experiences, what they learned, and how their views evolved. These presentations often become the most meaningful part of the course, transforming abstract cultural learning into personal growth. School administrators, parents, and even community members could be invited.

In Sum

Virtual exchange isn’t just a teaching tool—it’s a mindset. It reimagines Arabic language learning as relational, real, and relevant. It helps students become confident communicators. It exposes them to colloquial Arabic and real-life language use. It empowers heritage learners to reclaim and expand their linguistic identities. And most of all, it creates space for something we desperately need in today’s world: connection.

As educators, we may not be able to fly every student to Cairo, Beirut, or Amman. But with a few simple tools, we can bring the world—and the beauty of Arabic—into our classrooms.

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Virtual Tabadul, and the effort described here, is implemented by Florida International University and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.

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

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Byram, M. (2008). From foreign language education to education for intercultural citizenship. Multilingual Matters.

Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.

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Long, M. H. (2005). Second language needs analysis. Cambridge University Press.

Malicka, A., & Gilabert, R. (2022). From needs analysis to task selection, design, and sequencing. In M. Ahmadian and M. H. Long (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of task-based language teaching (pp. 226-249. Cambridge University Press.

O’Dowd, R. (2020). A transnational model of virtual exchange for global citizenship education. Language Teaching, 53, 477-490.