Call for Research Proposals: Research in Primary and Secondary Schools

Qatar Foundation International (QFI) invites researchers to submit proposals for original research or action research addressing key research questions in Arabic language education for school-aged learners. This grant aims to build upon the existing research base for primary and secondary schools, leveraging the momentum and findings of the recent Oxford QFI Research Forum 2025. Researchers are encouraged to make use of the Arabic as an Additional Language (AL2) Database, which was updated during the Forum and contains over 700 studies on teaching Arabic, providing a valuable foundation for new research.

Proposals should address one or more of the following focus areas:

Research Area: Teacher Pipeline

• Research Question: What approaches to teacher development are effective for teachers of Arabic?

Research Area: Teaching About Arab Culture

• Research Question: How can critical cultural competence be taught effectively to different categories of learners?

Research Area: Motivations to Include Arabic in School Offers

• Research Question: What resources are available for teaching Arabic at different levels, and to students of different backgrounds, and how effective are they?

Research Area: Students

• Research Questions:
  • How do we design valid, reliable, inclusive, and fair assessments of proficiency for learners of diverse backgrounds?
  • How can we ensure that instruction and materials are appropriate for learners of different levels and needs within the same classroom (across different language skills and areas of learning)?
  • How do we develop heritage learners' positive sense of identity through their Arabic learning?
  • What strategies can learners use in relation to different skills (reading, writing, listening, vocabulary, learning etc.) to help improve their proficiency?
  • How can students be encouraged to use Arabic inside and outside the classroom?

The due date for all proposals is December 10, 2025.

About Qatar Foundation International
Qatar Foundation International (QFI), based in Washington, DC, is dedicated to advancing the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language.