Looking Back, Moving Forward: Celebrating Student Creativity and Expression in Arabic

As QFI reflects on nearly two decades of advancing Arabic language education, we continue to celebrate the educators, students, schools, researchers, and partners whose work has strengthened our community. Through this series, we are revisiting stories and resources that highlight the many ways Arabic language learning has flourished around the world.

This week, we are celebrating the winners of the 2026 QFI Arabic Short Story Contest while also highlighting the lasting impact of the Arabic Speaking Competition (ASC), two initiatives that encouraged students to use Arabic creatively, confidently, and authentically.

Celebrating Student Voices

Creative expression gives students meaningful opportunities to apply their Arabic language skills beyond traditional classroom exercises. Through writing and speaking, students strengthen their language proficiency while developing the confidence to share their own ideas and perspectives.

The 2026 Arabic Short Story Contest invited students in grades 6–12 to respond to the prompt:

A talking animal takes you on a journey. What happens on your adventure?

Students from Canada, Ireland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States responded with imaginative stories that showcased both creativity and growing Arabic proficiency. In total, 84 students, representing 20 teachers, submitted original stories.

Beyond recognizing student achievement, the contest supports the development of narrative writing skills, including organization, description, and storytelling, while providing opportunities to practice the types of prompt-based writing students often encounter in their coursework.

2026 Arabic Short Story Contest Winners

• Intermediate Division

• Advanced Division

Congratulations to every student who participated and to the teachers who encouraged and supported their writing throughout the process.

Building Confidence Through Authentic Communication

The Arabic Short Story Contest is one example of how students can strengthen their Arabic through meaningful, authentic expression. QFI's Arabic Speaking Competition similarly encouraged students to use Arabic through performance and spoken communication, helping learners build confidence, develop oral proficiency, and connect language learning with real-world communication.

The impact of the Arabic Speaking Competition extends well beyond the competition itself. QFI staff Tony Calderbank, Janine Elya, and Chase Smithburg explored its educational value in the chapter, "The Arabic Speaking Competition: A Tool for Heritage Language Motivation and Identity Affirmation," published in Bridging Worlds: The Power of Heritage Languages in Social Cohesion. The chapter examines how structured speaking opportunities support learner motivation, language development, and identity affirmation.

QFI has also highlighted educator perspectives on the competition through blogs by Tony Calderbank and Nezha Rida, illustrating how authentic speaking experiences can nurture student confidence, creativity, and a lasting connection to Arabic.

As we look back on these initiatives, we celebrate not only outstanding student achievements, but also the educators and school communities who continue to create meaningful opportunities for students to learn, communicate, and thrive in Arabic.

Explore:

• The Arabic Speaking Competition: A Tool for Heritage Language Motivation and Identity Affirmation
• Arabic Speaking Competition Inspires a New Generation
• An Educator's View of the Arabic Speaking Competition