QFI Hosts Workshops to Empower Educators and Explore Student Motivation

Birmingham, UK / Washington, DC (December 2025) – Qatar Foundation International (QFI) recently hosted two educator-focused workshops centered around the theme “Motivation and Engagement for the Arabic Language Classroom.” These workshops reflect QFI’s ongoing commitment to advancing Arabic language teaching and learning through professional development and community collaboration. They provided spaces for Arabic education communities of practice to share expertise through presentations and hands-on training.

The sessions at each workshop were designed to equip teachers with strategies and tools to enhance student motivation and engagement; information they could bring back to their classrooms and professionally implement. The trainings built on evidence-based insights from QFI’s 2024 and 2025 Oxford Research Forums, ensuring educators were introduced to emerging methodologies for proficiency-based instruction that align with best practices in language education.

UK Autumn Institute

QFI’s annual UK Autumn Institute, took place November 6–9 in Birmingham, UK. This year’s expanded format welcomed a larger cohort of participants, including Arabic teachers from UK state secondary schools and pre-service educators enrolled in teacher certification programs.

The Institute offered expert-led sessions, collaborative workshops, and a new mentorship component to support the practical application of learning. Attendees left with renewed enthusiasm, actionable strategies to foster student engagement, and stronger professional networks.

Attendee Reflections:

• Ghadir E.: “The Autumn Institute highlighted the importance of motivation and creativity. The practical workshops offered rich, hands-on ideas that I can share with colleagues to make Arabic lessons more interactive and purposeful.”
• Amira M.: “The Institute provided practical strategies for inclusive, student-centered teaching and fostered collaboration among educators from diverse backgrounds. It reminded me that teaching is not just about delivering content, it’s about cultivating curiosity, building bridges, and empowering learners to see themselves as global citizens.”
• QFI Senior Program Officer Chase Smith noted,
  “This year, we were excited to expand the program to reach a larger cohort of primary and secondary educators across the UK. Teachers were especially enthusiastic about our new mentorship component, designed to support sustained application of the Institute’s learnings in the classroom. Informed by insights from QFI’s Oxford Research Forum, the Autumn Institute is strengthening connections between research and classroom practice, fostering more engaging, inclusive, and pupil-responsive Arabic language learning environments.”

US Winter Workshop

The second event, the 2025 US Winter Workshop, was held December 5–7 in Washington, DC. Building on its 2024 focus on proficiency assessments, this year’s workshop expanded to include sessions on integrating culture into lessons, designing interactive activities, and providing effective feedback. Participants explored foundational theories of motivation, learned strategies for embedding feedback to support proficiency growth, and developed plans to apply these concepts in their classrooms.

QFI Senior Program Officer Chase Smithburg shared, “We were excited to bring together a growing cohort of Arabic language educators for this year’s Winter Workshop, with teachers from elementary, middle, and high schools nationwide. In line with QFI’s research priorities, the workshop centered motivation and student engagement through high-quality professional development, supporting teachers with tools to build joyful, inclusive, and impactful learning environments.”

Attendee Reflections:

• Dalia M.: “I gained valuable strategies for motivating students and creating more engaging classroom experiences... I left the workshop feeling inspired, better prepared, and excited to apply new methods in my teaching.”
• Najoua B.R.: “The Winter Workshop offered a wide range of practical, engaging activities that teachers can immediately apply in their classrooms. The sessions highlighted strategies for boosting student motivation, increasing participation, and incorporating more meaningful learning experiences.”

QFI’s Ongoing Commitment

Through initiatives like the UK Autumn Institute and US Winter Workshop, QFI continues to address gaps in Arabic teacher professional development and provide educators with resources to engage students effectively. These events underscore QFI’s commitment to equipping teachers with the tools, strategies, and community needed to create inclusive, student-centered, and proficiency-driven learning environments.

Learn more about these events:

• Autumn Institute
• Winter Workshop

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