Authored by QFI staff Tony Calderbank, Janine Elya, and Chase Smithburg, the chapter appears in the CALEC book Bridging Worlds: The Power of Heritage Languages in Social Cohesion.
Centered on QFI’s ASC, the chapter explores how student competitions can provide structured opportunities for Arabic learners, including heritage learners, to:
The study analyzed surveys conducted with student participants, teachers, and parents to better understand why students, teachers, and families participated in the ASC and how they experienced its learning value and impact.
Survey findings suggest that the ASC was particularly meaningful for heritage learners and their parents, supporting students’ confidence in using Arabic and their motivation to continue developing their language skills.
The chapter also highlights challenges facing educators and the benefits of differentiation in language teaching. Competitions like the ASC, with varied categories, allow students to participate in ways that reflect their proficiency levels, learning experiences, and language backgrounds.
Together, the findings point to the value of student competitions and participatory learning models in supporting Arabic language learning, learner motivation, differentiated instruction, and future research on Arabic language education.