specializes in Tutor: Arabic (MSA & Levantine dialect) · female
Details
| fee: |
$45 (for 60 min) |
| travel distance: |
20 miles |
| tutoring methods: |
in-person |
| certified: |
yes |
| member for: |
6 months |
Contact
Personal Statement
Understanding the different facets of Arab culture is an important part of being an excellent Arabic instructor. My solid background in Arab cultural traditions and sensitivities, facilitates my ability to be effective as an Arabic instructor
I was born and raised in Sierra Leone, West Africa and at age seventeen, I moved to the United States of America. One might ask what is the relation between Sierra Leone and Arabic? As a child I learned modern standard Arabic in elementary school and through religious instruction. At home I spoke the Levantine dialect of Arabic with my family, enabling me to become fluent in this dialect. In short, although I was raised in a country where Arabic is not a national language, it is the lengua franca for many Lebanese Sierra Leoneans. Through Arabic, I remained committed to my roots, family traditions, and culture. Because of this, I can skillfully use my background as resource for explaining terms, expressions and concepts to someone who is not familiar with Arab customs, traditions, popular culture and religion.
When I moved to the United States of America I enrolled at University of Maryland, College Park and continued to study Modern Standard Arabic as an undergrad. My passion for Arabic continued even after I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and so I enrolled in the Arabic Graduate Flagship program and earned a Masters of Professional Studies in Arabic in August 2011. As a graduate student, I worked as a language mentor, helping non-native Arabic students to develop and fine-tune their Levantine dialect speaking skills and understanding of Arab cultural norms in the Levant region of the Middle East. In this position I used a variety of strategies to aid students in perfecting their Arabic pronunciation as well as discussing key issues related to Arab society.
I feel extremely satisfied when I see students who I work with advancing in their language acquisition and developing cultural sensitivity and awareness on issues related to various aspects of Arab culture. When my students speak amongst themselves using the Levantine dialect vocabulary, which I have taught I am proud that my work with them has not been in vain. I would like the opportunity to continue working in the Arabic language education field and with an even large number of students.
