SHARJAH — Badria Al Ali, Manager of Lughati, a Sharjah-based initiative dedicated to empowering the national Arabic curriculum with smart learning tools, has called upon parents to utilize their children’s additional leisure time in activities that enhance their Arabic language skills. “The ‘distance learning’ period, implemented across the UAE in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic, is the right time for parents to leverage smart technology incorporating custom-designed contemporary educational programs to integrate the use of Arabic language in everyday lives and in academic pursuits,” she said. Al Ali added that Lughati, launched in 2013 by Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council member and ruler of Sharjah, is a first-of-its-kind initiative focused on teaching the Arabic language using smart technologies in Sharjah’s public schools. Lughati was developed using a scientific approach that is attractive for children as it includes games, activities for artistic and mental skills development, and stories. She added, “these approaches can be implemented by parents at home.” “Parents should come forward to make use of the time away from school to improve their children’s Arabic proficiency and creativity in addition to encouraging them to read entertaining and engrossing Arabic children’s books, or watch a children’s show, or even play word games and puzzles online.” Time management and proper planning Al Ali pointed out that with proper time management and advance planning, parents can facilitate the learning process and create a nurturing learning environment where children can draw up action plans and chart their goals alongside specified play times. Innovative and interactive activities Al Ali urged parents to organize creative activities that will enable their children to experience and master their mother tongue in different ways; through listening, speaking, reading and writing. “Such activities will inspire children to utilize Arabic both as a primary language and as a tool for new discovery,” she said. Family engagement in education A parent’s direct involvement in the educational process is critical to boosting a child’s academic achievement, said Al Ali. “By monitoring and supporting their Arabic learning process, parental engagement can improve the confidence levels of children and foster a fruitful family atmosphere. Students tend to do better when parents share the responsibility of their education with teachers.” “The Lughati initiative is keen on expanding its partnerships and increasing its user base through the promotion of specialized scientific and educational curricula that will provide a solid Arabic language foundation for students and nurture their sense of belonging to their homeland,” she concluded. — SG