Arabic Education in Schools Across Borders: What We Now Understand About the Field

Grounded in the newly released global report of the Study of Arabic Language Programs (SALP), this episode unpacks what the SALP findings mean for classrooms, programs, policy, and the future of Arabic language education. 

Hosted by Caroline Sibley, Teaching Assistant Professor of Arabic in North Carolina, the episode features two Institute of International Education (IIE) researchers who worked on and co-authored the SALP: 

• Mirka Martel, IIE’s Head of Research, Evaluation and Learning 
• Leah Mason, IIE’s Lead of Research, Evaluation and Learning Team and Interim Executive Director and Director of the Iacocca International Internship Program at Lehigh University 

Together, they discuss how Arabic programs are organized, supported, and sustained across six countries, and what educators, researchers, program leaders, and policymakers can take from the findings to support stronger Arabic language learning. 

They discuss: 

• The current landscape of Arabic language education 
• What supports and limits program growth 
• How research can inform policy and practice 
• What can be learned across different national contexts 
• What comes next for Arabic language education 

🎧 Watch or listen now, available wherever you get your podcasts. 

➡️ https://www.qfi.org/podcast/ 

Produced by QFI to advance the value of teaching and learning Arabic as a global language. 

DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Qatar Foundation International (QFI).