RIYADH, 6 October 2003 — The ability to communicate abstract thoughts and ideas in clear and fluent English is an invaluable tool for any high-school graduate, especially those wanting to pursue higher studies abroad.
But in spite of the obvious benefits, English language skills are largely underrated in most of the Kingdom’s public schools. Consequently, students graduating from them often have difficulty communicating in English, a handicap that narrows their options in the academic world as well as in the job market.
The low standard of English in public schools, an issue that has been left on the backburner for far too long, is at the forefront of recent educational reforms, with English now a compulsory part of the elementary school curriculum.
The Department for Girls’ Education has gone a step further and enlisted the help of a leading private school to train public school teachers in new and creative ways of teaching English with the aim of greatly improved results.
Jehan Al-Ankari, principal of the Girls’ English Section at Manarat Al-Riyadh School, believes that the exchange of ideas between private and public schools is a positive step forward. “Coming from a government school, I feel that it is now my responsibility to give something back,” Jehan told Arab News.
Manarat Al-Riyadh English Section, sponsored by Prince Muhammad Al-Faisal, is an accredited private institution that prides itself on the scholastic achievements of its students, most of whom speak fluent English and pursue higher studies abroad after graduation.
At the request of the Department for Girls’ Education, the school recently held a workshop on organizing “Spelling Bee” competitions in local schools. The competition, modeled after the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, is a nationwide phenomenon in the United States and offers students a chance to hone their spelling skills as they compete in a competition designed to eliminate all but the very best spellers. The competition was introduced at Manarat in 2001 as part of the school’s annual competitions.
“You can make spelling fun,” said Mutahar Omer, coordinator of the Girls’ English Section. Mutahar said that the annual competitions had been very successful and that she looked forward to hosting inter-school competitions involving the other international schools.
The school body, which is divided into three “houses,” first began participating in inter-house competitions two years ago and the competitions have since become an annual event. Competitive events for enhancing English language skills include creative writing contests, spelling bee, public speaking and dramatic presentations.
Tasneem Prue, a senior English teacher at the school, said that students were motivated and enthusiastic about participating in these events and were, at the same time, becoming more proficient in their linguistic skills.
“We should always look for ways to make learning fun for students,” Tasneem told Arab News. “The spelling bee motivates them while teaching them spelling and the meaning of words.”
Bina Siddiqi, an English teacher for Grades 7 and Grade 8, said that she had seen an improvement in her students’ performance since the spelling bee competitions were first introduced.
Inspectors from the Department for Girls’ Education who attended the annual competitions were impressed by the students’ performance and have decided to introduce competitive events like the spelling bee into public schools in order to promote English language skills in public school students.
“Every time I come here, I benefit from my experience and discover new ideas,” said Tomader Al-Aqeel, an inspector for the Department for Girls’ Education.
Mutahar said that the introduction of English in elementary schools was a “revolutionary change” in the public education system.
The Spelling Bee Workshop was designed to educate public school English teachers about the proper way to organize and conduct a spelling bee in their own schools. In attendance were over 40 representatives from various local schools including teachers, supervisors and inspectors.
In her welcoming speech, Jehan stressed the importance of a teacher’s role as educator and mentor and emphasized the need to make learning “fun” and interesting for students. One method of increasing interest, she said, was to occasionally move away from the traditional classroom style and to introduce new and stimulating activities that motivate students to learn.
Hoda Al-Hazzaa and Faiza Al-Gusair, supervisors participating in the workshop, told Arab News that they had attended an earlier workshop at the school and had already used some of what they had learned in their schools. “The workshop gave us new ideas,” said Hoda.
