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With its many dialects and prestige as the 5th most spoken language in the world, you must have come to realise that the Arabic tongue is an awesome one to have.
Learning Arabic in Nigeria is a worthwhile investment. The ability to speak Arabic provides you, as a student, the chance to study in foreign Arab countries, and for business people, a chance to use a world language to take their business to a loftier level.
Arabic tuition is also useful for Muslims to better understand Islamic concerns and literature. Many people learn Arabic to be able to study the Islamic holy book, the Quran, or further understand the Islamic or Arab culture and civilisation.
Although it is beneficial to learn Arabic, Arabic classes may quite require a huge sacrifice in time and money. But like the saying, if education is expensive, try ignorance. The different options for learning Arabic as a non-native need modest financial commitment and time. Although there are seemingly free learning options like watching free YouTube videos or learning words and expressions from language apps, these cannot serve your need for serious Arabic education. Perhaps, you just want to earn some foreign status and bragging rights among your Nigerian friends, then, these free options can suffice.
However, for many people who need the language for academic or business reasons, taking paid private Arabic courses is advised. For this, you can take courses at a language school or use the service of a private Arabic teacher or even move to an Arab city or country where you can study under a native speaker and practise daily among the native people. These options, no doubts, will need your time and money.
You may feel like you don’t need Arabic studies since you can speak English which is the official foreign language used in Nigeria. Hey! Do you know that learning multiple languages can strengthen your brain against old age deficiencies like dementia? And beyond being able to use the English language, don’t you think that you need to raise your uniqueness score? Adding Arabic to your collection will only stand you out.
From learning your first few Arabic words to taking on more complex expressions, our guide can help answer the questions you may have.
What is the Cost of Private Arabic Tuition?
Whether you just like to learn new languages and you consider Arabic studies fun or you have a serious need for Arabic, the cost of learning is an important factor to consider. Before you consider which school or teacher to hire, understanding how costs can vary can help you make better decisions.
The price of Arabic tuition will depend on some intervening variables. Some of these variables include:
- Locale
- Tutor’s Experience & Expertise
- Student’s Level of Experience
- Type of course desired
Locale
In Nigeria, different cities have different standards of living and, as such, the cost of learning will be different. From as low as ₦500 to as high as ₦5000 per hour, the cost of Arabic tuition can be affected by how high or low the city’s reputation is.
It is reasonable that in cities like Lagos and Abuja, the average cost is about ₦3,000 per hour. However, such a price will be ridiculous in Gombe or Abia. Tutors in such locations will like charge ₦1,000 0r ₦1,500 per hour.
More so, if your private Arabic home tutor lives very far from you, then, it is almost certain that his fee will be high.
Tutor’s Experience & Expertise
The expertise of tutors also affects the prices of Arabic lessons. Foremost, it is logical that a native speaker costs more than a non-native. This is considering the depth of expertise and experience of the native tutor against the non-native.
Similarly, tutors with many years of experience and achievements will be costlier than university students who study Arabic and teach as a side gig. Depending on your need, you may not need a native tutor of an Arabic professor to learn. But whatever it is, your teacher’s experience will take a toll on the price.
Student’s Level of Experience
The rule is: ‘the higher you go, the costlier it is’. Introductory Arabic classes are cheaper compared to intermediate classes or classes for University students studying Arabic.
When a tutor realises that he will need to go through deep intellectual rigour and teach the complexities of the language, he will charge a higher fee compared to a tutor who teaches beginners. For beginners, getting Arabic classes for ₦1,500 or ₦2,000 shouldn’t be difficult. However, for advanced students like those in the University, the average cost should be around ₦3,000.
Type of Course Desired
The mode of learning or receiving classes can also affect the price of Arabic studies. Tuition in Nigeria has become broader now. There are many learning options. Here are some arranged from the least expensive to the most expensive:
- Arabic lessons on language Apps
- Arabic classes on YouTube and free sites
- Intensive courses in a language school
- Courses with freelance teachers online
- Courses with private home tutoring freelancers
How to Decide the Right Private Arabic Tutor
There are about five steps to choosing the right tutor.
- Be clear with your level and objectives
It is very important to assess yourself and be honest with your competency level as well as learning objectives. You definitely don’t want to pose as a university-level student when you’re just in your intermediate years. And you don’t want to waste years by starting as a new student when you have a reasonable level of experience. Being clear with your speaking level and goals will also help you decide whether to get a tutor with a few years of experience or an Arabic professor.
- Compare and filter tutors’ profiles
Not every good tutor is right for you. You need to consider your identified learning need and level with the profiles of these tutors. Your level tells you whether to choose a university student of Arabic who has maybe 1500 words in his word bank or a tutor with deeper speaking tools. Your need tells you if a private native tutor is a right fit or a non-native speaker who got Islamic education in Northern Africa suffices. You may also want to check if your tutor can sufficiently speak English or not.
- Work with your budget
Foreign languages are expensive to learn. But with a budget, you can ensure that you don’t spend more than you have. If you have a modest budget, you may want to go for Arabic lessons with private tutors. If you have more to spend, you may travel to one of the North African countries or the UAE for an intensive study.
- Decide the best learning way
There are different learn ways to learn Arabic. Decide if you want to take free courses online or a free study at a nearby mosque. You can also choose between short, medium, or long courses in language schools, or hire a private tutor so that you can be the one to choose the time and day. Who says you cannot even move to one of the Islamic countries?
- Go for Gold
Getting an ideal tutor with the right qualities is golden. Look out for a tutor who is patient, fun, passionate, and communicates well.
How Many Classes Before You Become a Pro?
Frankly, the number of classes needed to attain mastery is dependent on many factors. There is no exact number of classes.
Foremost, you need to consider your reasons and objectives for learning Arabic. World languages, such as English and Arabic, are learnt for different reasons. If it is to study or trade in an Islamic country, maybe weekend classes for a year will suffice. For language enthusiasts, classes may not even go for that long, and for someone who wants to become a professional translator or tutor, more classes will probably be needed.
Individual factors, such as the student’s age, motivation, cognitive abilities, free time, and style of practice will also need to be considered. Variations in these factors mean differences in the number of classes needed. Two students with the same study reasons may take the same number of classes but achieve a different level of competency due to individual differences.
Another decider of the number of lessons is your chosen tutor. It is logical to say that learning under a tutor with deep expertise and a good way of teaching will speed up your learning curve. That is why many people use Superprof to hire the best tutors.
How to Get the Best Out of Your Arabic Tuition
Like any other exercise, it is possible to take many Arabic lessons without learning as much. It is incomplete to say that all that is required to be able to speak and use the Arabic language is to take Arabic education, rather, to actively take Arabic education.
First of all, exercise your body and mind before taking Arabic classes to be free of clutters. You won’t learn anything if your body or mind is down. Meditate, if you need to, stretch, and drink enough water. Also, ensure you do not harbour negative thoughts about the subject you want to learn and you have a good relationship with your tutor. These are good learning appetisers.
Also, ensure you participate in your classes. Passivity won’t do you much good. Ask questions, attempt questions, ask your tutor for mental exercises and try out new things.
Knowledge is not the totality of what we have learnt but what we can do. Therefore, in and outside your classes, speak the little you have learnt, and try writing in Arabic too. Consider it a regular exercise to use whatever you learn. That way, you learn better and faster.
Furthermore, learning shouldn’t end with your tutor. Explore other ways outside your tuition. Listen to Arab news media, pick up an English children's book and attempt to translate it or find new words to learn, play games, use flashcards, and find a language partner.
Passing Secondary School Arabic Exams in Nigeria
Arabic is an optional subject in many Nigerian secondary schools. It seeks to impart to students the ability to speak, write, and understand the Arabic language at basic fluency. Arabic lessons at the secondary school level usually seek to achieve these learning outcomes.
- Competency in spoken Arabic
- Ability to listen to and understand Arabic discourses
- Ability to read and understand Arabic passages and literature.
- Ability to comprehend and explain written and spoken communication in Arabic.
- Ability to articulate correct and sound arguments in the Arabic language
- Ability to translate intermediate written and spoken Arabic into the English language.
To ensure that these outcomes are met, the national curriculum on Arabic studies state that students are taught and their competency assessed in:
- Comprehension
- Translation
- Grammar
- Composition
- Arabic literature
These areas of the Arabic language may not be sufficiently covered in school, thus, requiring that you take a private Arabic lesson. Private lessons will enhance your comprehension of these areas and make your examination easy. You will also be able to practise Arabic writing under the supervision and correction of your tutor.
Summarily, Arabic is a beautiful language with many benefits. Beyond its perceived difficulty, you can gain sufficient mastery with the right dose of motivation, clarity of purpose, prep, and a good tutor. The first three? We leave them to you. The last? Check Superprof!
The platform that connects tutors and students
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