FUJAIRAH // An initiative to encourage Arab children and adults to read more in their native tongue by publishing abridged versions of English best-sellers in Arabic has been welcomed.
Launched by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation, the Book in Minutes series aims to strengthen a culture of reading among Arabic speakers while also popularising specialised books in different genres and subjects.
It also hopes to build stronger parent-child relationships.
Maitha Al Yamahi, an Emirati mother of five, said the project would make learning Arabic more fun for children who might otherwise struggle with the language.
“I definitely encourage initiatives that address the Arabic language issue and encourages our little ones to read some of our great Arabic literature.
“I have four children who go to the same public school. They used to go to an international school but I faced a lot of problems with the school and one of them was with the language being taught.
“They slowly stopped speaking Arabic properly and that was a huge problem to us as parents and to the rest of the family. We were afraid that they won’t be able to learn Arabic at an older age. The Arabic language is more difficult than English and they should learn their native language first,” said Ms Al Yamahi, 35.
Noura Mattar, a 33-year-old mother of two from Egypt, agreed it was important for Arab youngsters to have a better understanding of their first language.
“My nine-year-old son prefers to read English books rather than Arabic ones,” she said. “He has attended international schools from grade one and they do not concentrate on Arabic as much as English.
“I would love to see him read Arabic regularly, but I can’t push him to do so. I’m afraid that he would start hating it. I wish that the school would focus more on the Arabic language.”
The first book in the series, Rookie Smarts – Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work, by the best-seller author Liz Wiseman, discusses how genius is inherent to many, while Start with Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action, by Simon Sinek, talks about how leaders can inspire others and push them forward through training. The author explains how great leaders think, communicate and interact to motivate people.
Laura Markham's book Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids – How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting discusses how some parents establish strong relationships with their children through intellectual, creative and positive communication, as well as the reasons why others fail to do so.
“The learning from these books will open doors for the youth to benefit from the experiences of others and evolve as responsible individuals,” said Jamal bin Huwaireb, managing director of MBRF.
“Through this series, we are further promoting an inclusive society and contributing to social solidarity.
“The Book in Minutes initiative is a strong complement to the Dubai Vision 2021 to build cohesive families and communities that form the bedrock of the society.”
rhaza@thenational.ae
