Transparent Language (Review)

This resource review is submitted by Nada Shaath as a service to the Arabic Language Learning Community. The instructional value of the resource for each unique learning environment must be determined by the instructor. Note: Content reviewed here may or may not be freely available or openly licensed, so please carefully check the licensing statement for more information about the terms of use of this resource.

Resources

Title: Transparent Language (Review)
Author:
Institution: Transparent Language, Inc.
Licensing: All Rights Reserved

Instructional Context

Arabic Language Learning / Teaching

Keywords: flashcards, survival Arabic, survival, vocabulary, vocab lists, transliteration, script, word of the day, almasdar, world languages, arabic language learning

Intended User: Student

Material Type: Other, Resource Review

Educational Use: Other

Educational Level: Community College - Lower Division, College - Upper Division

Proficiency Level: Beginner

Description

This website is a platform for products and services by Transparent Language, some available for free. It also includes a survival list of Arabic phrases in transliteration with audio recordings, Arabic tests and quizzes, an overview of the Arabic language, a blog, a word of the day in Arabic script and embedded in a sentence, and more. A link to their free Byki Express flashcards is also provided, as is a link to their online language classes. 

Review

I came across this website while visiting the American Council on Teaching Foreign Language (ACTFL) yearly conference. The company offered me to try the product and offered a special discount for my students. Many of the students in my classes (levels I and II) find this website very helpful in introducing them to the Arabic script and teaching them some skills on how to use Arabic in daily communication.

I managed to synchronize my account to my class Twitter page. The Transparent Arabic website automatically posts on the Twitter page the word of the day, and thus my students are able to access this though my Twitter. The Byki Modern Standard Arabic page is well designed and works very well with students from a diverse population. The fonts are clear as are the illustrations, which make it very easy for the learner to comprehend and build some proficiency.

The activities are arranged in theme. Each activity starts with vocabulary words and expressions; the user then has to guess the meaning of the expression after each activity. Activities are built to progress in difficulty, and users are requested to speak and write. Students like to do Transparent Arabic as assigned homework.

The computerized activities offered through this program cater towards different learning modalities and builds interpretive proficiency in a fun and interactive way. Moreover, the program is easily accessed and used and teachers can monitor their students' work. The company gives limited students numbers assigned to each teacher and the expressions used in the activities are not used in a text, which could be considered a setback. There is lack of authentic materials used to build on language. Nevertheless, this is a great supplemental program that could help teachers reinforce concepts already taught in class.

Nada Shaath, Arabic Teacher, Department Chair
Bell High School, Los Angeles Unified School District