Dr Leila Kouatly, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies
The unforeseen switch to online teaching in first semester has had major implications for second-year Arabic students. This new mode of delivery and the restrictions it presented, students’ sudden return to their interstate homes, the anxieties caused by COVID-19 among other factors, have added additional levels of stress to what is historically known as the most difficult year-level within the Arabic program.
After the initial shock of the switch to online delivery, it became evident that new strategies needed to be implemented to keep students motivated and to help them build resilience in what was promising to be a difficult semester.
Adjusting the learner-centred approach to the new teaching setting and devising collaborative activities to build a sense of community, were key elements in ensuring a successful learning experience for students.
This presentation will discuss the challenges faced by the second-year Arabic cohort as well as the strategies implemented to keep students engaged and motivated
Speaker Bio
Leila Kouatly is a Lecturer in the Arabic Program at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAIS). Leila joined CAIS in 2017 and convenes the Intermediate level courses as well as the Media Arabic third year course and the intensive in-country course Applied Arabic.
Prior to starting at CAIS, Leila was employed as Educational Developer by the College of Arts and Social Sciences and she helped set up the online version of the CAIS Arabic courses.
Leila is passionate about languages and language teaching, and an essential part of her teaching philosophy revolves around connecting with students, removing any barriers to learning and providing a supportive and encouraging atmosphere while recognising various students’ abilities.
Leila’s research interests include Second Language Acquisition and Technology in Language teaching.
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