UAE Kindergartens Embrace Arabic Language Learning

Kindergarten Arabic Education in UAE: New Curriculum with Playful Learning

Private schools in the United Arab Emirates are facing significant changes: starting from the 2025–2026 academic year, all kindergarten children will be required to attend 200 minutes of Arabic language classes weekly. The objective of the decision is to naturally integrate the Arabic language into the everyday lives of children from an early age, especially for students whose mother tongue is not Arabic.

Playful, Experience-Based Learning for the Youngest

The cornerstone of the new program is the children's curiosity and experience-centered learning. Learning takes place through games, storytelling, puppetry, singing, and sessions enriched with visual elements. Schools pay special attention to ensuring the curriculum is age-appropriate: picture cards, digital games, interactive tasks, and vocabulary cards that can be used at home aid in vocabulary acquisition.

Arabic language skills are also integrated into everyday activities: greetings, transitions, storytelling, or even daily routines feature Arabic expressions, promoting natural language use.

Islamic Studies and Social Values in Kindergarten Curriculum

Muslim students will have 90 minutes a week dedicated to Islamic studies, typically divided into two to three shorter sessions. Additionally, the curriculum includes geography of the UAE, environmental knowledge, family and community, and social values, all integrated in a playful manner.

Parental Involvement and Joint Learning at Home

Schools aim to support language learning in the home environment as well. To this end, they provide parent-child workshops, take-home assignments, and bilingual communication cards. These not only assist in language acquisition but also strengthen parental involvement and shared experience-based learning.

Teacher Preparation and Quality Assurance

The success of the new system hinges greatly on the preparedness of the educators. Teachers undergo special training supported by the KHDA, focusing on the linguistic peculiarities of the kindergarten age group. The quality of teaching is ensured through regular class visits, development logs, and feedback systems.

Schools are also reorganizing schedules: shorter, but more frequent Arabic classes will be introduced, and some non-core classes (such as physical education or music) will have reduced time slots to accommodate necessary language lessons. Many institutions implement a rotation system, ensuring that every group receives daily Arabic language education.

Playful Natural Language Use

Additional support is available for non-Arabic speaking children: bilingual instructions, visual aids, and gradually more challenging language interactions facilitate learning. The goal is for children to acquire the basics of the Arabic language in a playful, stress-free manner, allowing this knowledge to become a firm part of their fundamental skills.

(Source of the article: Education Department announcement.)