Beyond Alignment

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Designing Arabic lessons around proficiency goals and Can-Do statements provides a valuable foundation for language instruction, but aligning activities with learning objectives does not necessarily guarantee meaningful communication. Students may successfully complete structured exercises yet struggle to express their own ideas, negotiate meaning, or respond to unexpected situations outside the classroom. This raises an essential question: How can Arabic educators design learning experiences that move beyond practicing language forms to develop learners' ability to use Arabic confidently, independently, and meaningfully?

This interactive webinar invites Arabic educators to critically examine what makes classroom activities genuinely communicative, engaging, and purposeful. Drawing on proficiency-oriented instruction and principles of task-based language teaching, participants will explore ways to transform conventional exercises into authentic communicative tasks that encourage spontaneous interaction, critical thinking, intercultural understanding, and real-world problem-solving. Through practical examples and collaborative activities, participants will consider how lesson design can create opportunities for learners to make choices, negotiate meaning, and use Arabic in situations that reflect real communication.

The webinar will also examine how artificial intelligence can support this process, not simply by generating lesson plans and instructional materials, but by helping teachers critically evaluate, adapt, and rethink their instructional choices. A live demonstration of Can-Do Proficiency Builder for Arabic, a customized GPT developed by the presenter, will illustrate how AI can assist in designing communicative tasks, differentiating classroom activities, and developing performance-based assessments. Participants will evaluate AI-generated materials not only for linguistic accuracy and proficiency alignment, but also for their potential to promote meaningful interaction, learner engagement, and communicative independence.

By the end of the workshop, participants will have explored practical strategies for designing more meaningful Arabic lessons, practiced transforming traditional exercises into authentic communicative tasks, and gained experience using AI as a resource for pedagogical reflection and instructional creativity. The session emphasizes that effective lesson design begins with clear learning goals but ultimately depends on the quality of the communicative experiences teachers create for their students.

Speaker:

Dr. Attia Youseif is a Senior Lecturer of Arabic and Director of Tutoring for the Arabic Flagship Program at Indiana University Bloomington, as well as Associate Director of Curriculum and Assessment at the Middlebury Arabic School. An Arabic linguist, curriculum developer, and teacher trainer, he specializes in proficiency-based language instruction, curriculum development, language assessment, and the integration of artificial intelligence into language education. He has held several leadership positions within the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), including Vice-Chair of the AI Special Interest Group. A recipient of Indiana University's Trustees Teaching Award, his work focuses on advancing Arabic language education through research, teacher professional development, and AI-assisted instructional design.