3rd Arabic Language Education Forum (ALEF)
Reimagining Arabic Education in the United States
Building CA, Room 321, Annandale, VA
Innovation, Sustainability, and Access (K-16)
Speakers:
Fadwa Hussain (DC Public Schools) - Moderator: Innovation and Access in Arabic Education
An Arabic language educator with over 20 years of experience across K-12, university, and international settings, including founding a nursery school in Riyadh. She was the first to introduce Arabic to Prince George's County's FLES program and holds degrees from Cairo University and George Mason University.
Hala Abdou (Arlington Public Schools) - Integrating Waldorf-Inspired Practices in Arabic Language Teaching
A world language educator pursuing her Ed.D. at Antioch University with a focus on the Waldorf Method. A former STARTALK teacher, she brings creativity, cultural awareness, and the arts into her classroom practice.
Mimi Melkonian (New York Arabic Teachers' Council) - From Calligraphy to Code: Arabic Learning in the AI Era
An award-winning Arabic and French teacher at Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut, and author of Nightingale: A Memoir of Murder and Resilience in Iraq (2018). She currently serves as president of the New York Arabic Teachers' Council.
Fadi Abughoush (Lindblom Math & Science Academy, Chicago, IL) - Curriculum Reform in Arabic as a Second Language: Building Proficiency Through Student-Centered Learning
World Languages Department Chair at Lindblom Math & Science Academy in Chicago, where he has taught Arabic since 2008. He champions a comprehensive input approach. He founded #arabicsingha and serves on the board of the Chicago Arabic Teachers Council.
Ghayda Al Ali (Georgetown University) - Exploring the Role of AI in an Arabic Beginner II Course
Assistant Professor at Georgetown University with a Ph.D. in Sociolinguistics and Translation, specializing in Arabic media discourse and cross-cultural communication. She is the author of multiple works on translation and representation and founder of the Ali Long Cultural Community Center.
Ismail Ibn Ali (Al Fatih Academy) - Arabic for What? Insights from Muslim K-12 Schools for Sustainable Arabic Education in the U.S.
Head of School at Al Fatih Academy in Northern Virginia, with a doctorate from the University of Central Florida and 15+ years of K-12 teaching experience. He also serves as a consultant for the Qasid Institute, leading development of its Quranic Arabic Curriculum.
Ethan Trinh (Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia, ATC of the South) - Community-Led Growth: Strengthening Arabic Programs through Collective Care and Strategies
Managing Director of the Arabic Teachers Council of the South at Georgia State University. He is a founding member of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, leading multi-state efforts to expand Arabic language education. Their work focuses on teacher networks, equitable access, and sustainable K-12 to higher-ed partnerships.
Francesco Sinatora (George Washington University) - Coordination, Continuity, and Inclusion in Arabic Language Education
Associate Professor of Arabic at The George Washington University and author of Language, Identity, and Syrian Political Activism on Social Media (Routledge, 2020). His work bridges sociolinguistics and pedagogy, advocating for curricula that integrate fusha, dialects, and digital discourse.
Free-Parking Available in Lot 11
Organized by:
Institute for Middle East Studies - The George Washington University
Qatar Foundation International
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