Author: Magan Leystra
Rabat, Morocco
Derived from the same root as the word “jayyid,” Tajweed literally means “to make good.” Quranically, it refers to the pronunciation of Arabic words when reciting the holy texts, a skill that is acquired by learning how to recite the texts in a proper way. At Roots, Tajweed is the key to mastering pronunciation of the Arabic language. By bridging this sacred cultural practice with language training, the Roots team creates a unique learning opportunity for students of Arabic by taking advantage of the many opportunities that Tajweed provides for enhancing pronunciation. This semester, students from the University of North Texas had the opportunity to dive into the science of Tajweed to enhance their language skills, a task that was challenging and rewarding for students and instructors alike!
It is widespread knowledge in the Arabic learning community that even Modern Standard Arabic takes on slight changes in pronunciation depending on the language background of the instructor. Through our emphasis on a specific set of pronunciation rules that are free from regional or linguistic variation, Roots employed the use of Tajweed to standardize the pronunciation of each letter and correct common mix-ups at the source. Consisting of ten, 5–10 minute interactive video lessons, our team made sure to employ the uniform nature of language found in Quranic recitation to reduce this common barrier to language learning. The results were astonishing. Here is what some of our students had to say about it:
In addition to the interactive video sessions, each lesson included 1–2 recitation drills in addition to a final recitation drill of the student’s choosing where participants had the opportunity to practice the skills learned in the course. By encouraging the student to take their time and focus on the articulation point of each specific letter they are saying, our course required students to be conscientious of their words until correct pronunciation became second nature. “I better understand how to say letters that are deeper into the mouth like غ and ع. It also helped me differentiate between similar sounds like ذ and ث” remarked Lexi Gavin when asked about how the drills benefitted her throughout the course. Students then submitted their recordings upon completion for direct feedback from a experts in Arabic pronunciation.
We have seen numerous times that the methodology we employ in this course provides an ideal environment for the learner to evaluate their speech outside of a typical conversational context and reduces the pressure that is often felt while trying to communicate casually in a foreign language, and while the fact remains that its objective is aimed at pronunciation, our course benefits students in other ways that hit closer to home. “It helped me speak with my family more fluently,” said Michael Kazraji. “I always struggled remembering words and how to pronounce certain letters, but Tajweed helped me patch up the rough parts so I speak more naturally and fluently with my parents.”
By exposing students to advanced terminology in linguistics and biology as well as Quranic Arabic, our team sought to design a course that would intrigue students from all linguistic and academic backgrounds. Most importantly, it added a cultural component that is often missing from Arabic courses in general. A practice that is found in every part of the Arabic-speaking world, Tajweed helps to bridge the cultural gaps that form during the study of a single dialect or region. In essence, it has the potential to connect students with people from all parts of the Arabic-speaking and Islamic worlds, from Morocco to the Gulf States, through a shared understanding of a highly respected cultural practice.
In sum, Roots was honored to work with the University of North Texas this semester and is very proud of the progress that each and every student made as a result of their extensive efforts. We hope to be able to work with them again in the near future and wish them all the best of luck as they finish the semester. If the course discussed in the article piques your interest, we are excited to announce that it will be available as a self-guided course at the following link: https://rootsacademy.getlearnworlds.com/course?courseid=mastery-of-phonology-through-tajweed. We will be offering the course at a discounted rate throughout the course of December, so enroll right now to study at a reduced rate and improve your pronunciation of the Arabic language. We can’t wait to meet you!