In cooperation with Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities (MBZUH) and Emirates Schools Establishment (ESE), the Emirates College for Advanced Education (ECAE), has launched the Ethraa Professional Development Program for Arabic Language and Islamic Education teachers. The prograemm aims to enhance the abilities of Arabic language and Islamic education teachers.
The Ethraa programme has been crafted to support the professional development of Arabic and Islamic Education teachers, offering a set of workshops including activities that focus on specialised knowledge as well as pedagogical knowledge in the two subjects. This includes enhancing professional knowledge and professional practices to contribute to developing the performance of Arabic language and Islamic education teachers to ensure that they can pass the professional license test, and to enhance their skills in using educational technology and multimedia.
The programme also provides an innovative and interactive educational environment, developing teachers' ability in assessing students' achievement and providing constructive feedback and guidance to enhance academic performance and development.
Dr May Al Taee, Vice Chancellor of the Emirates College for Advanced Education, said: "Our goal is to enhance the skills in Arabic Language and Islamic Education teachers in the UAE, through realistic, constructive and ambitious strategic plans, in conjunction with our strategic partners. We are creating an inspiring educational journey in the Arabic Language and Islamic Studies education as two key foundations of our national identity in the UAE. Through the Ethraa programme, we seek to elevate the performance of teachers in these areas by equipping them with modern educational practices backed by cutting-edge research. This will positively impact both their present reality and future in our national education system, undoubtedly uniting our efforts in preparing future educators and shaping the future of education in the UAE."
His Excellency Dr Khalifa Mubarak Al Dhaheri, Chancellor of Mohamed bin Zayed University for Humanities, said: “The university’s participation in the Ethraa programme is a part of its efforts to support the professional development of Arabic language and Islamic education teachers. The programme aims to provide innovative and interactive educational environment, developing teachers' ability in assessing students' achievement and providing constructive feedback and continuous guidance to enhance academic performance and students' continuous development. Moreover, the program develops their specialised skills, including reading comprehension, vocabulary, and writing. This strengthens their skills and helps them obtain a teachers’ license in the UAE.”
Her Excellency Hessa Rasheed, Acting Executive Director of the School Development Sector at ESE, said “The Establishment pays special attention to enhancing Arabic language and Islamic education teaching methods because of their main role in instilling the Emirati identity and national values in the hearts of students. The Establishment’s cooperation with ECAE's Ethraa programme is a translation of this attention, especially that the programme supports the Establishment’s continuous efforts to develop the skills of educators and keeping them up to date with the latest educational methods, in line with its goal to improve the quality of educational outcomes.”
The Ethraa programme is founded on the principles of experimental learning and learning-by-doing, which includes key elements for enhancing teachers’ professional knowledge, skills, and practices, while developing learning activities and facilitation techniques. The training programme has adopted an experimental learning approach, providing space for practical application and acquiring and reinforcing linguistic and educational skills.
The Ethraa programme focuses on the professional development of teachers of the Arabic language and Islamic education through two specific tracks. The first track is the educational track, which supports teachers of Islamic education and includes training workshops distributed over three areas covering professional and ethical behavior, professional knowledge practice, and professional development, all based on the UAE standards for teaching. The second track is the specialised track that targets Arabic language teachers and includes training workshops distributed over four areas covering grammar and morphology, Arabic criticism and rhetoric, reading comprehension and vocabulary, and writing, based on the Specialized Arabic Language Teachers’ Test Guide issued by the Teaching Professions Licensing Department in the Ministry of Education 2019.
