The educator's concern: ethnic identity and language in the UAE

Describing the UAE a "reduction container" of ethnic range would not be a myth. With an increase of than 200 nationalities, the UAE is among the world's most culturally varied countries. The impact of globalisation on Abu Dhabi's culture provides many positive benefits and our progress on many levels is quite evident. Amid the pace of development, nevertheless, it could be quite simple for the individuals of the Emirates to have taken from their own cultural roots.

With so significantly effect from different countries, the Arab-Islamic identity can quickly be diluted. We reside in a country that's a worldwide culture. As can simply be observed, how big the expatriate workforce has established anything of a demographic difference where Emiratis are very much in the community in the UAE, a scenario which dangers having a significant impact on our Emirati ethnic identity.

Safeguarding our Emirati values, methods, traditions, language and national personality to ensure that future decades of UAE Nationals understand their particular identity is crucial if we are to avoid a situation where in actuality the kids for the future do not know who they are or wherever they come from.

The cultural and economic growth platform of the UAE on its trip to being a sustainable, knowledge-based economy is aimed upon transforming the people of the UAE in to cultured and skillful individuals. Empowering Emiratis for the future involves a focus on the development of the'full specific'– from first steps until retirement.

As educators, we have a main position in supporting the storage of the UAE's national history and selling our national identity, tradition and character.

Individual colleges in the UAE have been criticized for perhaps not providing ample cultural teaching. Since the start of Aldar Academies in 2007, we've worked difficult to develop a learning atmosphere that delivers young minds with a comprehensive, well-rounded training by having an international aspect that is adapted to the wants of pupils surviving in the UAE. That naturally includes a solid give attention to the elements which makes the UAE culturally specific, which is vital for helping today's era prepare for tomorrow.

Our students enjoy the benefit of a diverse, creative and robust teaching and understanding program in Arabic language and Islamic studies. There is a huge recognition around new years that training of the UAE's history – equally in public places and private colleges – could be improved and perform will be performed in Aldar's possess schools to tackle that issue. We believe that it is essential which our childhood recognizes what has taken place in that state, and how previous decades could cope with living here. To quote the Late Sheikh Zayed, the founder of the UAE, "He would you not know his past will definitely maybe not realize the present. In case a person knows days gone by, he'll understand the current also, and on that basis find out what is based on the future."

Of unique concentration for us may be the teaching and promotion of the Arabic language. The broad utilization of English in most private training institutions is driven by a powerful connection to the global economy, work industry and technology. But language is an important safeguard of national culture and we're many concerned in creating world-leading understanding programmes for Arabic.

In May in 2010, we published the initial Aldar Academies Arabic Convention, together with Abu Dhabi Training Council and beneath the patronage of H. H. Sheikha Al Yazia Bint Saif Bin Muhammad Al Nahyan. This dedicated to Arabic's position in national and social personality and curriculum progress and we were happy to welcome specialists from a selection of cultural and instructional professions to participate in that most critical discussion.

Inside our six schools, Arabic language initiatives are the development of training resources that interact students at all levels. This isn't just limited by our own students: over the past half-term at Al Ain International School we went free Arabic classes for equally indigenous and non-native speakers covering written and covert Arabic taught by two educators Primary Schools in Abu Dhabi from our Arabic department. The lessons ran twice per day, three days weekly around a three-week time and were ready to accept the general public, along with pupils from the college itself.

We always look to produce and maintain outstanding associations with parents and the areas where we work to be able to build an environment where students from varied cultures and skills experience a genuine feeling of belonging. We place good significance on dealing with the people of our students and take delight in giving start two-way transmission with parents who will contact our schools whenever you want to check on the progress of the child. We're honoured with the duty of educating and organizing the leaders of tomorrow.

But to greatly help them make it happen involves educators to not just collection them the mark, but to provide them the foundations of understanding, tradition and identity that could make them realize why that target matters.