Anonymous wrote:Consider an au pair. My child is fluent from this route.

Where did you find an Arabic speaking AU pair?

ALPCS wrote:Hi friends,
I am really excited for the daycare Arabic program. I just wanted to share with you that we are working to submit charter application for an Arabic Language Public Charter School - ALPCS in March. We developed our application and working with educational organizations to review the application and give us comments, feedback and corrections. The group is about 23 people, include parents, teachers, administrates, professors, community members from divers backgrounds.
We are excited for the opportunity to serve DC community and looking forward your support for first Arabic immersion elementary school in DC.

I’m guessing Virginia students wouldn’t be eligible?

Consider an au pair. My child is fluent from this route.

I'm curious about Arabic programs for preschoolers as well, I'm not Muslim, so I don't want religiously affiliated programs. Something metro accessible. Thanks.

That sounds like an excellent program but OPs post was about preschool programs.

Center Sidi Bou Said is glad to announce the opening of Al Bayt Al Arabi in the DMV area.
Students are able to have a full immersion experience in the Arabic culture without leaving the USA. They are able to experience living in a Middle Eastern family to practice the Arabic language. Moreover, students have the opportunity to attend formal language classes with high qualified instructors and take part in activities during the day which will allow the student to discover the culture and experience the lifestyle of the Arab world.
The program also offers students preparations of the Oral proficiency Interview (OPI), DLPT, and other task oriented tests as well as language training to help the students achieve the desired level of proficiency.
More information regarding Al Bayt Al Arabi can be found on the website: http://sidibousaidlanguages.com/thearabichouse/

I recently spoke to someone at Language Stars. They are offering Arabic in their Alexandria and Arlington/Mclean locations. They just started this year and right now they are offering a parents and tots class once a week (for children 3 and under) and a kids only class once a week (for children 3 and over). For some of the other languages they teach they offer the language scholars program which consists of 6 hours a week in a specified language (see: http://www.languagestars.com/program-overview/programs/language-scholars). While they don't offer it for Arabic currently, the person I talked to said that they might consider it depending on the demand. That sounds really promising and may be the solution that all of us on this thread are looking for. So I suggest calling them and telling them you are interested! Perhaps if they get enough calls they will consider creating a language scholars program for Arabic speakers. Also hopefully if they get enough interest in their regular Arabic classes, they will begin to offer them more than once a week.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but DH and I are trying to get pregnant and my biggest worry is that our future children will not be able to speak Arabic fluently. I'm curious - is there any interest in starting a bilingual Arabic-English preschool in the DC metro area? If there isn't we should figure out how to start one!

If that's your biggest fear, your DH and you can mitigate this by speaking Arabic only at home, no exceptions, none at all. My DH is Arab, we maintain a bilingual household (I'm not Arab), and our 3-year old is fluent in Arabic. It's more work for you, but if you want Arabic fluency, you simply can't outsource this to a preschool. As parents, you have a lot more power and influence than a preschool would.

Yes of course. But I've seen arab americans who's parents didn't speak a word of Arabic have very weak Arabic. When I talk about fluency I mean truly fluent - as in they can read it and write it like a native speak and that is something that needs to be reinforced out side the house as well as in. I am bilingual. I am equally fluent in Arabic and English - I read, speak and write both languages like a native and I want the same for my children. Yes of course I plan to speak Arabic at home and to read Arabic books to them but I'm pretty sure that won't be enough.

If you want your child to speak well, you have to do what it takes. Teach him/her.
"You are Your Child's First Teacher"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but DH and I are trying to get pregnant and my biggest worry is that our future children will not be able to speak Arabic fluently. I'm curious - is there any interest in starting a bilingual Arabic-English preschool in the DC metro area? If there isn't we should figure out how to start one!

If that's your biggest fear, your DH and you can mitigate this by speaking Arabic only at home, no exceptions, none at all. My DH is Arab, we maintain a bilingual household (I'm not Arab), and our 3-year old is fluent in Arabic. It's more work for you, but if you want Arabic fluency, you simply can't outsource this to a preschool. As parents, you have a lot more power and influence than a preschool would.

Different poster here. I agree with this a lot. We didn't do it. But my son is picking up Arabic now at five with lightning speed. I mean crazy fast, just adding a formal program to the mix. I guess all those years of hearing his dad speak it sunk in.

Anonymous wrote:Not OP but DH and I are trying to get pregnant and my biggest worry is that our future children will not be able to speak Arabic fluently. I'm curious - is there any interest in starting a bilingual Arabic-English preschool in the DC metro area? If there isn't we should figure out how to start one!

If that's your biggest fear, your DH and you can mitigate this by speaking Arabic only at home, no exceptions, none at all. My DH is Arab, we maintain a bilingual household (I'm not Arab), and our 3-year old is fluent in Arabic. It's more work for you, but if you want Arabic fluency, you simply can't outsource this to a preschool. As parents, you have a lot more power and influence than a preschool would.