Arabic language literacy in Early Childhood Education in the Arabian Gulf

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Early Childhood Education in the Arabian Peninsula Contributions for Early Years Curriculum Transformation Through Research Reflection and Practice

Publication Date

6-19-2026

Abstract

A large body of research suggests that, within the field of Early Childhood Development (ECD), access to quality Early Childhood Education (ECE) programmes can positively affect children’s cognitive, linguistic, and general learning skills, needed to do well later in school. Additionally, quality ECE programmes can positively affect the socio-emotional development of children. ECE programmes are currently not universally mandated in the Arabian Gulf countries; however, the conversation about the importance of ECE programmes that use Arabic as the language of instruction is emerging as one of the important topics in the field. This chapter zooms in on ECE in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, language of instruction and new approaches to teaching Arabic in ECE using aspects of the science of reading, Arabic linguistic traits, including diglossia, morphology, and oral fluency in Modern Standard Arabic as the basis of what children know and can do with the language. The development of these new ECE Arabic teaching and learning approaches is supported by the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge, as one of the solutions to the challenges parents, schools, and the community face in Arabic early literacy. The chapter ties in issues related to policymaking and the economics of Arabic language provision in ECE programs in GCC countries.

ISBN

[9781041066606, 9781041066620, 9781003636496]

Publisher

Routledge

First Page

84

Last Page

101

Disciplines

Education | Linguistics

Keywords

Pedagogy (0.47) | Arabic (0.46) | Language acquisition (0.43) | Abu dhabi (0.42) | Early childhood (0.41) | Fluency (0.41) | Conversation (0.41) | Early childhood education (0.39) | Political science (0.39) | Face (sociological concept) (0.36) | Language education (0.36) | Quality (philosophy) (0.36) | Affect (linguistics) (0.36) | Literacy (0.35) | Sociology (0.34) | Psychology (0.33) | Linguistics (0.32) | Mathematics education (0.31) | Language development (0.31) | Teaching method (0.29) | Heritage language (0.26) | Curriculum (0.26)

Scopus ID

105045040443

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

Link to Full Text

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