ARAB

Recommendations

Info

• Druze—The Druze live in Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. Most of the Druze in Alberta came from Lebanon and Syria. • Christians—Several different Christian communities came from Arab countries, including the Coptic Christians, Maronites, Syriac Orthodox, Assyrian Christian and Melkites. They have many churches in Alberta. • Arab minorities—Among Arab Muslims there are two minority communities: the Shiites and the Alawites. Shiites live largely in Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanon, Yemen, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and Alawites live mostly in Syria. The people of Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan are not Arabs; however, their languages are written in Arabic script. Muslim Names Arabic is the religious language of Islam, and it plays a central role in the lives of Muslims. Many Muslims throughout the world have Arabic first names or surnames. These names often have positive or “sublime” meanings honouring an important historical person, relative or religious figure. Other names may imply a positive characteristic, such as patience. Although it is common, having an Arabic name is not required. Muslims may also have a non-Arabic name such as Jennifer (English), Shabnam (Persian) or Serpil (Turkish). Many Muslim women retain their maiden names after marriage, invoking a right established by Islamic law over 1,400 years ago. Consequently, teachers may encounter situations in which a student’s last name differs from that of the mother. This does not reflect on her marital status. For various transliterations, different spellings for the same name are common. It is important for teachers to ask students with non-Western names how their names are pronounced and to not take the liberty of labelling them with nicknames. Many Muslims are especially sensitive about their names. Music Arab Muslims are divided when it comes to music. Some consider it an important part of Arab culture. Others discourage listening to music or playing any instrument. Despite this division, music is played and songs are sung all over the Arab world by both Muslims and Christians. Some Muslims, however, consider music a forbidden entertainment. Parents may ask to have their children excused from music class. Arabic songs of celebrations, songs in praise of God and the prophets, or songs about nature are generally considered to be acceptable. An instrument called the oud was invented by Arabs and was later modified to Oud what we now call a guitar. See https://www.youtube .com/watch?v=JGQK1VYXaPg to view and hear some Arab instruments. Food Food is a significant part of Arab culture. Being able to serve large amounts and a variety of foods (particularly to guests) is a source of pride. Traditionally, Arabs relied on a diet of dates, wheat, barley, rice and meat (usually lamb) with an emphasis on yogurt products. Arabic cuisine today has been influenced by other cultures such as India and Turkey. Because of the wide geographical distribution of countries, there are variations in both availability and preferences in food. Since Iraq is close to India and Iran, for example, their food has been influenced by that of their neighbours. Similarly, Egyptians enjoy dishes similar to those common in Lebanon, Syria or Jordan. FRANK KOVALCHEK, ALASKA 6 PROMOTING SUCCESS WITH <strong>ARAB</strong> IMMIGRANT STUDENTS—TEACHER RESOURCES
Shish kebab SOFIA, BULGARIA Fatayer STU SPIVACK MIANSARI66 JOE FOODIE Hummus and vegetables Tabouleh Many Arab dishes have become common on restaurant menus and are familiar to many Canadians. Popular foods include • pita bread, • hummus (chickpea spread), • tabouleh (bulgar wheat salad), • fatayer (triangle pies filled with meat or spinach) and • shish kebab (meat and vegetables on skewers). Arabs who practise the Muslim faith are required to eat “halal” food. Halal is an Arabic word that means “permissible according to Islamic law.” The criteria specifies both what foods are allowed and how food must be prepared. For meat to be certified, it cannot be a forbidden cut (such as meat from hindquarters) or from an animal killed unmercifully. Pork, pork products and alcoholic beverages are defined as “haram” and are forbidden at all times. PROMOTING SUCCESS WITH <strong>ARAB</strong> IMMIGRANT STUDENTS—TEACHER RESOURCES 7
Page 1 and 2: PROMOTING SUCCESS WITH IMMIGRANT AR
Page 3 and 4: Introduction This document was deve
Page 5 and 6: Background Information Welcome to t
Page 7: AL JAZEERA ENGLISH Hajj at Al-Haram
Page 11 and 12: Niqab (pronounced nee-kab) The niqa
Page 13 and 14: Myths and Misconceptions About Arab
Page 15 and 16: Different Arab Families “Muslims
Page 17 and 18: Suggestions for Teachers This secti
Page 19 and 20: Does your child have any dietary re
Page 21 and 22: Common Common Arabic Common Arabic
Page 23 and 24: Try to call home with congratulatio
Page 25 and 26: Make an effort to stay informed abo
Page 27 and 28: Orientation Guide to Canadian Schoo
Page 29 and 30: يحتاج كل طالب لحوال
Page 31 and 32: What Is Taught • All of Alberta h
Page 33 and 34: Family Responsibilities الواج
Page 35 and 36: Teaching Writing to English Languag
Page 37 and 38: Nights as well as other cultural ev
Page 40: AR-CMEF-4 2016 04

ARAB

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?