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Learn to speak Arabic - it would be rude not to!

Dubai - Arabic is predominantly spoken across the Mena region, and there are now more than 300 million Arabic speakers across the planet.

As UAE residents, we're lucky to live in the world's most cosmopolitan city - 83 per cent of the population compriseexpats, hailing from around 200 different countries across the world. With so many different nationalities, English has become the lingua franca, not only in most private schools, but also in everyday life, from business meetings to ordering a coffee.
So why learn Arabic in school? Arabic language instruction is a cornerstone of the UAE's educational strategy, and all private schools must offer a mandatory four Arabic classes per week for non-native speakers up to Grade 9.
For expat families, grappling with a new language on top of living in a new country can perhaps feel like an inconvenience, however for children (and adults too) fluency in Arabic can have a myriad of benefits. It is only through understanding a language that we can truly grasp the culture, history and identity of a country. Understanding the national language leads to stronger connections across cultures and wider social circles - in a fast-evolving city such as Dubai, developing fluency in Arabic can transform your experience from a transient residency in an 'expat bubble' to a place which feels like home.
Arabic is predominantly spoken across the Mena region, and there are now more than 300 million Arabic speakers across the planet - for young people of all nationalities living in the UAE, understanding and speaking this ever-evolving language is an essential step towards becoming a global citizen. I lived in Oman for 15 years where the demographics are the reverse of the UAE and where a knowledge of initial greetings and pleasantries went a long way to forging long-term relationships with my colleagues, students, parents and neighbours; many of whom have remained friends. I learned that I did not have to attain proficiency in the language and a few simple words and phrases went a long way on the road to acceptance by the Omani community. And just think, how would you feel towards visitors in your home country who didn't at least attempt to grasp your mother tongue?
Courtesy aside, it is well known that bilingualism has a number of cognitive and social benefits that will last from childhood to old age. It's a myth that exposure to a second language will delay a child's language development - research shows that bilingual children reach language milestones at the same time as their monolingual peers. Studies have proven that young language learners have better attention spans and problem solving abilities, while recent research from the University of Chicago showed that multilingual children are better at communication and have improved interpersonal understanding. In the long term, the brain activity caused by learning another language is also believed to delay cognitive illnesses such as dementia.
As parents, we all want the best for our children's future - living in the UAE offers a rare and wonderful opportunity for them to become immersed in a second language and we should grab this with both hands. And if your own Arabic skills don't extend far beyond 'As-Salaam-Alaikum' 'na'am' and 'shukran', it's never too late to start.
Author is the Director of Communications, Taaleem