Learning a new language like Arabic can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. If you’re looking for a way to learn Arabic effectively on your own, then you should consider using SMART goals. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Let’s go through each of these criteria to see how they can be applied to learning Arabic.

Specific

Specificity is key when it comes to learning goals. When you’re learning a new language, it’s important to be as precise as possible in order to measure your progress. For example, saying “I want to learn more about Arabic grammar” is less specific than “I want to learn the past tense conjugation of measure I verbs in Arabic.” This way, you’ll be able to track your progress and see how far you’ve come.

Measurable

Measurability is another important aspect of SMART goals. How will you know if you’ve achieved your goal? In our example, a good measure would be being able to use the past tense conjugation in conversation. A good way to make sure your goals are measurable is to make a list of what you need to do to achieve them. For our example, this might look something like this:

• Learn the grammar rules for conjugating verbs in the past tense
• Practice conjugating verbs in the past tense
• Use the past tense in conversation with native speakers

By breaking down our goals into smaller, more manageable pieces, we can better keep track of our progress and eventually achieve our goals.

Achievable

Another important aspect of SMART goals is that they should be achievable. While it’s important to set high standards for yourself, you also don’t want to set goals that are impossible to reach. For instance, if you’re starting out, a good goal might be to learn one grammar rule per week. Then, once you’ve mastered the basics, you can increase your goal to two grammar rules per week.

As you set your goals, keep in mind that grammar and vocabulary are both important aspects of learning a language. While grammar is the framework that holds a language together, vocabulary is the meat and potatoes of actually being able to communicate in a new language. A good goal might be to learn twenty new words per week.

Relevant

Relevance is another criterion for SMART goals. When setting goals, it’s important to make sure that they’re relevant to your overall goal of learning Arabic. For instance, if one of your goals is to be able to read Arabic news, then focusing on Modern Standard Arabic is more relevant for you than learning a colloquial dialect, such as Egyptian or Levantine Arabic. On the other hand, if your goal is to be able to communicate with Arabic speakers in your local community, then learning a colloquial dialect would be more relevant for you.

Time-Bound

Finally, your goals should be time-bound, meaning that they should have a deadline. Just as it’s important to set a deadline for yourself at work, it’s also important to set a deadline for yourself when learning a new language. This will help you to stay on track and avoid procrastination. For instance, if your goal is to learn the past tense conjugation of verbs, you might give yourself two weeks to achieve this goal. Or, if your goal is to learn 100 new Arabic words, you might give yourself one month. Having a timeline for your goals will help to keep you accountable and motivated.

Conclusion

So there you have it! Using SMART goals is an effective way to learn Arabic on your own. By following these simple tips, you can set SMART goals that will help you learn Arabic effectively on your own. Just remember to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound!