The Come-to-Allah Talk

One of my students has decided he isn't learning enough. He's one of five Arabic blokes in the same class (4 Qatar, 1 UAE). I'd already heard from the Director of Studies he was thinking of changing classes (which would be no skin off my crooked nose).

"Well, Abduhl," I said, "may I make a few suggestions on how you might get more out of our class?"

"Yes, teacher." (I keep after them to call me by name, but Arabic culture dictates they call me teacher, it seems)

"You could show up on time. You could come to class every day. And you have to stop spending half the class talking to the other guys in Arabic. You're not going to get better at English unless you start practicing it. And it doesn't do any of you any good to come into this class, not listen to the other students when they're speaking English, and having your own whispered Arabic conversations when other people are talking. So there are to be absolutely no complaints about this class if I hear as much as a salaam out of you in this room."

"But they speak Arabic to me first," he protested. (totally not true, but he's always quick to point the blame, this one is)

"Then either don't talk to them or answer them in English. Can you try that for the next two hours?"

He said he could, as long as all the others promised to only speak English.

Guess who the first one to sneak into Arabic was?

I love these guys, but they are a lot of work. Bless.