Progress Update

[Ayesha Nicole]

Salaam.

They don't teach them any reading as such at the school we attend - hifz is purely by talqeen (repetition) at this stage, and kids normally learn to read at regular schools here, which they start at age 6  (Hammaad is 4).  They do however, give them simple words to write (which my son reads) that are without tashkeel, so I think he sometimes assumes he doesn't need to pay attention to the tashkeel! I have taught him to read using a variety of methods - he is able to read single words/couplets fine, but we when we go to the mushaf it is not accurate enough.  Having thought about it a bit more, he had a similar problem with English before - he would sight read - which was not always accurate, now that his phonics is better it is as though something has clicked and he can read with accuracy.  I hope the same will happen with Arabic! I guess we will have to spend lots of time practicing in the summer, and I might try the ayah cards you mention.

How do the girls memorise? Do you still use the same technique? I would really like to have Hammaad reading independently to aid his hifz - the school we attend is not a traditional cramming school.  It is a tajweed school with classes for children of mothers at the school. Usually children would leave after completing Hammaads class (they are currently on the 28th juz) but because he is younger they have agreed to let him stay on - so for hifz I will need to do the talqeen for him at home...

JK for your input!

Karishma

wa 'alaikum as salaam.  Hmmm.  Talqeen works as it is part of the Islamic tradition, along with the fact that as humans, we learn to speak a language before learning to read or write it.  But the challenge that is specific to Qur'aan, is that this 'dialect' is no longer spoken, although it is preserved in the Qur'aan; we don't know the vocabulary.  When one is immersed in the language for 6 years before learning to 'sight read or recite', there is a natural learning of the tashkeel and pronunciation that is intuitive.  However, for a non-native speaker, that is absent and why I beleive that tashkeel are needed when learning to write.  Also when reciting words and/or phrases and/or ayat, there are tajweed rules that affect the pronunciation, although the writing is represented differently.  This is why I began with Noorani to teach them the visual and the aural simultaneously, along with translation. 

I would suggest that you get a copy of Noorani Qai'dah, and along with the talqeen that you are working on, just begin working through the book (on CD-Rom if possible) from the very beginning lesson.  I can explain to you how to teach him to ensure that he is learning it properly, and the CD-Rom with soundclips makes it easy for pronunciation; although it does not randomize the lessons, which I believe is essential to ensure that the student really knows the material and is not just memorizing the 'sounds' in order, but knows how to match the written symbol to the sound when they are tested out of order (I hope that makes sense.) 

There is also another CD-Rom program for Juz 'Amma that spell reads the last 10 or 12 suwar to understand the teaching method that they use to teach each ayah; but I first do the individual words and then connect as in the program.  It takes a little longer, but the benefits are more comprehensive.  And the student is expected to spell read the rest Juz Amma on their own.  With the next, Juz Tabaarak, they should be able to figure it out - is what we as teachers are told - but my experience says differently because there are 17,500 - 18,000 unique words in the Qur'aan, and they do not all occur in Juz 'Amma.  And even if one only learns the 80% words ( http://understandquran.com/resources/dictionaries/80-words.html ) there are still words in each ayat or suwar that are not covered, so you still have to learn each word and how to connect them with applied tajweed rules. 

So, I will create individual word flashcards for each surah in each Juz that I teach them, and I also include the 'tashkeel' that is 'hiding behind' each hamzatul wasl, because it is not pronounced during connecting, but is known to be there.  However, the children are too young to use the shortcut of 'determine if the word is a noun or a verb' and then look at the 3rd vowel to determine what the 1st tashkeel should be - if you are starting to recite on this word after pausing.  More details here:

http://heesbees.wordpress.com/tag/hamzatul-wasl/

http://heesbees.wordpress.com/2011/10/06/hamzatul-wasl-exceptions-we-take-for-granted/


I also use the word-by-word recitation feature on http://www.houseofquran.com to help with practicing pronunciation of the couplet/phrase connections and the ayah pronunciation.  They are working on recording Juz Tabaraak and will add additional suwar over time, insha'Allah.

I use a stacking method for sight reading to create a weak form of memorization:

Ayah 1 @ 10x
Ayah 2 @ 10x
Combine 1 & 2 @ 5x
Ayah 3 @ 10x
Combine 1 - 3 @ 5x
until the end of the surah.

They recite to their father for corrections, and then we begin repetitions of the entire surah until they can recite from memory without any hesitation; which for them is 100 reps spread over several days.  But right now, we are working on fixing recitation mistakes that have somehow (?) crept into Juz 'Amma.  :P  Alhamdulillah for everything.  And I am trying to figure out how to adjust their schedule for them to attend the afternoon school and full-time KG next year.  :/  I am thinking to focus on sight reading and the weak memorization for now.  Unsure what else to do at this point.  :/  Du'as, please. 

EDIT:  2:30 PM EST > I played around with LR before and you can copy text from houseofquran.com, and download the font, and create a category by ayat, and teach the ayat that way.  For example:

word 1 - Surah Fatihah

slide 2 - bismi

slide 3 - Allahi

slide 4 - bismi Allahi

slide 5 - ar-Rahmani

slide 6 - bismi Allahi ar-Rahmani

slide 7 - ar-Raheemi

slide 8 - bismi Allah ar-Rahmani ar-Raheemi (1). [and you include the ayah sound clip on this slide].

slide 9 - begin with the first word of the next ayat and continue to add a new word; playback in same order and manual forward.

OR

just create a category for each ayah, and include each individual word in sequential order, and then the last slide is the ayah with the soundclip.

I decided to use ppt because I want to include the English translation as a footnote for each word, and add the 'hiding tashkeel behind hamzatul wasl' because I want to teach the technical spelling of the word in isolation, which may be pronounced differently in connecting with tajweed rules, than it is technically spelled, as is the case with some verbs that are technically kasrah, but when connecting it may be pronounced as though it begins with dhammah. 

[km276]

I think you are right and we just need to go the process from the beginning again - perhaps I can teach Safiyya at the same time iA! Would be great if you can explain how to teach it to him properly iA - I'll contact you by email iA.

re- mistakes in Juz Amma, I have found that despite a regular revision schedule, some mistakes have crept, particularly as he learns more Quran - but aH, Quran is ongoing and always will be iA.

Memorisation technique - so they do the reps with you or independently?

May Allah grant you (and the girls) barakah in your time so that you can achieve everything you want to and more iA.

JK once again

Karishma

[Ayesha Nicole]

Yes, she will learn from him.    I am trained specifically for Noorani Qaidah books, and I did it with the Doman method format and schedule:

http://store.dar-us-salam.com/product/MC81.html

http://nooranilearningcenter.blogspot.com/

http://www.furqaanbookstore.com/children/al-qaidah-an-noraniah.html

http://furqangroup.com/

You can also just figure out how much they are capable of and do slightly less (to keep them always interested in learning more).  If you read Arabic, there are notes in the back of the blue book, and the English edition has some notes also.

If you are able, I would purchase a few copies (5) of the largest sized book, and use two of them to cut up each lesson/page into individual 'flashcards' and then you can use it as a hands on activity in conjunction with the software program.  If the book examples are too small, then you can purchase two sets of the poster sized pages and cut those up - which is more expensive, but are much larger than the book.  And to make each flashcard a little nicer, you could mount each example onto cardstock as a stiff backing and then laminate them for durability.

For the other three books, they are to be used as textbooks, one for each child and one for you as the teacher. 

For memorization, I do it with them because they are not disciplined enough to do it on their own.  And I am trying to figure out how to make it more fun, as it was in the beginning with learning Noorani - which were very short sessions, 3x per day; but with learning and memorization, it takes a lot of time and they become bored and lose interest.  I keep thinking about Ibn Khaldun and the instruction of children:

http://seekersguidance.org/blog/2010/03/ibn-khaldun-on-the-instruction-of-children-and-its-different-methods-from-his-muqaddima/

I think I will just complete Juz 'Amma with the sequencing sets, and then go back to 1 line per day - and as long as it is consistent, we will eventually get through the Qur'aan, insha'Allah; but only if they have an interest in it, which means shorter sessions.  Every parents desire is for their children to be haafidh, yet I have to remember the end goal is for them to sight-read, correctly recite with tajweed, with comprehension, and most important for contemplation and implementation.  Memorization will come naturally when one has the built the daily habit of reading, insha'Allah. 

Ya Rabb.  Please make our children the coolness of our eyes.  Ameen!  And please put barakah in our time and efforts, ameen!

Jazaaki Allahu khaira. 

 

[km276]

Salaam and JK for the links - will look into it soon iA.

HIfz and children:
I tried very hard to make hifz "fun" for the kids, but at a certain point I needed Hammaad to just sit and concentrate for a session (we have lots of breaks but steadily session times have increased).  It was a struggle for a short time, but now he knows that we do Quran every single day and accepts it, aH. I hope that these concentration skills will help in other areas too. He looks forwards to rewards (Juz parties) and I think there is some satisfaction of performing well at school.

I too think the end goal is to comprehend and act on the Quran, and to develop a true love for it.  However, my view is that we should make the most of their memorisation capability whilst they are young and the hifz is fastest.  As the children grow, their comprehension will also be greater and I intend for them to continue studying the Quran in more depth after memorisation iA.  After all, Quranic studies don't ever stop - once it is memorised it still needs constant review. One also needs to comprehend and study tafseer and so on. 

[Ayesha Nicole]

wa 'alaikum as salaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh,

It is interesting analysis that I disagreed with the first time I read it.  However, I changed my views over time in light of other evidence.  So, the more I come across the argument, "Children should memorize when young and understand when older" has become more and more unconvincable due to scientific findings in language acquisition, educational and developmental psychologist suggestions, along with observations from earlier generations in Islamic History.  Ibn Khaldun chastises those who use this ineffective and inefficient method for reasons explained in his book.  This is another example from Islamic History with the same point: 

"At the time of Abu Darda Quran was written on bones, leaves and pieces of leather. These days the Quran
is decorated so much that people don’t even want to touch it and read it because it looks so good! If
people were to see the Quran written on bones or other pieces, they would be quick to say that such a
thing is disrespect to the Quran. Yet people do not think that not following the Quran is disrespect to it.
We have lost track of what Quran should do for us and how we should study the Book of Allah (swt).
Allaah says:

‘(This is) a Book (the Qur'an) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings that they may
ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may remember.’ [Surah Saad: Verse 29] 

‘Do they not then think deeply in the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up (from understanding it)?’
[Surah Muhammad: Verse 24] 

Allaah (swt) is not only asking us to recite the Quran, rather He is asking us to meditate and contemplate
over the Quran. We have to have ‘tatabbur’ (deep contemplation).

How did the Sahabah study the Quran? If we take the example of Abdullah ibn Umar (radiAllahu anhu), he
says: ‘It took me 14 years to finish memorizing Surah Baqarah.’ He (radiAllahu anhu) was so happy after
memorizing it, he said ‘and then I slaughtered a camel and I invited all the people to come.’ It was such an important
event for him that he made a day of celebration of behalf of it. We can memorize Quran now within a
year- how come it took Abdullah ibn Umar 14 years? The reason is, as narrated by one of the Tabieen, who
said, ‘I met with some of the Sahabah of the Rasul (saws) and they told me that the way they would study
Quran is that they would take ten verses and they would study these ten verses, they would study the
eemaan, the ilm, and the halal and haram in the verses, then memorize the verses and then move onto the
next ten verses. They would never move onto the next ten verses until they applied it. Not until it became
alive and a second nature to them. I was told this by many of the Sahabah, not just one.’

Imam Ahmed al Ghazali said, ‘I memorized Quran when I was 10 years old. Because of the mode I was in (of just
reciting without learning and understanding), when I grew up and was attempting to understand the Book of Allaah, I was
finding it very hard because I was programmed to just repeat the verses It took me a lot of effort and struggle until I was able
to break that cycle and start thinking and contemplating over the ayaat of Allaah (swt).’ He was talking about a
problem that we have in the modern education of teaching the whole Quran without any understanding.
He was talking about the common memorization that takes place amongst kids without any understanding.
We have to go through struggle in order to understand the Book of Allaah. One key that might help us is
that the Book of Allaah does not throw upon us gems; it does not offer us the benefit unless we are keen
for learning and receiving the guidance. This is something that is interesting about the Quran. Allaah (swt)
says:

‘And We send down from the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe (in
Islamic Monotheism and act on it), and it increases the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers) nothing
but loss.’ [Surah Isra: Verse 82]

Quran draws some people close and it draws some people further. If you want to benefit from Quran, it
will benefit you and if you do not then Allaah (swt) will honour His Book. This is part of the uniqueness of
Allaah. The point isn’t that we take 40 years to memorize Surah Baqarah but it is that we make sure we
implement what we memorize. The Prophet (saws) said, "In the last days (of the world) there will appear young
people with foolish thoughts and ideas. They will give good talks, but they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes out of its game,
their faith will not exceed their throats..." [Bukhari

an excerpt from an article:  http://www.kalamullah.com/Books/Understanding%20the%20Quran.pdf

And I keep wondering when, where, how and why, did this method of 'memorizing without a basic understanding' develop in Islamic History?  Part of the answer is in an enlightening paper of "Madrassah History" by Dr. Uzma, a respected Professor of Education: 

Islamic Education
A Brief History of Madrassas With
Comments on Curricula and Current Pedagogical Practices
http://www.uvm.edu/~envprog/madrassah/madrassah-history.pdf

I wish I could also find the history of the Maghrebi tradition, that Ibn Khaldun noted so long ago, but will have to look for someone to help me with that, insha'Allah.  I have many more examples such as these, if you are interested in them, but these will suffice for now.  Wa Allahu 'alim. 

We began our sessions as short and fun, and the time gradually increased, but it is too much now - and with them attending school, it is more of a challenge.  And as long as a student is interested in learning any subject, they will naturally develop a prolonged attention span - however, when it is forced (or less of a personal choice for the student) they will not and will gradually shun it.  This claim is also supported by a lot of scientific research in educational and developmental psychology, and one of the main reasons why the modern American schooling system is failing miserably, while on the other educational models such as the Montessori method, which guide the child to discover what they are interested in.   

So, for us, my focus has changed to a slower schedule that focuses more on building up vocabulary (word recognition/pronunciation/basic understanding) and correct recitation, and to encourage a love of learning Qur'an, while allowing them to choose it for themselves.  One example comes to mind is the world famous Qaria Hajjah Maria, who actually ran away (to an aunts house) when it came time for her daily evening Qur'aan classes, because her parents forced her to practice everyday, and when they allowed her to make it a choice for herself, is when she returned to it and became the top female reciter in the world, masha'Allah. 

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200003/recited.from.the.heart.htm

For us, I can sense my children dread it and this their warning sign that I have to adapt to their needs and interests and without too many external rewards which are actually self defeating in the long term.  When I also discuss it with a friend who has a master's degree in educational psychology and is working on her Ph.D. in the same field, with am emphasis on 'Qur'anic Memorization', she gave the same advice.  So, for me at this particular point, I have tried - and failed - to ignore or change what educational and developmental psychologists have discovered and advised, for sake of keeping what is a essentially a cultural tradition with regard to tafeedh.  As depressing as it feels at times, I am hopeful that since our daily routine involves Qur'an for our nuclear family members and most of our closest extended family members, it is a positive model for them, insha'Allah.  And to address the issue of diglossia in Arabic, we also incorporate fushaah and 'ameeyah into our daily studies to make it more interesting and try to tie it back to the Qur'an somehow, but not always.   

For me - at this particular time - and perhaps you can sense it - is that I am very frustrated, and I hope we can continue with learning 3 lines per day and gradually increase to 5 and then half a page, which is the daily limit my husband is comfortable with.  But if not, then I am prepared to just learn 1 line per day minimum.  I just remember in the beginning, it was more enjoyable for all of us when the sessions were short.  It is the increasing review time and corrections that are the challenge.  So, I will also begin taking them to our neighbor who is working on her ijaazah, masha'Allah, and perhaps having another teacher will help ease the process.  I will continue with teach them the words and connecting and the meanings, and after they learn the surah, they can recite to her for corrections.  In the meantime, I am reminded of the hadith that the most beloved act to Allah, is one that may be small, yet is consistent.  Du'as, please.   

[justbeinmommy]

Asaalamu alaikum wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuhu,

I just came across this post. I am struggling to teach my daughter the Arabic letters. I recently started teaching her English words using the doman method. As for Arabic, I decided to teach her the letters first. She doesn't seem interested at all, which makes me wonder if I am doing it wrongly. I don't know what to do with Arabic. As for English, she has learned a lot so far. I have put Arabic on hold for now until I figure out what to do.

From your posts It seems, I should start with the alphabets. After the alphabets, what do I do next?

[Ayesha Nicole]

wa 'alaikum as salaam wa rahmatu Allahi wa barakatuh,

I used Noorani al-Qai'da via Doman method:

http://store.dar-us-salam.com/product/MC81.html

http://nooranilearningcenter.blogspot.com/

Have you read the latest book?

http://www.gentlerevolution.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=&Category_Code=Reading

[justbeinmommy]

I have not yet read the Doman book yet. How do you use the Noorani Al Qai'da via Doman?

[Ayesha Nicole]

If I explain it, it won't make any sense, because you have to first read the Doman book. 

Baraaka Allahu feeki.

as salaam 'alaikum,

Ayesha

[Bquranic]

i appriciated the efforts

[koran102]

http://quranschool.com/learn-quran-with-tajweed/  develop a custom Arabic courses for 6 to 12 years old kids and the Arabic lessons are based on each child's learning style and pace. We teach kids practical Arabic skills that are most useful in Quran Learning and reading because this is the holy book of allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that was sent down on the Heart of Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him and His family.

[yusrab]

Salaam sisters,

I have been reading your posts and am sooo interested in your teaching methods.
My name is Yusra, mother to 2 girls. I would really like to teach them quran and Arabic using the doman method. Is the Arabic curriculum in little reader good? Did you use it or just make your own flash cards at home? Do you have quran/Arabic files I can download straight into my little reader to use on it?

Can I ask where you live (if possible to do a meetup).. I read that one of you was moving to Riyadh? I used to live there until I got married, now im in Australia but regularly go back to visit my family... but I myself am from London and I have family there too I would love to meet like-minded sisters who do early learning with their children.

JazkAllah Khair,
Wasalaam,
Yusra

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