Research on Learning Strategies in Arabic Language Education

The learning of Arabic language like any other foreign language contains four main aspects; reading, writing, speaking and understanding while listening.[i] This learning process can be enhanced if the most appropriate Learning Strategy is used. In this paper the most appropriate Learning Strategy of Arabic Language is suggested. The course outlines for Arabic language are thoroughly studied and several professors and experts of Arabic Language from Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Sudan are interviewed. The author, who himself has vast experience in teaching Arabic language, also had the opportunity to sit in the Arabic language classes to observe various strategies and methodologies adopted by different professors while teaching Arabic. In this paper the time spent on teaching Arabic to the students is also discussed. The appropriate size of the class room i.e, the number of students in Arabic language class also matters in improving the quality of Arabic among the students. The matter of teaching Arabic in Arabic only or in the native language of the students will also be touched in here. As the time has changed and the world is moving ahead on a fast pace, it seems necessary to apply the “Direct Method” while teaching Arabic or any foreign language.[ii] This paper will shed light on what is meant by “Direct Method”. The idea of making the student sit and memorize the dry rules of grammar has become obsolete. The idea of telling the student what part of the phrase is subject or predicate, or what is object and what is a noun or verb, may come later. The idea of memorizing the bulk of new vocabulary in the beginning can also be postponed. Hence a paradigm shift is needed here while talking about the Methodology of Teaching Arabic Language, under the heading of “Direct Method”.   [i]     Muhammad Abdul Khaliq, Professor of Arabic and co-author of 'al-Arabia baina Yadaik'. The author of this research paper had a personal interview with him on 21.03.2014, in the Institute of Arabic Language, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. [ii]    This method is adopted roughly by some great scholars of Arabic language like Dr. V. Abdur Rahim who taught Arabic language for decades in the Islamic University of Madina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The author was fortunate to meet with him many times and get benefitted from his experience. See for details: Abdurrahim, V. (1999), Arabic Course for English-Speaking Students, Leicester: UK Islamic Academy. See also: Abdullah, F. Ibrahim. (1999), Iqra Arabic Reader. Chicago: Iqra International Educational Foundation. Moreover see: Fawzan, Abdurrahman and others. (2004), Al-Arabia Baina Yadaik, Riyadh: Ministry of Education.

Economic Efficiency of Milk Production in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

This study was carried out in three districts i.e Peshawar, DI Khan and Mansehra of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the year, 2010 with the basic objective to determine the economic efficiency of milk production in the mentioned areas. The data from 300 livestock farmers (100 from each district) was collected by using multi-stage sampling technique. Descriptive statistics, stochastic frontier production function and cost function were used for determination of economic efficiency. Major determinants impacting economic efficiency of milking animals i.e herd size, dry fodder, green fodder, use of concentrate/oil seed cake, hired labor, permanent labor, medicine and vaccination cost and fees were studied. The results of descriptive statistics show that the average yield per day in case of buffalo, cow and goat were 6.71, 6.02 and 1.16 liters respectively. The average cost of milk production per annum per buffalo, cow and goat was found to be Rs. 20017, Rs.16092 and Rs.1321 respectively, while the revenue obtained by an average milk producer per buffalo, cow and goat was estimated as Rs. 26700, Rs. 23067 and Rs. 631. The results further revealed that 70% of the total variation in milk production of an average farmer was due to farmer specific technical inefficiency and the remaining differences were due to random error (i.e uncontrolled variation between observed and predicted values). Similarly, in terms of allocative efficiency, the results show that approximately 77% of the variation in the total cost of production among the farmers was due to the presence of alocative inefficiency. The results of the study show that rising age of livestock farmers was cause of decline in the efficiency and is recommended that the Government policy should focus on ways to attract and encourage young people who are agile and aggressive in dairy business. The study also recommends that buffalo are emerging as more efficient milk producing animal viii than cow in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, both economically and environmentally, therefore they should be given attention in the future strategies for promoting milk production and income of people in this province. Results of the study revealed that farmers having more experience are more efficient than those having comparatively less or no experience. It is, therefore, recommended that Livestock Association should be introduced at village level so that the expert farmers may share their experience with less experience farmers to enhance efficiency. Finally more focus should be given on education as high level of education of farmers have positive affect on their technical efficiency, therefore Government should plan policies to attract more educated people in livestock farming by providing more incentive for education. It is also recommended that livestock graduates should be offered credit for establishment of dairy farms and the credit should be on soft term and condition and returnable after ten years.