Forming Arabic and English-Speaking Students: Three Distinct Methods from Gontor

Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor, a prominent Islamic boarding school, enforces Arabic and English as its official daily languages, embodying the philosophy that "language is the crown of the boarding school." This simple yet profound adage, passed down through generations, signifies language as a symbol of identity, pride, and distinction from other Islamic educational institutions.

Just as a crown signifies honor and status, language at Gontor represents intellectual advancement, discipline, and the students' civilization. To ensure students can wear this "crown" worthily, they undergo rigorous training in speaking both Arabic and English. The educational approach integrates three core methods: Ilqo al-mufrodat, al-muhadtsah, and practical daily speaking.

Ilqo al-mufrodat, conducted after the Subuh prayer, is a method dedicated to expanding vocabulary. It involves teaching new Arabic and English words, practicing correct pronunciation, and writing these words in a dedicated language notebook. Students listen to dormitory administrators pronounce words, such as "Qalamun, hadza qalamun" (Pen, this is a pen), and then repeat them collectively, ensuring both memorization and accurate pronunciation.

Al-muhadtsah, held on Tuesdays and Fridays after Subuh prayer, shifts the focus to conversational skills. In this method, students pair up to practice direct conversations in Arabic and English. An example dialogue illustrates this: Ahmad greets Isa with "Assalamualaikum yaa Isa? Kayfa haalukaa? Sobahul khoir?" (Peace be upon you, Isa? How are you? Good morning?), to which Isa responds, "Waalaikumussalam yaa Ahmad. Alhamdulillah inni bi khoirin. Sobahunnur." (And peace be upon you, Ahmad. Praise be to God, I am well. Good morning.). This method directly trains students in spontaneous spoken communication.