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Saturday, January 23rd
Strokes International offers a single program for Arabic, known as Arabic 100 for Beginners and available solely on CD-ROM (no online program or MP3 downloads). Their instruction follows the EU Standards for languages and includes lessons from levels A1 through B2. This CD-ROM set is priced at $157 and includes the following:
Strokes allows site visitors to download a free trial of three lessons (not necessarily from the Arabic program), but problems we found on the site gave us the impression that the files might not be reliable or safe to install.
For example, the page for "Program information" contains no information whatsoever. Then, the "Shipping & Returns" page lists shipping costs within and outside of Europe, but no return policy is even mentioned. This clearly puts Strokes at a disadvantage, given that the majority of the other Arabic lessons providers have a clear policy for getting a refund or making a return if necessary. Finally, spelling and grammatical errors leave us wondering about the quality of the Arabic language instruction.
And, looking at the learning apps offered by Strokes, not only is there no feature for Arabic, but also the apps have not been updated in over two years and have very few reviews. Similarly, the CD-ROM for the Arabic program is only compatible with Windows Vista, XP, and 2000: further evidence that Strokes International's Arabic 100 for Beginners is outdated and may not even work on most students' computers.
Strokes International receives low marks for Arabic lessons in our review. We strongly encourage you to give your consideration to one of the better-established, higher-ranked Arabic programs.
As we move towards a genuinely global society, the ability to speak a language other than English can increase your chances in the employment marketplace as well as allow you to better understand people you encounter on a daily basis. If you are one of the nation's students or adults who choose to learn Arabic as your second language, you'll find yourself in very high demand for positions in education, state and federal governments, social work, and much more.
With more than 300 million native speakers, Arabic can be heard in more than 20 countries. Whether your plans include travel to Arabic-speaking nations or doing business with native speakers in your own country, modern technology will enable you to study the language according to your own schedule and even on-the-go, as most providers of Arabic lessons have easy-to-use mobile apps and audio files that can be used at your convenience.
As you decide which program will best help you advance your fluency in Arabic, keep in mind what your preferred learning style is. For example, if you find that you remember what you hear, select a program that delivers your Arabic lessons primarily in an audio format, such as MP3 or CD-based lessons that you can listen to while you drive, commute, or relax at home. On the other hand, if you need to see your lessons to learn best, you'll want to make sure your instruction program of choice gives you ample opportunities to read, watch, and see the lessons you're studying.
One critical consideration as you compare Arabic lesson programs is the written component. Will you need to be able to read and write in Arabic as well as understand and speak it? If so, it is important that your Arabic lessons include detailed instructions for how to understand the written Arabic language, as it is very different from the Roman alphabet you already know. For instance, Arabic is written from right to left in a cursive style and contains 29 letters; however, there are different letter variations depending on where the language is being used, and the best Arabic language programs will help you recognize the difference.
There are three key factors to consider as you choose the Arabic lessons that will be the best match for your learning style and goals. These include:
TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best Arabic lessons available today. We hope these reviews help you find the right Arabic lessons to quickly learn this language right away!
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