Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pearls Revealed course?
Pearls Revealed course by Arabic Gems is a complete online course in Qur’anic Arabic that aims to deliver to the student an unparalleled experience in the English medium by which they will not only learn to how to access the surface meaning of the Qur’an, but also introduce them to aspects of balaghah (Arabic stylistic studies) which will also enable them to search for and understand deeper layers of the meaning.
What makes this course different to other courses?
The course is taught by a highly qualified teacher who has initially studied Arabic through the English medium and are therefore in a prime position to convey it through the English medium in a clear and lucid manner. Her academic qualifications allow the combination of traditional knowledge with modern teaching styles and techniques. The course itself is extremely disciplined and structured but also appreciates that modern lifestyles do require for flexibility. We are always looking for the latest technological methods that can be employed to further improve the students’ learning experience and allow them to arrive at their goals.
How long will the course take?
The entire course is held over one year: 38 teaching weeks which are divided into three terms, with end of term and study breaks in between each.
Do you break up for school holidays?
As we have a lot of material to cover within the year, we cannot coincide our breaks entirely with the school holidays (although do try our best to do so), but allowances are made for students who need deadline extensions during these times.
What study materials are used?
The course is loosely based on the book Pearls Revealed by Professor Alan Jones. In addition, Arabic Gems has developed its own resources and handouts that are provided to the students on a weekly basis, which are more in line with the clarity of presentation and explanation that Arabic Gems has come to be known for.
Will I need anything else for the course?
Students will be responsible for purchasing the course book before the course begins. They will also need to have weekly access to a printer for their course materials and handouts.
Can I complete the course on a mobile device or tablet?
Most elements of the course can be completed without the use of an actual computer, but some elements do rely on flash software, so please ensure your tablet/mobile device are flash compatible. (The puffin browser app for the iphone/ipad does allow this functionality)
The live class is held on Wednesday evenings at 8:30pm GMT. It lasts for approximately 1.5 hours. Students can leave the class early if they need to and continue to view the rest of the class via the recording provided.
What if I can’t make the class at that time or miss a class one week?
Every class is recorded and students will be given access to the recording as soon as the class is over.
Can I download the recordings?
Recordings cannot be downloaded, they can only be streamed online.
How much time do I have to put in for each lesson?
Each week there is a set amount of homework to complete., including but not restricted to: a weekly test, translation of Qur’anic verses, a short research assignment, some consolidation work and weekly vocab to learn. Students find they have to put in a maximum of 5-7 hours per week in order to complete this and learn the previous week’s lesson. All work will be marked with feedback provided and/or an answer key provided.
There is still benefit in attending the class and doing the minimum homework which is learning the vocab and completing the translation assignment.
I’m a complete beginner – is there anything I need to know before I start the course?
You only need to know how Arabic letters are joined together so that you can read. If you read slowly, you will find that your reading automatically speeds up with time and practice.
The course is completely online and I don’t think online learning is for me.
By the end of the course students will have covered all of the main points of grammar needed to understand the Qur’an and the majority of the vocabulary. They will have also developed the tools needed to understand whatever remains unclear to them when reading the Qur’an. They will also have picked up on a lens by which to look at the Qur’anic text in order to access its linguistic gems for themselves.
In the third term students also have opportunities to practice their listening and reading skills as an introduction to accessing Islamic knowledge in Arabic via Arabic lectures and books.
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