Do you need an Arabic-speaking tutor?

Which kind of tutor fits which situation

When Arabic really matters

If your child studies the Saudi national curriculum or a Ministry curriculum in the UAE, maths and science are usually taught and examined in Arabic, using Arabic terminology and textbook conventions. A tutor who explains a physics law in English, however well, leaves the child to translate it back before the exam. An Arabic-speaking tutor who knows the textbook sequence removes that step.

The same applies to Arabic as a subject. In UAE schools, the Ministry of Education's equivalency rules require Arab students to have studied Arabic, and Muslim students Islamic Studies, in their last three years, so Arabic stays on the timetable even in British and American schools. Cambridge also offers IGCSE Arabic as a First Language (0508) and as a Foreign Language (0544).

When an English-medium tutor is better

IGCSE, A-Level, IB and American courses in the Gulf are taught and examined in English. Marks depend on using the exact English terms the mark scheme expects, writing clear explanations in English and reading questions quickly in English. Lessons in Arabic can make the content easier in the moment but leave the student weaker in the language the exam actually uses.

This is especially true for English itself, the SAT and English language tests such as IELTS and TOEFL. For these, lessons conducted fully in English, with lots of speaking and writing practice, are the point.

The middle ground: bilingual support

Many Gulf families sit between the two: an Arabic-speaking child in an English-medium school, or a child who has just moved from an Arabic-medium system. Here a short explanation in Arabic can unlock a concept, followed by practice in English so the child can use it in class and exams. The aim should be to reduce the Arabic over time, not to rely on it.

Younger children are a special case. A six- or seven-year-old who is still learning English may relax and engage more with a tutor who can speak to them in Arabic, while still building English reading and phonics. Parents who prefer to discuss progress in Arabic may also find it easier.

Questions to decide

1. In which language is the subject taught at school, and in which language is it examined?
2. Is the goal to understand the content, or to perform in an exam in a particular language?
3. Does your child follow explanations in English, or switch off when the language gets hard?
4. Would you, as a parent, prefer to talk to the tutor in Arabic?
5. Is a bilingual approach (explain in Arabic, practise in English) what your child needs for a term?

How LiveTutor handles this

Most LiveTutor lessons are taught in English by tutors who teach the British, American, IB and UAE Ministry curricula they list. Arabic-speaking tutors are available for some subjects, ask when you book, and tell us the curriculum, the subject and whether you want lessons in Arabic, in English, or a mix. If an Arabic-speaking tutor is not available for that subject and level, we will say so rather than promise one.

Lessons are one to one, 60 minutes, online, with a shared whiteboard, and tutor matching normally takes up to 24 hours. If the first match is not right, you can switch tutor and keep paid lessons.