Natural Acquisition of Modern Standard Arabic: A Critical Analysis of Al-Dannan’s Educational Model

Abstract

This study explores the issue of linguistic diglossia in Arab education by analyzing the experience of Dr. Abdallah Al-Dannan in teaching Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) to children through natural acquisition, without relying on traditional methods of grammar instruction or rote learning. The study assumes that MSA is not inherently difficult, but rather that its absence from the child’s early linguistic environment hinders its acquisition. A descriptive-analytical methodology is adopted to examine this model, drawing on theoretical frameworks from educational linguistics, particularly Stephen Krashen’s Natural Approach. The findings indicate that early exposure to MSA in a supportive linguistic environment yields significant linguistic and cognitive benefits. However, the success of such an approach depends on revising educational policies and societal perceptions of MSA as a living, learnable language rather than a formal or elitist code.