Why Choose Kelsey? (December 2021)
I came to Jordan to study Arabic, to be able to speak, read and write the Levantine dialect Ammieh, as well as Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).
I started with lessons at a language center that focused on listening and speaking Arabic. I appreciated this approach and was able to communicate quite fast.
But I also felt a little lost and needed more structure and grammar after 4 months. So I decided to give the Kelsey program a try.
I had to start at level one as I had no understanding of MSA grammar. I never regretted that step. I appreciated getting a strong foundation in that way.
I loved studying with like-minded, but multicultural people in a classroom setting even though that meant giving up the flexibility of individual lessons.
It is a challenging, full-time program with homework and tests, but it’s worth it!
If your goal is to enter long-term into the Arab world, I strongly recommend Kelsey. It gives you the necessary mixture of immersion into Ammieh and MSA . Both are important to learn.
The Arabic language is often described as being as deep and wide as an ocean. The Kelsey program has not only helped me in surviving but to swim and dive deep into the Arabic language. I’ve learned how to be creative with the words and to enjoy the beauty of the Arab language.
Recent Kelsey graduate
“Aha! That Makes Sense Now” (February 2022)
I praise the Lord for guiding us to the Kelsey program. It was obvious that great thought as well as years of experience had gone into the training. The teachers all had servants’ hearts and were glad to help answer questions. I was impressed at how they knew the material so well that they could jump right into any class at a moment’s notice and substitute without a problem. I also really enjoyed the friendships formed in the classroom as we partnered together to learn this challenging language.
One thing I really loved about the Kelsey curriculum was how it provided a logical, grammatical structure to help me understand how the language worked, but in simple steps that I could manage. An audio program we used in the past provided plenty of vocabulary and emphasized reproducing the words or phrases. But I could only make educated guesses at how to create my own sentences and modify the verbs the right way. But at Kelsey, I kept saying, “Aha! That makes sense now” because we were given the patterns, and then from that basis I could form tons of my own sentences without a problem or even understand new words because I recognized the forms.
Another thing I appreciate is that Kelsey provides training in both spoken Arabic and also the formal written language, which are quite different. Some programs minimize the formal Arabic, but since it’s the language of the Arabic Bible and also the language of any other books, I think it’s extremely important to understand it. At the same time, we were accountable for spending significant time in the community practicing the spoken dialect, so I felt like there was a great balance.
Perhaps more than anything, I loved the emphasis at Kelsey on the Bible. We had the chance to memorize verses from the very beginning. By Level 2 we were studying chapters of God’s word, understanding the meaning, and ironing out the pronunciation. My time at Kelsey prepared me well to be able to form friendships with people who knew only Arabic and pray in church. I am very thankful for the time invested studying there.
Recent Kelsey graduate