Testimonials and Reviews

Testimonials and Reviews2022-09-22T13:27:54+03:00

Hear how clients are experiencing our Levantine Arabic program.

Interested in learning Arabic but don’t know where to start? Hear from people studying with us. Still have questions? Contact us and ask us anything.

Michael (studies Arabic 5 hours/day)

Shababeek has made [studying Arabic] fun and interesting. The time just flies by.

Letitia (engaged to a Jordanian)

Every day Shababeek is helping me take steps to better communicate in my personal life.

Mark (learned Arabic online)

I’ve learned so much about the culture through their stories

Live Google reviews

Shababeek Center
5.0
Based on 87 reviews
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Natalie MansourNatalie Mansour
13:14 10 Nov 22
I’ve been at Shababeek for a little over a month now and I’ve enjoyed and appreciated the learning process offered here! We learn colloquial Arabic therefore making it very beneficial when speaking with Native Arabic speakers! The nurtures make Arabic learning fun in an engaging manner that keeps you wanting to move along the 5 phases offered here!
Rayna CarruthersRayna Carruthers
09:40 10 Nov 22
I have been learning Arabic at Shababeek for the last two months. I have loved the experience. I had some experience with studying classical Arabic before, but it had been overwhelming for me. Therefore, I was very nervous to start learning Arabic at the centre but have found that my teachers have been extremely patient with me. They have encouraged me when I have been struggling with the lessons and have celebrated me when I have started to speak and use more of the language. It has been a fun and encouraging environment to learn Arabic in.
Hannah MagnessHannah Magness
20:14 04 Nov 22
I've been taking lessons online through Shababeek for a few months now. It is, by far, the best Arabic language program I've found that has both in-person and online options. The program operates similarly to how we learn our first language as children - with a ton of new vocab and basic sentence structure. From there, you build on with each new level. Shababeek's program can take you from zero Arabic to fluency. The teachers and staff are great. All around - highly recommend if you are looking for an Arabic school online or in Jordan.
Janine SchultzJanine Schultz
18:04 02 Nov 22
I have loved my time at Shababeek! The teachers are so patient, encouraging, and well-trained. They have a hybrid GPA learning style, so the emphasis is on speaking and listening but we cover grammar, reading, and writing on a regular basis as well. As a mom, I’ve appreciated being able to speak quickly and confidently within a year’s time, since time is precious. Everything you learn is practical and applicable to daily situations and conversations. I feel comfortable navigating doctors appointments, salons, grocery stores, outings with Arab friends etc. completely in Arabic thanks to Shababeek.
Jack BjorkJack Bjork
11:35 02 Nov 22
This center for learning Arabic is both local and international friendly and as you learn you will feel like you are growing into a family. The learning style is very effective for learning to speak local Arabic quickly with many. We are excited to continue our studies here
Hattie MitchellHattie Mitchell
17:13 31 Oct 22
I have been learning at Shababeek for a short while, and I am already loving it and really invested in their methods. I studied MSA at University and had no idea how I would transition to learning local dialect, but my teacher at Shababeek has been brilliant and helped me in so many ways. The program is very flexible and has enabled me to receive teaching tailored to my ability. I enjoy every lesson and my teacher is so patient and laughs a lot with me, creating a fun and relaxed environment.
Abbie KircherAbbie Kircher
15:13 31 Oct 22
Although I have only been at Shabakeek for a short time I can already tell you it’s amazing! The structure and organization is very easy to work with. Everyone is welcoming and determined to make sure your language experience is positive, they are happy to help you find what works for you. I am in phase 1 with a group and our nurturer is amazing! It takes a very patient person to teach beginners and our nurturer has made it so fun and encouraging. Cannot recommend Shababeek and all their staff enough!
Ben ColtonBen Colton
12:12 21 Aug 22
I recently passed the Jordanian medical board exam to become a licensed doctor in Jordan. The oral part of the exam was all in Arabic. So thankful to all my teachers at Shababeek who helped make this possible.
Joseph PeerJoseph Peer
21:20 09 Aug 22
My wife and I- with our 7,5,1 year old landed in Amman July of 2013. We spent a full seven years there. We were lucky to be one of the first Phase 1 groups for Shababeek. Learning Arabic and the culture as deeply and quickly as we did enabled us to love and embrace every moment. I opened a Crossfit gym, worked with the Jordan Special Forces military in their fitness, traveled to many villages to visit families of the Jordan military, and even now am traveling back to Jordan and Egypt for big fitness and business projects. So much of these projects depends on trust- and trust comes from understanding and communicating well. If you want to learn Arabic and learn the culture- do yourself a favor and commit to Shababeek. There are several Arabic language centers that have spun off from employees of Shababeek. And that's actually a great thing. But there is simply one Shababeek. You can rest and have confidence knowing your time and money simply won't be better spent anywhere else. I'm forever grateful for their professionalism and passion.
Ricky MunozRicky Munoz
19:37 21 Apr 22
I started my experience here almost 3 months ago and it has been incredible. I moved to Jordan knowing no Arabic whatsoever and feeling scared and nervous about going outside and engaging with others. Through the hard work and patience of the nurturing staff at Shababeek, I been growing into a position of confidence and joy, and now I feel like I can finally start living in my neighborhood. It’s all hard work, but none of it is accomplished alone. Ricky Munoz
Liz RobinsonLiz Robinson
06:36 31 Mar 22
Over the past eight years I've studied Arabic (both Fusha and Amiyya) in at least four countries through countless schools and programs, including in a US university, a US government scholarship program, online tutoring, and several different Arabic centers in Jordan. Out of all of these, Shababeek is simply the best educational experience I've had - not only for Arabic, but really for any subject throughout all my education. As someone currently doing a Master's degree in International Education, I can confidently say that Shababeek's approach to teaching and learning is second to none: I felt motivated to be in control of and self-direct my own learning; every week our one-on-one lessons were based on my personal experiences and vocabulary that was useful to me in my daily life; I gained a deep understanding of the nuances of Jordanian culture from my nurturers (teachers), and also felt that my culture and experiences were valued in our lessons; the nurturers and support staff were exceptionally professional - literally every single minute of class was used well; and lastly, it was obvious every day that the nurturers loved their jobs - which makes such a difference as a student.
Lincoln HuffmanLincoln Huffman
11:42 19 Sep 21
Shababeek is absolutely amazing for learning Arabic. Over a couple of years, I studied about 500 hours at Shababeek, and this prepared me to score Advanced Low on the ACTFL OPI, which allowed me to test out of all four of the Arabic courses offered at my university. I did study some outside of Shababeek, but I definitely saw the most improvement when I was taking classes from Shababeek. Their method of teaching is much more effective than the traditional classroom setting. At Shababeek you get to speak a lot and have all your errors corrected, which is the best way to get better at speaking. Even though I am in the US now, whenever I meet Arabic speakers they are impressed with my Arabic and surprised that I only studied for a couple of years. Shababeek is the best and fastest way to learn spoken Arabic.
Christina BeckerChristina Becker
17:00 17 Sep 21
Learning Arabic at Shababeek has been the best language learning experience I’ve ever had. I took 3 years of Spanish and didn’t get as far in it as I have in about 8 months at Shababeek. Instead of memorization and tests you learn language with hands on activities, picture books and stories. The teachers are so patient and helpful. They are super encouraging and never make you feel dumb no matter how many times they have to explain a word to you. The staff is friendly, caring and super responsive. Everyone wants you to succeed and works hard to make sure you have everything you need to acquire Arabic. The best parts are how personalized each class is and how lessons about culture are woven into language and grammar lessons. I cannot recommend Shababeek enough.

What is it like to begin studying Arabic?

Hear how our participants are experiencing the process of being fully immersed in Arabic from day one.

No books needed!

From Skeptical to Amazed

“I feel very spoiled being here.” Letitia studies colloquial Arabic to be able to interact with her in-laws; she’s engaged to a Jordanian.

In this video, she shares how her communication and understanding of Arabic have been quickly boosted by participating in Shababeek’s Levantine Arabic program.

“Shababeek has empowered me… I really see progress everyday.”

Your Next Steps

Ready to take the next step? Head on over to our getting started page and follow the steps.

Still have some questions? Check out our FAQ below or simply contact us and we will get back to you.

“Advanced High” test score

Shababeek helped my wife and I achieve our long-term goal of reaching Advanced High on the ACTFL OPI Speaking Evaluation!

learning Levantine Arabic in Amman Jordan
Noah

Our local friends are amazed

After just one year, our local friends are amazed at our ability to hold conversations completely in Arabic!

Jason learns colloquial Arabic in Amman Jordan
Jason

Efficient and fun

Shababeek is by far the most efficient and fun out of everything I’ve done so far on my language journey to this point.

learning colloquial Arabic in Jordan
Russ

I cohost a podcast in Arabic

I just finished recording an interview episode of a podcast I cohost in Arabic that will hopefully launch soon. My language learning journey will never be over, but the linguistic… Read more “I cohost a podcast in Arabic”

Lauren studied Arabic in Jordan and now has an Arabic podcast
Lauren

We couldn’t be happier!

Locals tell us all the time that they can’t believe how much Arabic we know after only 6 months here. We couldn’t be happier!

Ashley learns Levantine Arabic in Amman Jordan at Shababeek Center
Ashley

It feels like a miracle

Shababeek has given me the best Arabic learning experience I could ask for. It feels like a miracle that within two years I could go from knowing nearly nothing to… Read more “It feels like a miracle”

Katherine studies colloquial Arabic in Jordan
Katherine
WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE SHABABEEK?2022-04-20T12:56:39+03:00

Shababeek has a team of developers committed to serving you by creating new resources and activities to enrich your time with us.

You’ll receive access to hundreds of stories, animations and recordings.  This online listening library contains a variety of voices and dialects for use in your sessions.

Included in your session costs are workshops on culture, language learning, intercultural development and adaptation.  As an added service, you’ll have access to quarterly sessions with a transition and adaptation coach as well as regular program consultations to make sure you remained encouraged and supported throughout your learning.

We believe in maintaining a high level of professionalism in our service to you.  Each of our staff has an Employee Support Manager who coaches your nurturer to meet your goals.  Your sessions will never be cancelled so you are guaranteed the hours you have scheduled.

HOW MANY HOURS DO I NEED TO COMMIT TO MY SUCCESS?2022-04-20T10:55:31+03:00

As many as you can. It takes around 1600 hours of sessions to build a vocab of 10,000 recognizable words. This is when we start to understand most of what we hear around us.

Ask yourself the question: “How long do I want to wait to know people and be known by Arabic speakers?” The more hours you are learning daily, the faster the “wall of noise” around you will become familiar sounds and the more you’ll feel a sense of belonging.

We recommend taking 20 hours weekly for your first year of sessions to fast-track your learning.

 

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO BECOME FLUENT?2022-04-20T10:52:21+03:00

In his book, Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell highlights a study published in the “Harvard Business Review.” The concept has become known as the “10,000 hours to become an expert rule.”  Gladwell explains the research behind the idea that true expertise is achieved after investing 10,000 hours in learning or practicing a skill. This may be a sport, a musical instrument or the study of something.

If we consider fluency to be the same as being an “expert”, then a learner should invest 10,000 hours in their language efforts over time.

There are many ways to define “fluency.”  An easier question to answer is, “How long until I understand most of what is happening around me?”  In this case, it’s necessary to become familiar with at least 10,000 vocabulary words in any given language, particularly a language as rich as Arabic.  We find this takes most people around 1600 hours of Arabic sessions.  Depending on how many hours you are committing, this can be reached in as few as 16 months.  Most Arabic learners set aside two years for full time Arabic immersion.

For more information on this topic, check out this article.

WHEN DO I START READING AND WRITING?2022-04-20T10:40:53+03:00

At Shababeek efforts are focused on helping you quickly understand the world around you and develop relationships. For that reason, beginning in Phase 2, we start with practical skills you need quickly, like reading words on signs and text messaging friends.

Your Arabic program can be personalized and adjusted to your abilities and goals.  Some people have high ambitions for their reading and writing.  Others prefer to strengthen conversational skills as their primary focus.  At Shababeek you can have it whichever way you’d like it.  Vast written resources help you progress according to your personal abilities – as fast as you can go!

If you like worksheets and reading texts – we’ve got endless resources to meet your needs.

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING TO MY LANGUAGE SESSION?2020-07-01T05:32:57+03:00

All you need is a recording device and both ears. You can purchase one (Sony digital flash recorder or Olympus recorders are both good) or use your phone or tablet/ipad.

WHICH RECORDING APPS DO YOU RECOMMEND?2020-07-01T05:33:23+03:00

Our participants enjoy the following apps:

Voice Record Pro

Hi-Q MP3 recorder for Android

Voice recorder and audio editor for iPhone

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