Interview with Nora @Teach.Quran.Play
I have connected with many wondeful people on Instagram who I now genuinely call my friends. Nora, from Teach Quran Play, is one of them.
We both create Arabic resources for kids, and provide each other with love and support, as well as pray for each other’s success.
I hope you enjoy this interview by a dedicated mother, Quran teacher and Arabic resource creator.
Welcome, Nora. Please tell us about yourself.
Asalamu Alaikum everyone! My name is Nora and I am the founder of Teach Quran Play. I am a Palestinian American and we are a family of four with a 3 year old girl and 2 year old boy alhamdulilah.
I was born in the UAE and raised in the lovely sunny state Arizona. In my free time (as a mother of toddlers), I love to relax in silence and enjoy a fresh cup of black coffee with some chocolate.
My hobbies include swimming or hiking when I get the chance to. I’m absolutely in love with nature and love visiting the lake and river near my house. Literally any place that has water, I’m happy.
The outdoors is just so beautiful, serene and therapeutic subhanallah. I hope to one day have a large backyard to plant flowers, fruits, and vegetables.
I attended Arizona State University and received my BA in Elementary Education. I got married shortly after graduating and moved to Ohio. Two years later I was hired as a full time Quran teacher at the Islamic Center of Cleveland. I was teaching at the full time school, weekend school, and tutored children after school. The ages of these children ranged from 4-18 years old.
The younger grades were learning from Al-Qaidah An-Noraniah. For those that don’t know, Al-Qaidah An-Noraniah is an authentic method that teaches how to read the Quran with Tajweed in an attractive and effective way. It is also a great self-paced learning tool for adults to improve their pronunciation and tajweed. I worked at the school for 2 years until we had the opportunity to move back to Arizona (to be with family), Alhamdulilah.
How did you learn Arabic?
Living in the US, my parents were diligent about keeping the Arabic language alive in our life so they mainly spoke Arabic with us at home. In fact, my mother only knew how to speak Arabic for quite some time, which was in our favor Alhamdulilah.
I was always in a weekend school, full time school, or had a private tutor to teach Arabic writing/reading. Even when we were on vacation in Lebanon, my dad would bring a tutor to our home. We were not happy about it as kids but I appreciate and thank them every day for it now.
Also, my relatives in Lebanon only speak in Arabic, so during our 2 month long summer vacations it was inevitable that we would pick up the language. But I still have a lot of learning to do, as I have a very surface understanding of grammar and cannot speak in fus’ha (Classical Arabic).
Why is Arabic important to you?
Growing up, my parents encouraged my siblings and I to attend several halaqat to learn about our deen and Quran classes to learn meanings. I attended Good Tree Institute where Nadia Katrangi (founder) would give a class on root words, meanings, and tajweed. She planted a love in my heart for Allah swt and the Quran that only continued to grow. May Allah swt reward her endlessly and bless her family with jannatul ferdous.
There was a turn in my life at that point subhanallah, and I decided to change my lifestyle. I slowly navigated towards learning more about the Quran and realized how important it really is to understand the Arabic language. One of the best ways to connect with Allah swt is to talk to Him and read His Words.
Having a surface understanding of the Quran by reading translation is great but when you dive deep and understand each word and its root, you will be amazed at the beauty of Allah swt through reading about Him, His prophets, the miracles, and the teachings of our religion. Your connection with Allah swt will only become stronger.
I decided I wanted to memorize as much Quran as I could but refused to do so without a deeper understanding of the ayat. So I began Quran journaling. My Quran journaling is basically dissecting each and every word and writing its meaning underneath.
Anytime I heard that someone was giving a Quran Halaqa (lesson) I would try my best to go to learn from them. I made a copy of the pages in the Quran so that I could write next to each word its meaning and notes on the sides. I also did journaling on my own and used many resources, books of translations, Tafseer ibn Katheer, and listened to lectures and videos.
I continued to study root words and tajweed with many other teachers and began my journey in achieving my ijaza (in qira’a– reading) while memorizing and learning meanings all at the same time.
I registered at an online Quran school called Qibla and would have weekly sessions reciting Quran to Sheikh Dler Al Barzingi to recite my memorization and make a reading khitma (completion) of the Quran for my Ijaza.
He currently resides in Jordan and has his own Quran School. I actually miss these lessons very much as I took a small break for many reasons (having children and life in general). But I will go back and continue my journey, inshallah. Please keep me in your dua.
Describe how you teach your children Arabic?
My husband and I mainly speak Arabic with our children. I try and remind my siblings and my parents to do the same but they always somehow drift to English. Surprisingly enough, my kids caught on to so many English words and actually have a good understanding but cannot communicate English as well as they can in Arabic.
I want my kids to LIVE the language and speak it in their everyday life because that is the best way to learn a language.
I also teach them Arabic through songs and nursery rhymes. I absolutely love Adam wa Mishmish, which is about a little boy, Adam and his cat singing songs about letters, numbers, body parts, animals, days of the week and so much more. It’s definitely a favorite of ours.
We also watch this super cute show about the Arabic letters called Siraj. It’s about a little girl (Noura) and her brother (Rashid) who go on a journey in search of the Arabic letters and learn about their sound, shape, and formation.
We also like to watch Hudhud, Marah TV, and Toyor al Janna but they are so flashy with so many colors so we keep them to a minimum.
Although I try my best to speak Arabic at home, my Arabic is slang and there is a big difference between slang Arabic and Quranic Arabic. Some people would argue that Quranic Arabic is almost an entire language on its own.
I plan to start teaching my children slowly using Arabic books and begin by introducing the meaning of words in the small surahs they learn in the Quran. Step by step, InshAllah it will make a difference in the long run. I don’t want anything to be forced or rushed. I like to follow their lead by watching them learn and hearing their comments and questions.
I think it’s also very important to be a good example because children will learn from their parents actions. So if I want them to read the Quran, pray, say their duas, etc., I have to model that same thing.
My daughter just finished the Arabic Alphabet and I show glimpses of how she learned it on my page. I used many materials with her to learn the Alphabet and made it as fun as I possibly could. She asks me to teach her more everyday and she’s always excited about the next activity.
Every lesson starts out with reciting the alphabet (however much she learned of it). I usually like to teach the alphabet in order but I am realizing that it doesn’t necessarily have to be that way.
My son has been catching on to letters randomly and actually memorized a few before his sister did. After reviewing the letters she knows, I will teach her the new lesson with the hands-on activity.
I also started teaching my children ayat from the Quran starting with Surat Al Fatiha, Ayatul Qursi, and Mua’wathaat. Every day we recite the Quran in the morning, afternoon, and before they sleep.
I talk to them about Allah swt and how much He loves us. I show them what Allah swt blessed us with to instill that love for Him (swt). May Allah swt guide them and all our children. Allahuma ameen.
How do you maintain the Arabic language?
I am still learning from people around me daily. I always ask my husband or my parents questions about words as Arabic is their first language. I’m learning classical Arabic with my children as they read books or short stories in Arabic.
After becoming a mother, raising and teaching my own children has become a major part of my life, so I don’t do as much Quran journaling like I used to do.
One of my favorite hadiths from the Prophet pbuh is:
احب الاعمال الى الله ادومها وان قل
The most beloved deeds to Allah swt are those that are consistent, even if they are small.
So I push myself and dedicate some time everyday to reading the Quran and reviewing what I have memorized even if it’s a little bit.
Last year during Ramadan, I decided to take one surah and memorize it. The masjid holds a Quran contest every year so I participated and memorized Surat Al Kahf. It was nice to have someone that holds me accountable as it helped me stay focused. Inshallah I can keep that habit this Ramadan as well.
Please tell us about your work. How did it start and how has it evolved?
I learned Arabic (writing and reading) the traditional way with just a paper and pencil. My teachers taught what they knew and did their best. I appreciate every teacher I had in my life as they all have something special to offer and shaped me into who I am today.
I recall my teachers giving me treats after the lesson (I do encourage rewards and treats) but the lesson itself wasn’t hands on and interesting for me.
I understand how challenging it can be to find activities and manipulatives to get kids engaged, so I created resources to help make teaching hands on, fun and interactive.
I am on a journey teaching my own children so you’ll see them in my photos and videos on my page.
Most of my resources are hands-on where you don’t need more than just a paper and pencil. They include items like wooden toys, clothespins, bingo chips, play doh, crayons, toy cars and pattern shapes!
The images are colorful and fun! I truly believe when learning is fun, it’s easily grasped and remembered.
Maria Montessori said it best:
“What the hand does, the mind remembers.”
Which of your products is your favourite? And why?
That’s a tough one, but I’d have to say the Play Doh Mats! Kids love playing with play doh and what’s a better way to channel that interest into learning letters?
It’s an awesome beginner mat with a large letter to guide in making the play doh shape. It has pictures of words starting with that letter in its beginning form. And if your child can write, it has letter tracing and an identification section.
It’s so important that the children learn through their hands and this activity has them molding the doh into the letters and building it on top of the paper.
I’m also absolutely in love with the Tajweed Flashcard Units as they helped my students in learning how to properly recite the Quran. The diagram is very simple to understand and the flashcards are a useful tool in practicing how to implement the Ahkam (Rules) in the Quran.
How are you able to balance motherhood and work?
Being a mother is no walk in the park. Raising children is hard! I have 2 toddlers and balancing my life is a daily struggle that I go through to be quite honest.
Children at this age are in need of their parents and it can be very draining for us especially with all the responsibilities in life. But I do have a love for creating Arabic material and that can take away from my family.
I have to be mindful of my time and stop myself sometimes from making new printables, which has me glued to the computer for hours on end.
I have to make a conscious effort to set aside time for my spiritual growth, myself, my husband, my kids, family, and friends.
I take advantage of the times they are sleeping in the morning, naps and at night to get work done because while they are awake what usually takes 10 minutes will actually take 1 hour.
Alhamdulilah, the beautiful thing about my work is that it’s not just for my children it’s for our children, the future generation. They are our investment in this world and the next. They are an amaanah and test from Allah swt. It’s our duty to do our part, to the best of our knowledge, to teach them and guide them (with lots and lots and looots of dua).
So this is why I want to spark an interest in kids to WANT to learn Arabic. I want them to come back asking for more. I want them to be excited about it from a young age so that when they start reading and understanding, their connection with Allah swt will grow.
Watching my own children play gives me the inspiration and love to do more fun printables and activities for them.
What advice do you have for language learners?
If you don’t know Arabic, then you can learn with your children. Start small and take baby steps. Everyone starts with zero knowledge and works their way up.
Look up the top 100 most common words in Arabic and start with learning those words. There are tons of Arabic books for children that start with one word per page to increase vocabulary. Make flashcards and practice practice practice!
Dedicate a few minutes every day to learning one word (or more).
Then when speaking your first language, substitute a few words with the Arabic words you learned. Try to find someone that speaks Arabic better than you and have conversations with them. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes!
If you already know Arabic and struggle with keeping the language alive in your home, then start with a few words each day and go from there.
Read story books and listen to nursery rhymes and songs. Make learning the Arabic language fun! It can be as simple as taking the kids outdoors instead of the usual table and chair.
Include a hands on activity for them to touch and feel. Live the language through your experiences, if you can. Make it fun, be consistent, and repeat, repeat, repeat!
Conclusion
I’m so thankful to Allah swt first for giving me the knowledge, the opportunity and the means to share my journey with you all.
I still have so much to learn and there are so many people on social media who inspire me to be better everyday. I’ve gotten to know some really amazing people on these platforms that I consider friends, alhamdulilah.
I really put my heart into Teach Quran Play and I’m really passionate about making learning Arabic fun for children. After all, it’s the language of the Quran and there’s nothing more important in life than being closer to our Creator. ❤️
اللهم اجعل القران العظيم ربيع قلوبنا
ونور صدورنا وجلاء أحزاننا
اللهم اجعل القرآن حجة لنا ولا تجعله حجة علينا
Favorite accounts to follow:
There are so many beautiful accounts to benefit from, but here are a few of my favorites:
@arabicwithnichole – Arabic learning tips, creative lessons (not to mention her fantastic handwriting), insight on spiritual growth and her Quran journey, and book recommendations. Beautiful account.
@salammontessori – Mariam is so inspiring! She shares her journey homeschooling her children using the Montessori method while teaching Arabic and Islam.
@arabicseeds – Emile has AMAZING thematic units for Arabic learners and a membership option!
@keepingitarabic – Beautiful account that shows learning Arabic in a fun and engaging way
@journeywithinas and @aseelzeinati– My favorite Arabic storytellers!
@maktabatee- @yesmeen.ca- @myarabibox– and @alif2ya– @sirajstore- All great accounts that have high quality Arabic and Islamic Books!
