Noorani Qaida lesson 1 teaches the single Arabic letters, from alif to ya, one at a time and each with its correct sound. It is the foundation for every later lesson, so a child should read it clearly and without guessing before moving on.
What is on the page
Lesson 1 is the Arabic alphabet as single letters, not joined together, with no vowel marks. In most editions that is twenty-nine letters including the hamza. The child reads each one aloud, and the teacher listens for whether the sound is made in the right part of the mouth and throat.
It looks like the easiest lesson in the book, and it is the one most worth getting right. Every mistake made here comes back in every later lesson, because the same letters appear again joined, then with vowels, then in words.
The letters English-speaking children find hardest
These are the pairs our teachers correct most often with children growing up in the UK, the USA, Canada and Australia. In each case the child's mouth reaches for the nearest English sound.
- ح and ه
- Both come out as an English h. ح comes from the middle of the throat and is breathier.
- ع
- Often skipped altogether or said like alif. It is made deep in the throat.
- ق and ك
- Both become k. ق is further back, near the throat, and heavier.
- ص and س
- Both become s. ص is a heavy letter, said with the mouth fuller.
- ط and ت
- Both become t. ط is heavy, ت is light.
- ض and د
- ض is one of the hardest letters in Arabic and is often read as a plain d.
- ث, ذ and ظ
- Often become s, z and z. All three put the tongue between the teeth.
- خ and غ
- Unfamiliar sounds with no English partner. Most children need them shown several times.
How a good teacher handles lesson 1
- A few letters at a time, not the whole page in one sitting.
- The child says every letter, and the teacher says it back correctly where needed.
- Similar letters practised side by side, so the child hears the difference.
- Revision of earlier letters at the start of every lesson.
- No moving on to lesson 2 until the letters are clear, even if that takes a few weeks.
How long does lesson 1 take?
It depends on the child's age and how often they have class. A child of six or seven with lessons four days a week often finishes it in a few weeks. A four-year-old may take a good deal longer, and that is fine. Rushing lesson 1 to reach lesson 2 is the most common reason children struggle later in the Qaida.
Helping at home
Ask your child to read you the letters they covered in their last class, pointing at each. You do not need to know the correct sound yourself — what you are building is the habit of reading aloud every day. If you want to check, ask the teacher to send a voice note of the tricky pairs so your child can listen between lessons.
Related
Teaching Qaida to 4 to 6-year-olds
Lesson length, what works and what backfires.
Tajweed rules for kids
What comes after the Qaida, in the order we teach it.
Our Noorani Qaida course
One to one, with a supervisor on every lesson.