Beyond Textbooks: How Ibtissam Attieh Engages Students with Arabic Arts and Culture

In this episode of the Localization Fireside Chat, I sit down with Ibtissam Attie, an accomplished educator and founder of Craft & Talk, to explore how she revolutionizes the teaching of Arabic in the United States and beyond. We dive deep into her innovative approach to education, blending traditional language learning with arts, calligraphy, and cultural immersion. Ibtissam shares her inspiring journey as a leader in Arabic education, her efforts to support the Lebanese community, and her passion for making language learning engaging, meaningful, and fun. ### Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Opening Remarks 01:32 The Importance of Language Learning for Cultural Understanding 04:54 Teaching Arabic in Texas: Who's Learning Arabic? 07:35 Craft & Talk: How Arts and Culture Enrich Language Learning 12:02 Supporting Lebanon’s Economy Through Remote Teaching 17:09 Craft & Talk's Impact on the Arabic and International Communities 20:03 ACTFL and Empowering Arabic Language Teachers 23:10 The Role of AI in Language Education 24:40 What’s Next for Ibtissam Attie? 28:34 Final Thoughts: Reimagining Language Classrooms 30:20 How to Connect with Craft & Talk --- Connect with Us: Follow us on LinkedIn: [https://ca.linkedin.com/company/localization-fireside-chat](https://ca.linkedin.com/company/localization-fireside-chat) Visit our website: [www.L10NFiresidechat.com](http://www.L10NFiresidechat.com) Subscribe for more episodes: [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9BSrJLTE_ZHUdlnUwRGpCw](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9BSrJLTE_ZHUdlnUwRGpCw) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you’re passionate about language education, cultural exchange, and the future of Arabic learning, this conversation is for you. Be sure to like, comment, and share your thoughts! #LocalizationFiresideChat #ArabicEducation #CraftAndTalk #LanguageLearning #CulturalExchange