Effective ways to learn Iraqi Arabic

General principles for efficient/effective/tactical learning of Iraqi Arabic (or at least what worked for me):

1. Forget writing (unless you have tons of extra time) and focus 100% on speaking IRAQI Arabic and nothing else--you have limited time/resources and need to maximize time spent since you also have to know weapons/job stuff

2. Focus on basic grammar rules for I, you, and we forms for males (one of the ppt's im sending has this info)...no need to get fancy and learn various forms and female rules--you'll sound like a 4yr old, but you will learn quickly and Iraqis will understand you easily. If your time allows you can focus on other areas

3. Use tactical Iraqi http://www.tacticallanguage.com/--it is BAR NONE the best training device available--absolutely amazing if used properly and the student is disciplined. It is very focused on learning the basic grammar rules, knowing the proper vocab, and focused on iraqi arabic. I spent 1-2 hrs a day for 6 months using that program--progress is VERY slow in the beginning and it seems impossible, but if you stick to it you will be successful--I promise.

4. Waste no time/taxpayer resources on Standard Arabic, DLI teachers, or Rosetta Stone, etc...use Tactical Iraqi and focus on Iraqi Arabic exclusively--the other stuff is great, but I'm operating under the assumption your troops have limited time and resources

5. If DLI instructors do come to train your troops, ensure they come in with a defined mission and understanding that your troops need to start off with BASICS, and learn how to speak like a 3yr old first (ie VERY basic grammar rules, pneumonics, and how to get the basic point across--nobody cares if you leave of a dangling modifier--better to know how to piece together 'muhammed run there' as opposed to 'mr mohammed needs to run to a location in that far corridor which is far far away'. In my experience as a student and course designer, the DLI folks come into training with NO plan, and act like the troops are all linguist PhDs.

6. Put the DLI mp3's on your ipod/mp3 player and just listen to it on runs/pt...I still remember the nouns from those disks almost 2.5 years later because they are burned into my mind from listening to those tapes over and over again

7. When you get in country , grab a terp or an Iraqi with a decent grasp of English and force yourself to speak Iraqi Arabic--you will learn very quickly

8. Keep a notebook of nouns and new words--you will reference it for the first few months, but will gradually not have to use it.

Also, I have a TON of stuff that I used to train Marines. If you are interested in this material just email me gray56508 At gmail dot com and I will arrange to send it to you.


Semper Fidelis,

Wes