How I'm using LEGO to teach Arabic | Ghada Wali

TL;DR

In this content, the author shares their journey of using graphic design to bring the Arabic language to life and promote cultural understanding.

Transcript

I come from Egypt, which is also called Umm al-Dunya, the Mother of the World. It's a rich country filled with stories of rebellion, stories of civilizational triumph and downfall and the rich, religious, ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity. Growing up in such an environment, I became a strong believer in the power of storytelling. As I searc... Read More

Key Insights

• 🌍 Egypt is a country with a rich history and cultural diversity, with stories of rebellion and triumph. The speaker believes in the power of storytelling.
• 💡 Graphic design played a crucial role in the overthrow of two dictators in Cairo during the 2011 revolution, showing the potential for positive change through design.
• 🖌️ Suppression and colonialism have contributed to the declining significance of the Arabic script in postcolonial Arab countries, with fewer people using it to communicate.
• 📚 The portrayal of Arabic culture in global media has been limited to negative stereotypes, overshadowing the rich literary tradition and cultural contributions of the region.
• 💭 The speaker aims to save and honor the Arabic script by combining it with the innocence and universality of LEGO, creating a bilingual learning system for Arabic education.
• 🌍 Arabic and Latin scripts have technical differences that create challenges for both Eastern and Western communities in effective communication.
• 📚 The speaker has created a pocket book called "Let's Play" using LEGO to teach Arabic, providing explanations and examples of letters and their Latin equivalents.
• 🌈 The goal is to break down barriers between people and create a future where cultural understanding and communication are accessible and fun.

Questions & Answers

Q: What inspired the speaker to pursue graphic design?

The speaker grew up in Egypt, a country rich in stories and diversity. They became a strong believer in the power of storytelling and stumbled upon graphic design as a medium to tell their own story.

Q: How did graphic design contribute to the overthrow of dictators in Cairo?

Graphic design played a crucial role in the revolutions in Cairo, where everyone became a creator. The city was flooded with posters, signage, and graffiti, which became a powerful form of visual communication when the voices of the population were suppressed.

Q: What is the current state of the Arabic script?

The Arabic script is dying, especially in postcolonial Arab countries that are increasingly globalized. Less and less people are using the Arabic script to communicate, which is a growing concern.

Q: How did the speaker's experience studying in Italy influence their desire to save and honor the Arabic script?

While studying in Italy, the speaker noticed a lack of representation of Arabic literature and culture. This made them reflect on how the world sees the Arabic-speaking region and fueled their desire to change these perceptions by promoting and preserving the Arabic script through graphic design.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The speaker comes from Egypt and believes in the power of storytelling, particularly through graphic design, to bring about positive change.

• Graphic design played a significant role in Egypt's 2011 revolution, as visual communication became a powerful tool in a population that had been suppressed for decades.

• The Arabic script is dying in postcolonial Arab countries, and the speaker aims to honor and save it by creating a bilingual learning system using LEGO to make Arabic education fun and accessible.