Arabic Letter Games for Mixed Level Classes

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

These are two games intended for classes with students who have varying levels of knowledge of the Arabic letters. I did these just to see if I am on the right track.  If this is too easy or not conducive to your class setting (for the individual who requested activities for this class situation), please do let me know and I can have another go at it insha'Allaah *smile*. If, however, these are on the right track walhamdulillah, I can (if needed) do a few more games for your class insha'Allaah.

The first game is a letter hunt called 'Find Me':

In the file, there are letter cards for each letter of the Arabic alphabet. There are two sets, one set has a background (sample pictured above) and the other set does not. Students are divided into two equal groups (if possible) and each student is given a card. Group 1 would be given a card from the coloured background set of cards and group 2 students would each receive cards that have a white background.

Invite the students to seek out the student who has the letter that matches the letter on their card. This exercise requires that students ask each other to see their cards, thus exposing them to seeing many Arabic letters as they search for their matching partner. You can also ask the students to add language to the activity by asking them to say to a student (as they are searching for their match), "Assalamu alaikum. I have the letter ___. What letter do you have?" The other student would then respond, "Waalaikum assalam. I have the letter ____.  Subhana'Allaah, my letter does not match your letter." The students then move on to the next person and repeat the same dialogue. This ensures each student hears a variety of letters as they search, which insha'Allaah will help them with recognition and memorization insha'Allaah. 

Control of Error is built into the game in the following manner: there are different flowers on each letter card (no two flowers are the same on any given letter but the letters on both sets of cards each have the same flower to match - i.e. the alif card with a coloured background has the same flower as the alif card with the white background). If a student believes she has found her match, both students can self-check by verifying that their flowers are the same, if they are not, they know they need to continue their serach insha'Allaah.

Download 'Find Me' game here insha'Allaah

The second activity is for students who have a firm grasp of the letters and may be ready to begin identifying the letters as they look when connected:

This activity is called 'What Letter?'. Each student is given a card (like the two cards pictured above). The student is then given a Do-a-Dot marker (pictured below) or some sort of marker (i.e. a penny, plastic chip, etc.) to indicate the correct answer insha'Allaah. I recommend laminating these cards to allow for the use of the Do-a-Dot marker and so that they can be reused insha'Allaah.

The students then look at the picture and words and mark on the bottom, in the circles, which letter is highlighted in red above. The students do not need to be able to read the words, they only need to be able to identify the highlighted letter and know what that letter is and what it looks like in isolation. When the student is done, he/she can switch cards with another student who has accurately completed his/her card and cleaned if off before switching insha'Allaah.

Download 'Which Letter' game here insha'Allaah

*New* Download 'Which Letter' - Set #2 here insha'Allaah

Do-A-Dot Markers

To the requester of these materials: If you feel that these activities are of the type you feel may benefit your students and would like a few more, please leave a comment and I will do my best to upload more games/activities insha'Allaah. Or, if you need something different please also leave a comment and I will...what do they say? Go back to the drawing board insha'Allaah *smile* . Jazakum Allaahu Khayr.

Enjoy insha'Allaah!