Changes in Arabic Language Teaching and Learning Over Time

Technology has fundamentally reshaped foreign language education. In Arabic as a Foreign Language (AFL) instruction, the digital age has blurred the traditional boundaries of input, as learners access vast amounts of authentic oral and written Arabic—including colloquial varieties—online. This ubiquitous exposure challenges the historical 'firewall separation' of diglossia and necessitates a shift in pedagogy. Consequently, the field confronts a recurring question: which Arabic to teach? This issue addresses the evolution of TAFL, presenting studies that explore how history, technology, and shifting sociolinguistic realities are driving contemporary methodological change, particularly concerning the inclusion of colloquial Arabic varieties in the K-12 and university classroom.