Professor Dr. Stephan Stetter.
I studied Arabic for the last seven years and have had several courses in Fusha. While I love the language it was frustrating that with FushaI was unable to really speak with people in the Middle East. I regularly work in the Middle East and it is important for me to communicate with my colleagues and friends in the region in their own language. That?s why I decided to take an intensive four-weeks language course in the Syrian dialect in the beautiful city of Damascus. The famous Arabic language institute LSI in Germany recommended Basel Nejem as the best language teacher in Syria. Indeed, my expectations were surpassed. Basel and his colleagues Lina and Rascha offer a strongly committed, remarkably focused and always friendly and also entertaining environment to learn Syrian Arabic quickly and effectively. Basel uses up-to-date didactic methods and books which tremendously facilitate the learning process. Without any doubts I will spread the word and recommend Basel Nejem and his team to everybody who wants to learn Arabic.
Professor Dr. Stephan Stetter, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Germany
Email: Stephan.stetter@unibw.de
----------------------------------------------------------Emil Verner
I had the pleasure of studying Arabic in Damascus this past summer with Basel, Lina and Racha. I made remarkable progress that would never have been possible without such competent teaching from all three of the teachers. I came knowing nothing, but after an intensive 6 week Syrian Dialect course and another 4 weeks of Modern Standard Arabic I now feel like I have a solid grasp of what the Arabic language is. And despite the intensity, it was extremely fun and very rewarding on the street. I?m coming back ASAP!
Emil Verner,( Copenhagen )
Email: emilverner@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Jesse Briscak
I came to Damascus having completed about 15 of 20 chapters in the first Al-Kitaab book and hadn't studied Arabic in over a year. Over the next seven weeks, I took Syrian Colloquial Arabic and Media Arabic, studying mostly with Lina, but also taking classes with Racha and Basel. When I left, I was really beginning to converse fluidly with my Arab friends and to participate in discussions about politics and daily life. Additionally, I was able to travel around Syria, as well as to Lebanon and Jordan. The flexible class scheduling and professionalism of the teachers makes the Levantine Language School the best in Damascus. I'm hoping to return next year to improve even more! Thanks guys!
Jesse Briscak (USA)
Email: Jesse.briscak@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Sarah Birke
Learning Arabic with Basel, Lina and Rasha is the most successful way I have found of mastering the language ? better than the evening classes in London or course in Lebanon I took beforehand. Colloquial lessons follow an excellent textbook for beginners before moving onto a range of texts produced by the tutors and eventually soap operas. MSA lessons are tailored to your needs ? in my case, I covered the media, politics and economics before moving on to reading literature. Texts are complemented by audio files. Depending on how much work you put in, the learning curve can be steep, especially in colloquial Arabic. The one-on-one sessions can be intense but are always enjoyable and useful. Alternating between the tutors means you get used to different accents and vocabularies and they will all tell you stories and anecdotes about their lives in Syria ? an added learning experience.
Sarah Birke (UK)
Email: sarahbirke@hotmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Maria Danielsen
After having been studying Arabic at university, I can really see the benefits of having a private teacher. The learning process is way faster when you are able to talk with the teacher one on one. The teachers also get to know the student very well and remembers from one session to the next what you have been doing, what mistakes you've made and what you were good at. The house/ home is also very friendly and tranquil. I can really recommend taking studies at Basel?s house.
Maria Danielsen (Norway)
Email: steinsdatter@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Sammy chester
I studied Syrian Arabic for 30 days in the summer of 2009 with Basel, Lina and Racha. Although I began with very little background, after three weeks--thanks to the personal attention and rigorous curriculum-- I was able to carry basic conversation with strangers. Each of the three teachers has their own distinct styles, allowing students to either work with the teacher that works best for them or benefit from the variety. The workbook, the audio recordings, and the flexible yet rigorous schedule were all excellent. And the Nejem's hospitality made it simple to settle into what initially was a foreign environment and then soon felt almost like home.
Sammy chester(USA)
Email: Samuel.chester@jhu.edu
----------------------------------------------------------Irfan Kasimali
The best and fastest way to learn spoken Arabic. The classes were fun, intensive and interactive. Would recommended anyone who wants to learn the language to do it with Basel. I learnt more Arabic in one month compared to more than 11 years in school as a second language. Keep up the good work Basel!
Irfan Kasimali
Email: ikasimali@hotmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Yasmina Lansman
The Arabic classes by Basel?s school were great and very useful. The teachers were excellent and very patient. Their method is very practical and simple. This allowed me to improve my Arabic very quickly especially orally. Moreover, the Basel?s family was very welcoming and they helped me a lot to find my way in the daily life of Damascus. Damascus is one of the most beautiful city I ever visited and the best place to learn Arabic in a nice cultural environment. Indeed, people are so friendly, they are always happy to meet and discuss with foreigners and you have no choice except practicing directly the Arabic you just learned. For all these reasons, I deeply recommend Basel?s school to all the students wherever they come and who want to learn and talk this beautiful language.
Yasmina Lansman(Belgium)
Email: ylansman@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Tiffany Taha
My ten year-old son and I studied for two months with Basel and Lina and enjoyed it immensely and learned a lot. Basel and Lina both understand how to teach a language and have the right materials, which makes all the difference and reduces your learning time. Since I was travelling with three children, it would have been impossible for us to study in any other setting. Basel and Lina were flexible (my little ones even came with us) and were able to help us learn about living in Damascus as well the language. My son learned so much that when we returned to the U.S., he tested into the advanced group at an immersive Arabic language camp and said that a lot of it was a review! We plan to study with them on our future trips!
Tiffany (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------Nourane Houas
I believe Syria is the best place where to learn Arabic or improve it because the environment is just beautiful, the people amazingly nice as well as easy-going and the Arabic used very close to the academic one. Basel is a great teacher, especially regarding conversation and reading lessons. I felt much more confident after 2 months of intensive Arabic individual lessons with Basel, particularly in the conversation and understanding of the language. Additionally, Basel and his family are very welcoming and open-minded; Basel organizes nights out, inviting both his students as well as his Syrian friends, which take place at the heart of the old city in Damascus. It is a pleasure to combine leisure and studies in such a historic town and in the company of Basel's friends and family. I can only recommend any future Arabic student to visit Syria and take lessons with Basel's family because their course is personalized, adapted to one's level, progressive and taking into consideration both the time frame and the objectives of learning Arabic (working level, conversational level).
Nourane Houas(France )
Email: nouran@hotmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Arvid Lundberg
I studied Syrian Arabic for 30 days in the summer of 2009 with Basel, Lina and Racha. Although I began with very little background, after three weeks--thanks to the personal attention and rigorous curriculum-- I was able to carry basic conversation with strangers. Each of the three teachers has their own distinct styles, allowing students to either work with the teacher that works best for them or benefit from the variety. The workbook, the audio recordings, and the flexible yet rigorous schedule were all excellent. And the Nejem's hospitality made it simple to settle into what initially was a foreign environment and then soon felt almost like home.
Arvid Lundberg (Sweden)
Email: arvidpitea@hotmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Sammy chester
The Levantine Institute proved very flexible and able to accommodate my specific needs; I was looking for better conversational fluency as well as highly specialized vocabulary for humanitarian and international law work. Basel, Lina and Rachaare all experienced teachers with an understanding of the needs of foreigners. One-on-one lessons at an affordable price, in the Damascus old town, with a kind and welcoming team of instructors -I couldn't have asked for more.
Sammy chester(USA)
Email: Samuel.chester@jhu.edu
----------------------------------------------------------Cornelia Schneider
I studied Syrian Arabic for 30 days in the summer of 2009 with Basel, Lina and Racha. Although I began with very little background, after three weeks--thanks to the personal attention and rigorous curriculum-- I was able to carry basic conversation with strangers. Each of the three teachers has their own distinct styles, allowing students to either work with the teacher that works best for them or benefit from the variety. The workbook, the audio recordings, and the flexible yet rigorous schedule were all excellent. And the Nejem's hospitality made it simple to settle into what initially was a foreign environment and then soon felt almost like home.
Cornelia Schneider (Germany)
Email: Schneider.cornelia@googlemail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Richard Garratt
I have been taught Syrian colloquial Arabic by Basel and rasha for 2 month this summer, I was planning before I left home to take an Arabic course at the university of Damascus but have found that with a private tutor, I have made more progress in less hours of teaching than students of my level who are at university of Damascus. Basel and Rasha are relaxed teacher and I always enjoy my lesson but also give me as much material to work or between lessons as I want. Mostly, we use the exercises in the textbook to practice new grammar or vocabulary and then spend more time speaking and asking question in Arabic .sometime we listen to comprehension exercises from a CD as well.
Richard Garratt(UK)
Email: richardwgarratt@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Jessica Sallabank
I studied Arabic with Basel for six months in 2007. As a journalist, my priority was to communicate with everyday people but also read more formal Arabic in newspapers and statements. Basel was able to deliver both through great tailored lessons combining speaking and language exercises. At the end of six months I was able to confidently speak and understand colloquial Arabic and really enjoy my life in Damascus. Studying with Basel, and taking lessons in his traditional family house in the old city was really a memorable experience and I can?t wait to go back one day.
Jessica Sallabank(UK)
Email: jessicasallabank@gmail.com
----------------------------------------------------------Nadia Stuckey
I really enjoyed studying at the Levantine School of Arabic as the teachers are very patient and enjoy seeing their students' Arabic get better and better. After my course I felt ten times more confident speaking Arabic. I highly recommend Basel Najem's school if you are coming to study Arabic in Damscus.
Nadia Stuckey (UK)
Email: Nadia1u@hotmail.com
