By Maya Bar, February 2, 2025 – MAKO
When it comes to language acquisition, Arab students in Israel face a unique challenge—transitioning from spoken Arabic to literary Arabic while also mastering Hebrew. ICEI’s and the Ministry of Education’s “Tamkin” program equips them with tools to succeed throughout their academic journey, starting in elementary school. “When reading becomes a part of life, all doors open for you.”
The troubling dropout rate among Arab high school students has long been cause for alarm. Like other youth in Israel’s social periphery, Arabs typically struggle with reading and writing skills in their native language. Uniquely, however, Arab students face a threefold challenge: bridging the gap between the spoken Arabic they learn at home, the literary Arabic they learn at school and in which they are tested, and mastering Hebrew, Israel’s official language.
The Tamkin initiative (“empowerment” in Arabic) — a groundbreaking new program — helps students cope with critical literacy challenges starting in elementary school. Operating in 15 Arab schools including in Umm al-Fahm, Jisr al-Zarqa, Jaljulia, Lod, and Kafr Kanna, Tamkin seeks to greatly enhance educational opportunities in Israel’s Arab communities. Tamkin is a Joint Venture between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry for Social Equality, and the Israel Center for Educational Innovation (ICEI). The program trains school principals and teachers, helping them boost academic achievement in their schools.
As part of a five-year economic development plan for Arab society in Israel, the 33 million NIS initiative has received half of its funding from the Ministry of Education and half is being raised by the Israel Center for Educational Innovation. Its goals include narrowing educational gaps between Jewish and Arab schools, while empowering principals, teachers, and the schools they serve.
Traditionally, most government investments in Arab education have focused on high schools, with few programs aimed at elementary schools. Research demonstrates, however, that acquiring basic literacy skills in elementary school is vital for future success in all academic disciplines.
The Tamkin program stresses reading, writing, and dialogic discussion. To promote reading, each classroom is equipped with a library containing hundreds of books, carefully arranged by degree of difficulty in accordance with students’ reading level. The physical classroom space has been reimagined with cozy reading corners, designed innovatively to make reading attractive.
“I discovered that I love reading books,” says Adam Madah, a second-grade student. “The teachers really encourage us to read, and we have books in every classroom. It isn’t easy for me to learn different languages, but I feel like I’m succeeding. Sometimes I even help my parents with things I learned in school.”
Each participating school enjoys the services of a literacy coach, a new professional position brought to Israel by ICEI. Working on site, the coach guides the school’s instructional team. Schools are also equipped with ICEI’s Medida system, an innovative digital platform that enables teachers to track their students’ progress, ensure no one is left behind, and help outstanding students realize their potential.
“Change is never easy, especially in the education system,” says Hala Odeh, principal of the Ajyal School in Jaljulia. “But judging from the performance of our students, this was definitely the right move. Tamkin has helped us create a common educational language while empowering students with greater autonomy in learning. They build a stronger vocabulary and are surrounded by a language-rich classroom environment that promotes language acquisition. The program helps us identify students who need additional language support and intervene in a timely fashion.”
“ICEI has a unique approach to Israel’s educational challenges,” says Don Futterman, the organization’s founder and Executive Director. “The key, in our view, is to strengthen basic skills from an early age. Both spoken and written language are essential to help students develop the learning skills they need for academic success.”
“We believe that teaching mother-tongue language in a way that is relevant and tailored to students’ needs is the key to meaningful change,” adds Dr. Shirin Natour Hafi, the Ministry of Education’s Director of Education in Arab Society. “Uniquely, this program not only helps students, it also empowers teachers both personally and professionally.”
According to Sally Awad Asfour, ICEI’s Deputy Executive Director, “When a student is exposed to hundreds of books during their elementary school years, books become an inseparable part of his or her life—a source of knowledge and enjoyment. Through reading and classroom discussions, students acquire essential skills such as leadership, dialogue management, reflective thinking, and teamwork. The program’s structured framework also helps create a safe environment that significantly reduces school violence. When these skills are acquired at a young age, they drive social change.”
