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Lasse Leponiemi

Chairman, The HundrED Foundation
first.last@hundred.org

Inclusive Arabic: Multisensory Arabic Learning DSA

place Italy + 1 more

Making Arabic accessible for students with DSA and BES through structured multisensory learning

Inclusive Arabic addresses the exclusion of students with DSA and BES from learning Arabic due to the script’s visual complexity and cognitive load. The innovation applies a structured multisensory approach combining visual chunking, phoneme–grapheme mapping, scaffolded writing progression, and dyslexia-friendly materials. By reducing working memory demand and supporting executive functioning.

Overview

Information on this page is provided by the innovator and has not been evaluated by HundrED.

Updated April 2026
Web presence

2026

Established

1

Countries
All students
Target group
Through Inclusive Arabic, I hope to see a shift in education toward true inclusivity in language learning. Students with DSA and BES often face systemic barriers that prevent them from accessing languages with complex scripts like Arabic. My innovation aims to break these barriers, showing that neurodivergent learners can achieve functional literacy and confidence when instruction is adapted to their needs. The broader change I envision is that all students, regardless of learning differences, have equitable access to multilingual education, and that teachers worldwide adopt evidence-based, multisensory, and scaffolded approaches as standard practice rather than exception. Ultimately, I hope Inclusive Arabic inspires educators to rethink how languages are taught, making learning accessible, engaging, and empowering for everyone.

About the innovation

Why did you create this innovation?

I created Inclusive Arabic to address a significant gap in language education: students with DSA (Specific Learning Disorders) and BES (Special Educational Needs) are often excluded from learning Arabic because of the script’s visual complexity and cognitive demands. Traditional approaches rely heavily on memorization and rapid decoding, which can create frustration and discourage learners. My goal was to develop a structured, multisensory method that makes Arabic accessible, inclusive, and engaging, empowering all students to achieve functional literacy and confidence in a language that is often seen as inaccessible.

What does your innovation look like in practice?

In practice, Inclusive Arabic uses a combination of visual, auditory, and tactile strategies to support learning. Lessons are structured in small, manageable steps:

Visual chunking and color coding highlight letter forms and morphological patterns.
Phoneme–grapheme mapping links sounds to letters explicitly, supporting decoding.
Scaffolded writing progression introduces isolated letters, then connected forms, then full words.
Dyslexia-friendly materials reduce visual stress and working memory load.
Teachers use micro-assessments to personalize pacing and provide immediate feedback. The classroom is highly interactive, multisensory, and predictable, giving students confidence and reducing language anxiety.

How has it been spreading?

Since its creation in 2026, the approach has been shared through teacher workshops, online tutorials, and pilot programs in inclusive schools. Educators have adapted the materials to their classrooms, and early feedback shows improved learner engagement and literacy outcomes. The principles of the method are easily transferable to other non-Latin scripts, creating opportunities for wider adoption in multilingual education contexts.

How have you modified or added to your innovation?

The approach is continuously refined based on classroom feedback. Recent adaptations include digital exercises with interactive phonics games, customized worksheets for different cognitive profiles, and peer-learning activities to increase collaboration and motivation.

If I want to try it, what should I do?

Teachers or schools interested in trying Inclusive Arabic can start by:

Reviewing the teacher guide with step-by-step lesson plans.
Using the multisensory materials provided, including color-coded charts and tactile letter sets.
Applying micro-assessment tools to tailor instruction to each student.
Participating in training workshops or online tutorials to understand the method’s principles.
The program is low-cost and adaptable, making it easy to implement in diverse educational contexts.

Implementation steps

Inclusive Arabic is designed to help teachers introduce Arabic to students with DSA and BES.
Prepare the Classroom and Materials, Introduce Letters and Sounds Gradually, Scaffold Writing Skills, Integrate Vocabulary and Morphological Patterns, Monitor Learning with Micro-Assessments, Build Confidence and Autonomy, Reflect and Adjust.

Spread of the innovation

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