Some of you may have noticed that our community is growing not just in terms of numbers, but also languages. You can now access Promethean Planet in seven languages, taking advantages of resources prepared by teachers from global ideas, but in a local language.

The latest edition to the Planet family is Promethean Planet Arabic, which was recently launched at a big technology event in Dubai, called GITEX. GITEX is the main event in the Middle East for teachers looking for the latest in classroom technology and the ideal place to bring Planet and introduce it to Arabic teachers.

One of the people who will be helping teachers with their interactive journey in the Middle East is Promethean’s latest TLC (Teaching & Learning Consultant), Hussain Al Sharakhi (pictured left). Hussain himself has three years teaching experience practicing in Bahrain at a Secondary and an Academy school, so he knows first-hand how Planet can help teachers.

In a short interview, we caught up with Hussain at GITEX to hear how even teachers in the Middle East can still learn from the English language Planet sites, proving just how small the teaching community can become with the internet and a bit of ambition.

How important do you think Promethean Planet is for Arabic teachers?

Planet Arabic is crucial for the Middle East so that our teachers can have some sort of community to share creative ideas and cultural differences amongst each other. It also enables them to be connected with the latest updates, best practice teaching ideas and of course, lesson plans.

How do Arabic teachers differ from other teachers when it comes to sharing resources?

I don’t think that it differs too much from other nationalities, some of the ‘fears’ that teachers have here are the same just as others in say, Europe. The one difference we have to remember is that some Arabic teachers come from quite closed cultures so they can be quite shy, which is especially true for females. Many of them feel afraid to fail or are worried about receiving a negative reaction to their resources.

I am hoping though that the launch of Planet Arabic, and especially the Arabic forum, will help us smooth their fears and start to encourage them to submit and participate with other teachers.

Do you think that Arabic teachers can still take something from the Planet.com site?

Absolutely. In particular, in the private education system here in the Middle East, the first language which pupils are taught is English and many lessons are also delivered in English. I often encourage teachers to switch to the English language site for lesson ideas to see what they can convert to their own language. Plus, there is Themes, Teacher Features, both of which we hope to bring to Planet Arabic soon.

So where do you see the ActivClassroom taking Arabic teachers?

There is huge potential for teachers here to take traditional teaching equipment and bring it up to western standards. We have an education saying that that children now learn NOT like how their parents did, which references that the classroom has changed since they were learners and that technology has moved on so much.

Our students live in a digital age and the new technology we have around us today is being developed so fast that the potential to learn, and help bring out the best in our teachers, is very serious. The ActivClassroom allows us to do that, whilst Planet Arabic brings them closer to an important community of teachers who can share and learn, regardless of language or distance.