The reality of interest in Arab children’s literature: a descriptive analytical study

Authors

  • Prof. Fakhriya Khalfan Al Yahyai Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4786-8299
  • Mohammed Hamood Al-Amri Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0183-6227
  • Dr. Yasser Fawzy Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
  • Adharei Ali Al Shidhanei Ministry of Education, Sultanate of Oman
  • Safa Al Fahdi National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Sultanate of Oman

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35560/jcofarts1282

Keywords:

data, cultural identity

Abstract

The literature presented to the Arab child, including inherited tales and melodies, contributes to the formation of the child's culture and enables him or her to accomplish uniqueness in a world where the cultures and knowledge presented to them today are intertwined. As the child grew up with his family in accordance with a particular pattern of customs, traditions, and legacies, his intellectual and linguistic structure formed. The child of today has not had the opportunity to learn, converse with the elderly, or play while listening to inherited stories and melodies. The child grew up within a system of knowledge and data that contributed to his education and indoctrination. Children's literature contributed to the formation of a generational divide in terms of linguistic dictionaries related to cultures and identity concepts.

From this standpoint, the current research aims to investigate the reality of interest in the literature of the Arab child by examining the most important Arab initiatives for recording children's stories and shedding light on some international and Arab models in this field.

The research followed descriptive analytical research methods in investigating the most important stories and initiatives for the registration of children's literature globally and in the Arab world, and the research came out with a number of recommendations, the most important of which is the need to intensify attention to Arab children's literature because of its role in shaping children's culture through diversity of shapes, concepts, symbols, and words. In addition to the necessity of building a linguistic dictionary for the Arab child, focus should be placed on Arabic culture and identity.

Author Biographies

  • Prof. Fakhriya Khalfan Al Yahyai, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

    Fakhriya Al-Yahyai is a professor of drawing and painting. From 2013 to 2019, she was the Head of the Art Education Department at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. She worked as an international figure in different associations to serve art and culture with specific memberships in: National association for school of art and design (NASAD), National Art Education Association (NAEA), International Art Education Association (InAEA), National Society for Education in Art and Design (nsead), National Association for Fine Art Education (NAFAE), World Alliance for Art Education (WAAE), International Museum of Women, San Francisco (USA), National Liverpool Museum (UK), The European Society for Aesthetics. (Switzerland), National Association for Fine Art Education (UK), The International Societyfor Education Through Art (Insea), Africa and the Middle East (Amsia), The Museum of Modern Art (USA), member of the Omani Society for Fine Arts and the Youth Art Studio (Oman).

    At the artistic level, Al-Yahyai made 11th solo art exhibitions and more than 39 joint exhibitions nationally and internationally. she awarded several prizes’ awards for academic recognition in teaching and researching and winning art competitions Nationally and Internationally, such as the Honorable Mention prizes in the 16th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2014, her works chosen in the international competition in Munich Art Festival, 2014, the 3rd International Arts Education week, USA, 2014, Won the Grand prize competition “small pieces” among the Omani artist, 2013, Received a prize for excellence in academic accomplishment in teaching in 20120 & 2013, and Won in the international competition among world women artists at the International Museum of Women, San Francisco, USA for the "Muslim Women's Art & voices Exhibition", 2 February 2013. 

    She played a significant role in establishing a record for Arts, culture, and heritage by producing quality scientific research, books, chapters and critical writing. Al Yahyai wrote the first book about the Omani Arts Movements in 2006, which was published by The Arabic League Educational Culture and Scientific Organization (ALECSO). She also published more than (45) articles, around (61) Papers Presented in Conferences, and (11) chapters in International Encyclopedias.

     as well as having been chosen to Judge and lead the highest standard national competitions in the country such as His Majesty Sultan Qaboos prize for Culture, arts and literature in the discipline of fine arts, 2012, His Majesty Sultan Qaboos prize for the Quality of Omani Handcrafts, 2010, and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos prize for the creative cultural. I was also privileged to participate in judging such prizes and others 19th art exhibitions and competitions in the country. Her research Interests are in teaching drawing & painting, post modernism, art & heritage, arts & Islamic Arabic identity, creative practices in arts, and visual culture in arts.

  • Dr. Yasser Fawzy, Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

    Professor. Yasser Mahmoud Fawzy

    Professor of Curriculum & Instruction of Art Education - Faculty of Art Education - Helwan University – Cairo. & On loan to Sultan Qaboos University- Faculty of Education– Muscat

    • He is currently working in the Curriculum and Teaching Department, Faculty of Education, Sultan Qaboos University. His research interests in developing arts curricula and teaching methods, his research focuses on developing visual thinking skills and twenty-first century skills. He has many published research papers locally, regionally and internationally, he co-authored a book specialized in teaching methods of art education, and participated in chapters in other books. A member of the International Association for Education through Art InSEA. One of the founding members of the AmeSea Regional Association for Education through Art in the Middle East and Africa, in partnership with experts of art education in the Arab world. He arbitrated the scientific production of a number of applicants for promotion to academic positions. Participated in the supervision and discussion of many master's and doctoral theses in his specialty.
  • Adharei Ali Al Shidhanei, Ministry of Education, Sultanate of Oman

    Adhari bint Ali Al-Shaythani holds a master’s degree in fine arts from Sultan Qaboos University, and from the same university she obtained a bachelor’s degree in art education. She is interested in everything related to children and has drawn many children’s stories. Recently, she drew the stories of Sultan Haitham in cooperation with the Ministry of Education in 2023 and drew the story “ “Muscat Speaks for Itself” affiliated with the University of Nizwa (2022), and the stories “Long Hands” and “Who Snatched the Sun” by the writer and poet Badriya Al-Badri. Adhari has been interested in the field of children since 2018 and continued in it during her master’s studies, which was interested in the Omani child and popular heritage.

  • Safa Al Fahdi, National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, Sultanate of Oman

    Digital designer at the Ministry of Education (Omani Commission for Education, Culture and Science) and a researcher in visual arts. She graduated with a master’s degree in visual arts from Sultan Qaboos University in 2021, and a member of the research groups (OVARG) and (CHRVAG) interested in scientific research in the field of arts. Visual arts, participated in presenting scientific papers, and organizing many conferences. She also participated in organizing events, lectures, and discussion panels related to the same field, and held many different practical workshops. She won many awards, such as the second prize, the annual youth exhibition, twenty-third session (2019) of the association. Omani Fine Arts.

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Published

2024-03-14

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Articles

How to Cite

The reality of interest in Arab children’s literature: a descriptive analytical study. (2024). Al-Academy , 111, 295-320. https://doi.org/10.35560/jcofarts1282

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