The Team

Academic Programs Coordinator Dr. Bel Kacem ElYoubi has a doctorate of Applied Linguists from Sorbonne Paris V, Paris VII and a PhD in Applied Lingistics and Information Technology from Moulay Ismail University in Meknes. With more than 15 years experience teaching Arabic as a foreign language, he has held positions as a professor of Arabic at Middlebury College, Al Akhawayn University, and Moulay Ismail University. He speaks Arabic, French and English and is responsible for heading the Arabic language and cultural programs curriculum at Qalam Center.

The following list represents Qalam wa Lawh's year round, full time teaching staff and their credentials (in alphabetical order).  Teaching Assistants, Interns, and visiting Professors are not listed.

Abderrahmane Chachil has a degree in Linguistics specializing in socio-linguistics and multilingualism from University Mohammed I in Oujda.  He also has an MBA in marketing and management.  He has attended training in using the Al Kitaab Fi Ta’allum al Arabiya textbook series at Williams and Mary College in Williamsburg Virginia.  He is fluent in Arabic, English, French and the Tarifit, one of the three dialects of Tamazight.  He specializes in teaching beginning levels of Modern Standard Arabic and all levels of Moroccan Dialect at Qalam wa Lawh Center.

Achraf Guaad has a degree in Linguistics from Mohammed V University.  He is fluent in English and Arabic. He also speaks French.  He specializes in beginning levels of Modern Standard Arabic and Darija at Qalam wa Lawh Center.

Hassan Eddahabi has both a BA and MA in Linguistics from Moulay Ismail University in Meknes.  He is currently a candidate for a Phd in Linguistics from Moulay Ismail University.  He was trained as an Arabic teacher at Ifrane’s Al Akhawayn University summer Arabic intensive program in 2007.  He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.  He specializes in teaching beginning levels of Modern Standard Arabic and all levels of Moroccan dialect at Qalam wa Lawh Center.

Hafida Socarno has a degree in Law and Political Science from Mohammed V University in Rabat.  She also has a master’s in Education from L’Institute IFPRO in Rabat.  She is fluent in Arabic and French and also speaks some English.  She specializes in teaching intermediate and advance levels of Modern Standard Arabic at Qalam wa Lawh Center.  She also lectures on North African Politics at Qalam Center.

Hicham Madani has a degree in Arabic Linguistics from Qadi Ayyad in Beni Mellal.  He is fluent Arabic, French, English, and the Tamazight dialect of Amazigh.  He specialized in teaching both Formal Spoken Arabic and conversational darija at Qalam wa Lawh Center.

Samir Jaafar has both a BA and MA in Linguistics from Moulay Ismail University in Meknes.  He is currently a candidate for a Phd in Linguistics from Moulay Ismail University.  He was trained as an Arabic teacher at Ifrane’s Al Akhawayn University summer Arabic intensive program in 2007.  He is fluent in Arabic, French and English.  He specializes in teaching all levels of Modern Standard Arabic at Qalam wa Lawh Center.

Sarah Karkour was born in Damascus, Syria.  She is of Iraqi and Syrian heritage.  She has a degree in law from Mohammed V University in Rabat and a master’s degree in Higher Islamic Studies from Dar Al Hadith Hassania in Rabat.  She is currently a candidate for a Doctorate of Islamic Law at Dar Al Hadith Hassania.  She is fluent in Arabic, English and French and also speaks both Moroccan and Levantine dialects of Arabic.  She also has a working knowledge of Hebrew.  She specializes in teaching beginning and intermediate levels of Modern Standard Arabic at Qalam wa Lawh Center.