This past summer I ended up interning for 10 weeks in Washington DC. My internship program hadn't delivered on its suggested promise to engage my German language skills and I was thoroughly disappointed. However, I got matched up with information for MESALI which happened to be for the same 10 week span as my internship. I figured it was a sign, so I enrolled. I'm so glad I did! At the beginning of the first class, our professor, Ross, came in and spoke only in Arabic for the first hour of the 90 minute class. I began to wonder if I was really in beginner's Arabic, or if I had stumbled into intermediate or advanced by accident. As it turns out, it was part of Ross' immersion teaching method--and it was quite unlike any language learning experience I had had in my 8 years of German. Honestly, it unnerved me for the first three weeks or so, and I thought about quitting, but eventually I started to get it. I'd study my flashcards on the Metro on my ways to and from work, and then spout off about how much I loved learning this new language to my friends, family and co-workers because I was so excited that this non-Germanic language was making so much sense to me. With my newly acquired knowledge, I am now auditing a beginner's Arabic class at my university and helping out the students who are struggling. In 8 weeks' time (3 hours of class a week), we've only begun to be familiar with about half of the alphabet and some common phrases. At MESALI, in 10 weeks (with 1.5 hours of class a week) we learned the entire alphabet, basic conversation, possessive endings and past tense verb conjugations, just to name a few. Last week I made a chart of all the verb conjugations and possessive endings to distribute among my peers, based off of what I learned at MESALI. Additionally, our professor, Ross, was very willing to make time to meet with me when I had questions about what exactly a language major does with their degree after graduation. In his no-nonsense (unless it's part of one of his many jokes) way, he freely offered up wisdom, council and humorously-delivered advice that I'll certainly be taking with me once I've got my diplomas in hand. Long story short: MESALI was definitely the highlight of my summer in Washington, DC. read more

I must respectfully disagree with Sylvia. I have taken many classes with Mr. Kaplan (the Arabic ones mind you), and I have found them engaging, lighthearted, and educational. As we know, one class does not make a course. It takes time to see someone's teaching style and evaluate it. Having been in multiple courses with Mr. Kaplan, I can address Sylvia's criticisms. Ross's teaching style, which he emphasises on his website and in person, is to have fun while learning the language. This is particularly important in the first class, when insecurity and mistrust may prevent you from speaking, asking questions, or participating, and ultimately hinder your progress. Through his jokes he wants to dispel your insecurity or bashfulness and encourage you to be confident in your own abilities, make mistakes, and learn from them. Now, if Sylvia would have stayed in the classes, she may have reached a criticism that is valid about his Arabic classes. They are a lot of work. A lot. Especially if you are really interested in learning. However, he cannot hold your hand and personally teach you everything, there is a ton of personal initiative that has to be taken by the students. But do you learn anything? If you want to compare his results, ask the students walking in the neighborhood around George Washington University's Arabic program. They learn a lot, but they work just as hard on the same concepts and get out just as much. Perhaps they are better at speaking, but it is only because they meet every day of the week for an hour to practice Arabic. However they also pay $4400+ for those courses and spend three times as long working on them. If you still have lingering doubts, I would be happy to address them myself. I can vouch for Ross's teaching methods. I took Arabic with him for a year and a half three years ago, and I still know and retain a surprising amount of Arabic, and any concepts I have forgotten, I can relearn (and have relearned) easily. If you have any questions, you can contact me via (rational at gwu . edu). Please title the subject head "Question on Kaplan's Classes", so I know it is not spam. read more

I took Persian/Dari 1 this semester at MESALI for personal interest. The class was excellent and Dr. Chyet is an outstanding instructor. His encyclopedic knowledge of so many languages provides him many opportunities to make comparisons with other languages that students may already know to help drive home a point, making comparisons in grammar and lexicon. In addition, as a non-native Persian speaker he understands the challenge of learning this language himself and knows the pitfalls that may trouble english speaking students. (Native speakers don't always make the best teachers). Where applicable, Dr. Chyet was able to point out differences between Iranian Persian (Farsi) and Afghan Persian (Dari). As a folklorist, Dr. Chyet uses proverbs or folk sayings to illustrate grammatical points for each class, thus providing an opportunity to discuss aspects of Persian and Middle East culture in the class. The class moved at a rapid pace and covered a lot of material in 10 weeks, but was still informal. I think this was due to Dr. Chyet's teaching style as well as the type of mature and motivated students that MESALI attracts. Although many students had experience with Arabic (making the alphabet easier to learm), Dr. Chyet still began at the beginning for the benefit of students who had not studied Arabic. This was also important for those who had studied Arabic due to important differences in pronunciation between the languages. I have taken language classes at other institutes in the D.C area and the quality of this class was on par with the best of them. The range of languages offered by MESALI is hard to find, even in a city such as Washington, DC. read more

I am an Arabic speaking has-been. Once upon a time, aka in college, I not only studied Arabic formally but lived abroad for a year. I returned not- quite-fluent but easily conversational. Then I graduated, hunted for a job, worked at said job, and somehow lost the Arabic speaking skills I once had. So began the hunt for a decent, reasonably priced Arabic class in the DC area. I ended up choosing the MESALI Institute for a few reasons, and I am so glad I did. First, it came recommended by a friend and also had excellent reviews on yelp (which seem to have been taken away...bad Yelp). Second, it was reasonably priced. Third, from the descriptions it seemed like a good medium between a formal class and just a club that meets up once a week to practice speaking. It has been both a highly educational and highly entertaining class, which can be hard to find with Arabic lessons. The instructor, Ross Kaplan, will definitely make sure you are involved and learning in the class, so expect to speak! That said, if you didn't study one week or just completely forgot some previous lesson, it's not the kind of environment that you'd be reprimanded or wish you skipped class. The class size was small (mine started as 14, but quickly became 9) and they were all good peoples. This class was definitely worth it for me, and I highly recommend it, especially for any working professionals who need night classes that are worthwhile but not uber-academic. I've signed up for a second class already, and expect I will continue coming back for a while. And as a side note, they offer a lot of other languages ranging from French to Hindi, or Urdu and Pashto. read more

This summer I took an intermediate-level intensive course in Modern Standard Arabic at DC Internationals MESALI under the instruction of Adjunct Professor Zahara'. I was very pleased with the course and my instructor. After reading and speaking proficiency assessments with other staff, my teacher adjusted my level accurately and changed the textbook series -- providing a personal touch. The textbook work included reading out loud and answering comprehension questions. This led to discussions on topics that increased my vocabulary far more extensively than the textbook itself. One of the coolest aspects of my class was listening to my teacher speak Arabic at a fluid speed. This helped me to understand Arabic in real time and the immersive environment encouraged me to respond and contribute in Arabic as well, thus honing my speaking proficiency, speed, and vocabulary. I highly recommend studying Arabic with Adjunct Professor Zahara' at DC Internationals MESALI. She is a kindhearted, generous, and intelligent teacher with multiple degrees and much experience in education, Arabic and English literature, and other fields. In addition to MSA, I unexpectedly amassed a wealth of information about Arab history, culture, religion, politics, media, etc. from her. Years ago, I had a similar positive experience with Ross, the director of DC Internationals, which is mainly why I returned, and I'm super glad I did! read more

First night of Arabic I, ninety-minute class for total beginners: for the first hour, no English was spoken. If anyone tried that, Professor Ross Kaplan repeated a question and answer in Arabic, encouraging and more or less getting the same from each student. To his credit, everyone was transfixed, everyone played along, speaking a little Arabic in the first week. I wouldn't have thought it possible. In each weekly session, Kaplan imbues the small class with intensity, wild exuberance, personal references, warmth and humor. I've studied foreign languages before, and would say that for a non-native speaker of the language he teaches, he's extraordinary - precise with explanations of grammar and usage, rarely stumped by questions of vocabulary, prolific with the mnemonics - which must be original material, since they may involve slapstick humor or borderline vulgarity. The students are motivated by something besides grades, because everyone's paying attention, and thus all contribute to the process of learning . I'm now in the fourth 10-week session of Arabic. I might be older than some in the class, but the convenient downtown location, one (intense) session weekly, and reasonable cost make the Mesali classes attractive to those with day jobs and other commitments. read more

I am currently taking an Arabic course at MESALI, and I have to say that it is not only the best "bang for your buck" in terms of Arabic in DC, but it is also the best Arabic course, in general, that I have found in the city. I have taken classes at the USDA Graduate School, teh International Language Institute, and the GLN at GW-none of which can compare to my experience at MESALI. The teacher, Ross Kaplan, has a great ability to make very difficult grammatical structures both fun and interesting by bringing in hilarious (and often obscene or cheesy-the best ways to remember) analogies to english that really makes everything stick. Additionally, Ross is great at finding every way imaginable to make the entire class understand what he is going over. The only negative thing about the class is the location-it is at the Methodist church next to the IMF, in a back door up a driveway(kind of hard to find). Also, a choir practices occassionally next door, so that can be slightly disruptive. Honestly though, the teaching style and the price make the location issues miniscule. I would highly recommend this class to anyone who wants to actually learn Arabic in the city!!. read more

While living in Cairo in January of 2011 I knew I wanted to continue with my Arabic studies upon my return to the states a few weeks later. I needed a low-key, inexpensive way to maintain my newly acquired language skills before I went off to college in the fall. DC has an abundance of language schools and classes, but none that seemed especially cost-effective or laid-back. MESALI is different- it's relatively cheap, and I can say that after nearly ten weeks, I've learned more Arabic in ninety-minute, weekly classes than I had thought possible. My Arabic II class of only seven people has a relaxed atmosphere, yet I have never felt more engaged in a classroom setting. That can be attributed to the gregarious, enthusiastic, and knowledgable man behind MESALI, and my teacher, Ross Kaplan. He packs a lot of material into the relatively short class time, and manages to make it entertaining and interesting along the way. I highly recommend taking a class at MESALI if you're looking for a low-cost, low-pressure, and fun alternative to other language schools in DC. read more

I just completed my fourth session studying Arabic with Ross Kaplan at MESALI. A couple of years ago I had a semester's worth of Arabic instruction and was eager to pick up learning the language again, but I needed something that would work with a full-time job and my meager budget. That's where Ross from DC Internationals and MESALI came in. MESALI offers so many options that work with your schedule, learning a language is accessible for anyone. I enrolled in the beginner's course and have made considerable progress since and I'm now studying at the Intermediate level with intentions to keep taking classes. Ross is a great teacher, and at MESALI I know there are other bonuses like career advice and meeting others in my field. In my opinion, MESALI is the best bang for your buck in comparison with other non-credit language schools in DC. If you're looking to study a language without breaking the bank and works with an already packed schedule, MESALI is the way to go! Oh, and Ross is hilarious and a great person- good qualities for a teacher to have. read more

This class has taken my husband's Arabic language skills from non existent to absolutely incredible. The instructor's personal attention and willingness to go above and beyond has made a very difficult language much easier to master. Because of the well structured and organized intensive, my husband and I have agreed to do 3 more months of a long distance marriage just so he can get his Arabic language skills honed with Mesali. Unfortunately, there are no real effective Arabic teachers currently offering courses in our hometown of Charlotte NC. I think for the level of service Mesali offers, the price is more than reasonable. NC State was offering the same course for twice the price. For anyone who wants to speak to current students and get real time feedback, call or email shireen.haque@gmail.com. Maybe if anyone is interested we can get an informal Arabic conversation group started. I am just starting my Arabic studies but my husband I would say is a well versed beginner and it has only been 10 weeks! Mesali rocks! read more

Language skills are crucial in my career field, so when looking for a language school I was really focused on finding someplace that offered evening courses and focused on vocabulary that would allow me to communicate on a more professional level. Having never studied Arabic ever, I signed up for the twice weekly course at MESALI (Yes, the website is kind of dated but I promise you the school is legit). The locations are super convenient and metro accessible and met all the other criteria I was looking for. The classes cut through a lot of introductory material that other courses spent months on, for example the alphabet was taught in 1 week as opposed to 6 weeks like in university. They teach you a lot of practical ways to figure out the meanings of words and build vocabulary. I've been taking courses at MESALI for a year and had 3 different instructors, all of whom have been excellent. I would recommend the school, and am ecstatic with the amount I've learned so far! read more

I just completed an intensive Arabic course here and recommend it. Positives include rock-solid instruction, an engaging and very hands-on instruction method, and good materials. Arabic is a tough language, but Ross and the other instructors tied lessons on grammar and pronunciation to "real-world" and humorous examples. I was impressed with all of them. The intensive course is very demanding. I left each class exhausted. My class was very small (two students) and we had difficulty setting regular class times and meeting places (the normal classrooms were not available at the times we met). However, my impression is this was the exception, not the rule. Most of the classes were larger and always met at the Church, which had great classroom space. I recommend MESALI without reservation. My intensive class represented a good value. I learned a ton, and have ended the class looking forward to learning more. read more

I was a student of Professor Kaplan's Intermediate-Advanced Arabic class in the Fall of 2009. Professor Kaplan employs an extremely effective teaching style; combining individualized attention and entertaining humor to make even dry lessons on grammar seem to come alive. Professor Kaplan's Arabic class covered all aspects of Arabic Language study including essential vocabulary, grammatical rules, and even cultural aspects of the Arab world. I always felt that Professor Kaplan truly wanted his students to progress and master the material, and was always willing to stay late explaining difficult concepts until he was sure that all students understood. I learned a tremendous amount in Professor Kaplan's class and as someone who has taken a fair share of Arabic classes, I would not hesitate to recommend Professor Kaplan for an enjoyable and worthwhile learning experience. read more

I had a great experience with MESALI. I have taken two Persian language classes -- both ended up being 60 hours of private lessons, which I took as 2.5 hour classes two to three times per week. Registering for the class was a very personalized experience; for more popular languages, the classes may exist as posted on the website, but for my classes I communicated with Ross and my Persian instructor directly to identify a class schedule that would work. The instruction was great - my classes have been entirely virtual which can be difficult, but my instructor Naz was very patient and had a lot of experience teaching virtually, so it went smoothly. She found great resources for our class that exposed me to conversational and real-world Persian in addition to traditional educational materials and resources for beginners. I'd highly recommend MESALI! read more

I have taken two classes at MESALI: Arabic 1 and Arabic 2. I've had a really good experience. The classes were well taught and offered at a time and price that made a lot of sense for me. That is to say: after work; and cheap. The biggest downside is that (especially for Arabic 1) many of the other students were also young working professionals and would often miss class because of work commitments, which left us in a constant state of catching up. Still, Ross (my teacher, although there are several others working at MESALI) always worked through this and brought me from absolute zero to a level of comfortable childish babbling pretty quickly. I am definitely sticking with MESALI for the foreseeable future. Four stars! read more

Great Arabic and French program! I took both courses recently to refresh my French-speaking skills and further develop my Arabic skills. Ross Kaplan definitely knows how to engage his students and put them at ease. Hard, challenging classes, but if you practice a lot and meet-up with fellow class mates on the off-days, you'll definitely get significant returns for your money! Also, I had a blast with all the MESALI events. FREE Belly dance lessons, a Bazaar with Arab food & some really good tea and more dancing, great food before the midterm and final exams, and career advise from US AID and State Department employees. If you at least give it a shot and keep-up with the work, you won't regret it =) read more

I've been taking Arabic classes with Ross Kaplan for a couple weeks now and I can't recommend him enough. He's top-notch when it comes to explaining the material so it sticks, which is no easy task with an exception-riddled language like Arabic. I finish every class wishing we had another hour or two to go over grammar or vocabulary-- and this is coming from someone who finds Dora the Explorer to be overly pedantic. But really, Ross brings a certain excitement to language learning and I notice myself progressing at a pace I had never thought possible. If you, like I, have been frustrated by lack of success from other much more expensive programs in DC I implore you to give MESALI a shot. read more

Ross Kaplan is a wonderful teacher who makes class fun, interesting, challenging and exciting. He constantly keeps the students on their toes and spices up the class with his sense of humor and puns. His style makes students want to be active participants in the learning process so they gain more than they might in comparable university courses. When I started at MESALI just six months ago, I didn't even know the Alif Baa and now I can already read and speak in basic Arabic and write complex sentences. I highly recommend MESALI for anyone who is interested in learning Arabic in a challenging, thought-provoking and fun setting. read more

I took beginner Arabic I this summer at MESALI and was pleased with the experience. Coming in with no prior knowledge of the language, I learned a great deal in just 10 weeks, at 1.5 hours per week. I now have a solid understanding of the alphabet, I can read and write, and I can have a basic conversation in Modern Standard Arabic. The cost is very reasonable, and Ross Kaplan is an enthusiastic and fun teacher. I will be taking an intensive class with MESALI this fall. I highly recommend beginner Arabic 1 for anyone who is interested in starting to learn Arabic. read more