Online English lessons for children in Saudi Arabia: reading, speaking and confidence

How do children in Saudi Arabia learn English at school?

English is taught as a subject in Saudi schools from the primary years, and it continues through intermediate and secondary school. Private and international schools often teach more English, and some teach most subjects in it. Details change over time and differ between schools, so your child's school is the best source for what they cover in each grade.

In a class, each child gets only a little time to speak. Children learn vocabulary and grammar, but speaking with confidence takes many conversations with someone who listens and replies. That's what a 1-to-1 lesson adds: your child speaks for much of the time, with a patient teacher who welcomes mistakes as part of learning.

What does learning to read English involve for an Arabic reader?

• A new direction. Arabic runs right to left; English runs left to right. Mixing up b and d, or starting from the wrong side, is common for a while.
• Separate letters. Arabic letters join and change shape depending on where they sit in a word. English letters stay the same shape, but have capitals and small letters.
• Every vowel is written. Arabic usually leaves short vowels out, so children may write bg for big. In English, every sound in a word is spelled.
• Irregular spelling. English spells the same sound in different ways, as in see, sea and me.

Phonics handles all of this step by step: letter sounds first, then blending them into short words like sat and pin, then the common spelling patterns. See what phonics is and what CVC words are.

Which English sounds take practice for Arabic speakers?

Arabic has some sounds English doesn't, and English has some Arabic doesn't. The ones that most often need practice are p, which can sound like b at first, so park becomes bark; v, which can come out as f, so very becomes fery; and English vowels, because Arabic has fewer vowel sounds, so ship and sheep or cat and cut can sound alike. Groups of consonants, as in spring, may also get an extra vowel.

These are normal and improve with listening and gentle practice. A teacher who shows the mouth shape on camera and turns it into a game helps more than repeated correction.

Is my child too young or too old to start?

Neither, within the primary years. At four or five, short and playful lessons built on songs, pictures, games and letter sounds help children enjoy English and tune their ear, with no pressure to write. From six or seven, phonics and simple reading grow naturally. Children who start at eight or ten often move quickly, because they already read Arabic well and know how to learn. See English for 4-year-olds and English for 8 to 10 year olds.

When can a child in Saudi Arabia fit in an online lesson?

Saudi Arabia doesn't change its clocks, so a weekly slot stays at the same local time all year. Try to choose a 25-minute lesson after school, between about 4pm and 8pm, planned around prayer times, or a weekend morning. The weekend is Friday and Saturday, so a Saturday morning can be a calm time for a lesson.

Online lessons avoid a drive in traffic and in the summer heat. The long summer holiday is also a good time to start, or to keep English going until school returns.

What should I look for in online English lessons?

• A live, real teacher who listens and responds to your child.
• 1-to-1 lessons with plenty of speaking time.
• Clear phonics for reading and spelling.
• A starting level, feedback after lessons and visible progress.
• Short, lively lessons with games for younger children.
• Clear safety rules: checked teachers, lessons only inside the provider's classroom, a way to report a concern, and private contact details.

Our safe online tutor checklist lists the questions to ask any provider.

How can I describe my child's English level?

School grades describe how your child does in tests. The CEFR, an international scale, describes what they can do with English, in “can do” statements. For young learners its early levels are Pre-A1, A1 and A2. See CEFR levels for children explained.

How can I support English at home in Saudi Arabia?

• Read English picture books together, and keep reading in Arabic too.
• Play sound games with p and b: pear or bear? Pin or bin?
• Ask your child to say each sound as they spell a short word, including the vowels.
• Keep it fun and praise effort, so your child keeps trying.
• Let your child choose an English cartoon or song they love, and talk about it together.

How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Saudi Arabia?

CurioKids gives children aged 4–12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons, 25 minutes each, with a real teacher in the CurioKids classroom: video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter, 52 lessons from letter sounds to reading sentences, then move on to CEFR-based levels. Lessons happen only inside our classroom, messages block the sharing of personal contact details, and there's a “Report a concern” button in every lesson. See our safety page.

Visit our Saudi Arabia page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Saudi Arabia haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in Saudi Arabia are priced in Saudi riyals: see the prices for Saudi Arabia.