Riyad Alhomsi's Conference Summary

     Riyad Alhomsi
     Ph.D. Candidate
     Second Language Acquisition and Teaching

     Conference Summary
     Middle East Studies Association (MESA 2016)
     Boston, Massachusetts

The MESA (Middle East Studies Associations) conference is one of the biggest and most important conferences that address issues related to Arabic language teaching and culture among other Middle Eastern important themes. Annually, it attracts hundreds of presenters, researchers, and scholars from around the world where they share the latest of their research and ideas on the development and improvement of Arabic language teaching and culture. Currently, I am at the stage where I am conducting my own research in Arabic language teaching, more specifically, I want to examine how the use of technology can affect the motivation and autonomous practices of Arabic language learners at the university intermediate level. Attending this conference was a great opportunity for me to share my research ideas and see how they echo in the scholarly sphere. It also allowed me to situate myself and my research in the bigger picture and the conversation of teaching Arabic language. Throughout the conference, I had several scholarly discussions that helped shape my ideas and research techniques. I was also able to meet with and establish connections with other experts and scholars in the field. These connections are vital for future research and work prospects; they are opportunities for me to grow personally and professionally.