Nikola Dukas

Ahlan. I`m Nikola, a University of Oxford and London SOAS trained Arabic linguist who offers high quality interactive and individually tailored Modern Standard/Classical Arabic tuition. Unlike many other tutors of Arabic I am actually a qualified Arabist and Islamicist.

Because of my background and academic training I also offer tuition in Greek and Turkish to adults,

I offer Arabic tuition mainly to BA,MA/MSc,and PhD students and journalists or researchers but also to those preparing for A Levels in Arabic and Islamic Studies. I have over 10 years` experience teaching Arabic and Islamic Texts and also offer tuition for degree level Islamic History and Islamic Studies.

Excellent track record helping undergrad & postgrad students (such as those studying for Arabic and/or Islamic Studies related exams at SOAS or Cambridge) dramatically improve their grades. I have a very interactive, patient and engaging teaching style, largely the result of having first hand experience and understanding of the position of those who come to the language as non-native speakers, as I myself did over twenty years ago.

I have over 8 years of Arabic into English translation experience of press and academic material and of Islamic religious, legal and historical texts for postgraduate students, academics, and researchers.

I am not, therefore, someone who is able to teach Arabic simply because it is my first language, but because I have extensively studied, researched and worked with the language and its attendant religion and civilization in a Western academic context.


Fortunately, since the relaxation of Coronavirus measures and because I am actually based in London I am now able to resume my full, professional service of in-person tuition for the large number of people in the capital who want to develop a solid command of Modern Standard/Classical Arabic, Turkish or Greek, which cannot be achieved as effectively, thoroughly, or enjoyably through online tuition.


Academic credentials:

Advanced, Arabic texts based MA in Arabic and Islamic Studies (with Distinction) from SOAS, a BA in Arabic with Islamic History (Oxford), and qualifications in foreign language teaching (including CELTA and a certificate in Teaching Foreign Languages).

I am a native speaker of Greek with an advanced command of Turkish as a result of being originally from Eastern Macedonia and Thrace in Northern Greece (from a small town just 10 miles from the Turkish border), a region that has a large and indigenous Turkish speaking Muslim minority. Coupled with my academic background, this has enabled me to acquire an ability to also study, research and teach texts in Ottoman Turkish.

I am currently doing research on Islamic Political Theology and Public Law, based on medieval Arabic texts, towards a part-time PhD (from which I am officially on a break owing to a large Arabic Islamic texts research and translation project I am involved in).

Additionally, and uniquely among western Arabists and Islamicists, I have extensive experience of traditional Arabic and Islamic learning in the Middle East and North Africa, for example as a longstanding, regular visiting student/researcher in Fez, Morocco.

I look forward to hearing from interested students. Li`lliqaa`

Nikola




Representative student testimonials:

Katherine from the US, says: ";I`ve really enjoyed and benefited from Nikola`s tuition. I`m a PhD candidate in Middle East Politics and already had advanced Arabic when I began with him. We focus on reading Arabic press articles but also spend time speaking Arabic. Nikola has particular expertise explaining difficult areas of Arabic grammar and extensive knowledge of Islamic history, always giving interesting perspectives into the background of texts.";

Dr Grigorij, an Energy Consultant from Russia, says, ";I have a BA in Arabic from Germany, so asked Nikola to focus on advanced Arabic grammar, news articles, and speaking. His lessons are structured to suit my needs and knowledge of Middle Eastern affairs very useful. Overall, I have really improved my Arabic and understanding of the subtleties of Arabic grammar. I would highly recommend Nikola as an Arabic teacher";.

Availability: Very flexible

Willing to travel: 12 miles

Experience: Teaching Arabic and Islamic Texts to adults/students/researchers and translating Arabic and Islamic texts into English since 2007.