Education:
M.Ed., Adult and Continuing Education (Higher Education Teaching), Rutgers University, 2026
Graduate Certificate in Translation (English–Arabic), Beirut Arab University, 2004
B.A. in English Language and Literature (Teaching Diploma), Lebanese University, 2000
Areas of Teaching/Interest:
Manar Habbal is an Arabic Lecturer in the Department of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures (AMESALL) at Rutgers University. She teaches Elementary and Intermediate Arabic, with a focus on developing students’ communicative competence and confidence in real-life contexts. Her teaching is student-centered and emphasizes interactive learning, cultural awareness, and meaningful engagement. She incorporates role-play, experiential activities, and reflective practices to support language acquisition and create an inclusive classroom environment.
With over twenty years of teaching experience, including in higher education in the United States, she brings a broad and informed perspective to her work in language education. Her interests include Arabic language pedagogy, adult learning, and instructional design.
Professional Activities and Development:
Manar Habbal is actively engaged in professional development in language education. She has completed an Online Teaching Certificate with the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) and a teaching certificate from the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning at Harvard University. She is a member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and has served as an evaluator for the Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program. She also organizes cultural and language-related events that support student engagement beyond the classroom.
