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The Curriculum and Instruction Department in the College of Education at the United Arab Emirates University organized the 8^th Languages Forum in the Multaqa Theater at the Islamic Institute Building in Al Ain on the morning of Wednesday 22^nd April, 2015. The title of the forum was ‘Teaching Languages and the Development of Thinking Skills’. Faculty from the College of Education, researchers and educators in both the Arabic and English languages were present.

The Forum was opened by Dr. Jamal Al Nuaimi, Acting Dean of the College of Education, who welcomed the participants and praised the efforts of the organizing committee. He added that hosting the 8^th Languages Forum shows that UAEU is keeping abreast of developments in education and language teaching skills. He further added that language skills are the key to cultural interaction between the different peoples of the world.

Dr. Al Nuaimi stressed that the forum was aimed at assisting teachers and advisors of both the Arabic and English languages and focused on the relationship between language skills and thinking skills. The forum explored how to harness these skills to better serve students and deliver the curriculum in an appropriate manner. As such, this forum sought to facilitate the exchange of experiences between experienced professionals working in the field of language education.

Dr. Mohamed Jaber Qassim, Professor of Arabic Language in the College of Education and the supervisor of the forum, noted that the forum included 23 participants (from UAEU and further afield). The sessions attempted to explicate the relationship between language skills for both teachers and students; as well as explore thinking skills and teaching skills. The participants also investigated reading as both reading and writing contain ideas and thoughts, and we should understand the relationship between what we think, what we write and ultimately what we read.

Dr. Qassim mentioned the series of workshops and lectures available. The first workshop tackled the application of 21^st century skills in teaching Arabic; the second looked at how field experiences can develop thinking skills, while the remaining four workshops addressed modern methods and techniques for teaching both the Arabic and English languages.