My Arabic notes look better than my Arabic speaking sounds
I'm noticing that Arabic exposes a different weakness when I speak. I can review Anki cards, recognize phrases from Madinah Arabic/Al-Kitaab style lessons, and understand little bits from listening, but then a simple answer like "I went to the shop yesterday" becomes slow translation in my head.
What has worked better for me lately is separating tools by job. Anki is only for recall. A textbook/course note is for grammar. Short audio or Pimsleur-style shadowing is for mouth training, especially ع and ح. If I can get human correction through italki or an exchange, that is best, but it takes scheduling and confidence. I've also been using ISSEN for 10 minutes of Arabic speaking practice when I don't have anyone nearby to talk with, usually after making tea, so I at least answer out loud every day.
A small method: pick one prompt, do it twice. First in simple MSA: ماذا فعلت اليوم؟ Then separately in the dialect you study, without mixing unless you mean to. Record 30 seconds, listen once, write only 2 corrections. Research-wise, Arabic is usually treated as a long-haul language for English speakers by FSI, so I’m trying not to expect speaking to magically follow reading
How do you practice speaking Arabic if there are no local partners? Do you keep MSA and dialect practice separate?