Learn the Arabic script, otherwise you won't be able to read or write. Although the Arabic script can look daunting, spending a couple of weeks memorizing the letters will pay dividends in the long term. Sites such as "Al Bab," "Shariah Program" and "Fun with Arabic" provide online resources for learning the Arabic script.
Enroll in classes at your local adult learning center. If there are none offered in your region, contact the consulate or embassy of an Arabic-speaking country. They will be able to put you in contact with someone who can help you learn Standard Arabic.
Read newspapers or watch television shows in Arabic from countries with French links. Countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, Lebanon or Syria all have Internet sites that you can peruse, to make you comfortable with the language used in these countries. As a rule, the less formal the show or the article, the more dialect and colloquial language they will use.
Travel to the countries. There is no substitute to going to the countries in order to improve your language. Once you have mastered the basics, you will be able to converse and read Arabic, which will provide a solid foundation from which to expand your language. Spending time in the country will also allow you to pick up more colloquial phrases, which are rooted in the French language.