Learn the individual letters of the alphabet and the sounds that correspond to them. Use an audio learning tool that helps you associate the sound of the letters with the alphabet, instead of relying on transliterations from the Latin alphabet. The BBC Languages website offers a tutorial on the Arabic alphabet, including native speakers pronouncing the letters of the Arabic alphabet.
Learn which Arabic letters connect to one another and which are non-connecters. A few letters in the Arabic alphabet connect from both sides, while 6 letters only connect from the previous letter. Remember that the Arabic alphabet starts from the right and reads to the left, so the letters connect starting from the right. The letters "alef," "dal," "dhal," "waw," "ra" and "zeyn" connect to the previous letter but not to the one following. When these letters are next to other non-connecter letters, they appear in the word as the individual letter. Find a chart of the Arabic alphabet on the Omniglot website. This site provides a chart of the letters in their isolated, as well as connected, forms.
Practice writing Arabic words. The more words you learn to write, the more combinations of connecting letters you can practice. Copy vocabulary words from beginning Arabic language learning materials. You can find books, computer software and free online resources for learning basic Arabic words and phrases. The website Omniglot features links to several Arabic learning websites.