<human>: Hey Reddit - I have sort of a complex issue that those familiar with Arabic and/or Islamic culture might be able to shed some light on.

I have volunteered to be an ESL tutor at a local community center and I start next week.  I just found out yesterday that I have been assigned two gentlemen who speak Arabic as their first language.  Not that I am one to make assumptions (as I know that there are Arabic speakers of many cultural backgrounds/faiths), but for the purposes of this question I am going to assume that these gentlemen are Muslims.

Here is the real question:  My very limited training in preparation for this type of instruction has hinged on the value of using adult picture books as a means of establishing a basic vocabulary.  Given that aniconism (prohibition against images) is a major tenet of Islam, do you think using picture books would in any way offend my new students or turn them off to the learning process?

I would like only constructive input - no bashing of religion/culture or political rants.  Please save that for other posts.  I want to give these guys the best possible experience without seeming culturally insensitive.

Can you condense the text into three sentences or less?
<bot>: When teaching English to Arabic speakers, is it in any way inappropriate to use picture books given the tradition of aniconism in Islam.  If so, what are some good alternatives?