Course Title:
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Course Materials:
Mastering Arabic Script
Palgrave Macmillan
Wightwick & Gaafar
9781403941107
Mastering Arabic, 2nd (Book & Double Audio CD Pack)
Palgrave Macmillan
Wightwick & Gaafar
9780230013124
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Course Description:
| This course is the first of a two-term sequence in elementary Arabic, an introduction to basic vocabulary, sentence structure, and tenses of idiomatic Arabic. No prior exposure to Arabic is assumed. Listening, speaking, reading, and some writing skills are developed. The primary focus is on oral communication. Practice using common speech patterns is emphasized. In the course of studying the language, students will also be introduced to aspects of the culture of the Arab world. | |
Course Goals/Objectives:
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On completion of this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the countries and cultures in which Modern Standard Arabic is spoken, including ethnic identity, religion, social structure (social class, roles of women and children), and principal occupations
- Know the basic grammatical categories of the language and be able to benefit from descriptions and corrections that use these terms
- Understand some short, learned utterances with contextual support and comprehend some words and phrases in simple questions, statements, high-frequency commands and courtesy formulae about basic personal information, or the immediate physical setting, with long pauses and repetition
- Speak isolated words and learned phrases with vocabulary for handling simple, elementary needs and expressing basic courtesies.
- Recognize the symbols of the Arabic alphabet and identify an increasing number of highly contextualized words and/or phrases including cognates and borrowed words.
- Copy or transcribe familiar words or phrases and reproduce some from memory. Write all the symbols in the Arabic alphabet and knows about their forms in different positions.
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Course Introduction:
To begin the study of a foreign language is like standing at the edge of an ocean...a boundless ocean. To all Students who are interested in joining our Arabic class I would like to share with you what a famous Arab Poet by the name of Kahlil Gibran wrote in "The Prophet":
"The sea that calls all things unto her calls me, and I must embark. Ready am I to go, and my eagerness with sails full set awaits the wind, Then I shall stand among you, a seafarer among seafarers, I shall come to you, a boundless drop to boundless ocean." I invite you to begin the voyage with me.
He also said of teaching, "No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to threshold of your own mind."
The Arabic language is part of the Hamito-Semitic family of languages and thus related to Hebrew and Ethiopian. More than 200 million people living in 21 countries extending from the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf speak Arabic. It is the official language of all the Arab nations in the Middle East and northern Africa. Arabic is the language of the Quran, the sacred book of the Islamic religion and is also an official language of the United Nations. | |
Grading Information and Criteria:
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The final grade in this course will be based on the following activities:
In-class participation 20 points
Homework & Daily assignments 20 points
Midterm exam 10 points
Weekly quizzes 20 points
Final exam 30 points
Total 100 points
A = 90-100 points
B = 80-89
C = 70-79
D = 60-69
F = below 60
There are no extra credit assignments available as substitutes or make-ups for any of the course requirements.
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Other Information:
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Specific course objectives include but are not limited to the following:
- Learn the Arabic Alphabet: pronunciation, reading and writing forms.
- Recognize, understand and answer basic questions in Arabic.
- Acquire the basic skills in reading and writing simple words and sentences.
- Cover the first 10 units of the textbook, up to page 130.
TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS
The material in this course will be covered via lecture, application exercises and verbal drills. Since a language is learned by using it, students should be prepared to speak frequently.
STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The general assumption is that we all are mature adults and are here to contribute to this rare learning experience. Thus, it is expected that students will be present for every class meeting, ready to participate and contribute. There will be homework assigned for each class meeting. Students must complete the homework assignments, and be ready to participate and contribute in class. Daily homework will be collected and reviewed; it will cover the prepared lesson for the session.
If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to find another student and get the notes, study what you have missed and be ready for the next class meeting. If a military or personal obligation or emergency should interfere with class attendance or preparation, and you provide a written note or document, the instructor will do his or her best to help you recover what you have missed in class. In a language course, each day's work builds on that of the previous day. If you miss a day, there is a "hole" in the continuum. Please try your best to be at each class meeting.
EXAMS AND QUIZZES
There will be a short quiz (15 to 20 minutes) at the beginning of the first class meeting each week (weeks 2-8). The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped in the calculation of your final grade for the course. There will be a final exam at either the last class meeting (or the last two class meetings). There are no make-ups for the weekly quizzes. If you should miss one, it will be one of the two that will be dropped. | |
Project Descriptions:
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Academic Policies:
Cases of plagiarism are handled consistent with current UMUC guidelines.
See the UMUC policies at the following URL:
http://www.umuc.edu/policy/ | |
Course Schedule:
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Meeting 1 - Introductions, course requirements, agreements etc.
In this class session, we will get to know each other and go over expectations, both yours and mine.
Meeting 2 - Unit 1
Letters of the Alphabet, group 1
Vowels
Shadda
Greetings
Meeting 3 - Unit 2
Letters of the Alphabet, group 2
Long Vowels
Alif
Putting words together
Simple sentences
Male and Female
Introductions
Meeting 4 - Unit 3
Letters of the Alphabet, group 3
What’s this?
The family
Introducing your family
Meeting 5 - Review of Units 1 through 3
Meeting 6 - Unit 4
Letters of the Alphabet, group 4
Emphatic and non-emphatic sounds
Jobs
Making words plural
Talking about what you do
Meeting 7 - Unit 5
Letters of the Alphabet, group 5
Everyday objects
Describing things
Whose is it?
Polite requests
Meeting 8 - Review of Units 1 through 5
Meeting 9 - Unit 6
Letters of the Alphabet, group 6
ghayn and a’yn
Sun letters
Asking questions
Where?
Dialects
Meeting 10 - Unit 7
The town
Describing your town or your room
Meeting 11 - Unit 8 Review of Units 1 through 7
Meeting 12 - Unit 9
The Middle East
Capital city
Geographical position
Nationalities
Talking about where you are from
Meeting 13 - Unit 10
Arabic numbers 1 through 10
Counting things
How much?
In the market
Meeting 14 - Review of Lessons 9 and 10
Meeting 15 - Review of entire course
Meeting 16 - FINAL EXAM
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