Arabic for beginners - an internet course in English 4100-ARA-ANG-A1
This course takes a communicative approach. All four abilities (speaking, reading, listening, and writing) are practised, with a focus on speaking. The cultural context of the countries where the language is spoken is also considered. Students participate in interactive language activities, such as group and pair work, according to a curriculum based on systematic grammatical development. The following topics, activities, and grammar rules are covered:
(first semester/ 60 h)
Alphabet and sounds: letters of the alphabet, long vowels, short vowels, joining letters and handwriting practice
Topics: greetings, personal information,family, jobs/occupations, things/objects in the house, towns and cities
Activities: introducing others, talking about what you do, asking questions,describing countries and cities, making polite requests
Grammar: masculine and feminine sound plurals, possessive endings (attached pronouns), definite and indefinite nouns, personal pronouns (I, you, we, he, she), demonstrative pronouns, question words, adjectives I,
(second semester / 60 h)
Topics: countries and capital cities,nationalities,numbers 1-10, colours, eating and drinking, numbers 11 -100 weather, trips/holidays, time, everyday activities, means of transportation, days of the week education: school and university
Activities: describing your town/city, asking for directions,describing geographical position, talking about where you came from, giving your telephone number and address, buying things in the market describing what you have ordering food and drink in a restaurant talking about the past, describing the weather talking about a trip/vacation/holiday telling the time asking and answering questions about everyday activities comparing things booking a hotel room and renting a car
Grammar: the negative idafa constructions, the sound masculine and feminine plurals (continued), adjectives II, personal pronouns, plural patterns (irregular) I and II, the dual, plural with numbers, how much? how many? group words (collective nouns), past tense plural patterns III and IV, past verbs in the plural, the present tense, comparatives and superlatives, was/were, weak verbs, word order and verbs, the negative.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
(SKILLS)
recognise all characters of the Modern Standard Arabic alphabet and other special characters
pronounce properly the guttural sounds that aren’t found in European and English languages
differentiate between long vowels and short vowels (written and oral)
differentiate between sounds that seem similar for non-native speakers
recognise the varying shapes of each letter depending on its position in the word
employ approximately 750 words and several phrases
read and write simple short sentences and phrases.
to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.
introduce yourself and others
ask and answer questions about personal details.
interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES)
developed an insight into Arabic-speaking life, culture and society
cooperate effectively within the group, assigning tasks for you and others
recognize your own learning style and chooses ways for continuing self-development
accepts a variety of attitudes and opinions in interpersonal contacts
Assessment criteria
The course is concluded with a test. A course is passed if the test is completed successfully and the participant has attended 80% of the lessons.
Grading scale
99-100 % - 5 ( outstanding)
93-98 % – 5 (very good)
87-92 % - 4+ (good plus)
77-86 % - 4 (good)
71-76 % – 3+ (satisfactory plus)
60-70 % – 3 (satisfactory)
1. A student is granted 2 ECTS points for completing a 60-hour-course, which means for achieving expected learning outcomes.
2. In addition, the teacher will define specific detailed principles and criteria for completion of the course and present them to students during the first class in a given academic year.
3. A student has the right to be absent 3 times in one term, consisting of 60 class hours (thirty 2-hour classes), while in the case of language courses which take 30 hours a term, blended language courses or e-courses, a student can be absent twice with no need to explain reasons for being absent. At the beginning of the course the teacher will instruct students on how to make up for the absence and complete what they have missed.
4. The mark given for the completion of the course (as well as ECTS points) will enter the University Student Service System (USOS)
5. The unsatisfactory mark can only be given to students who have not shown satisfactory results in tests, homework and the final achievement test.
6. Students should register for language courses themselves during the officially announced registration period only. Similarly, if students want to resign, they have to do that themselves but only during the registration period.
Practical placement
N/A
Bibliography
Mastering Arabic 1, 3rd. Edition by Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar
Mastering Arabic 1 Activity Book by Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar
Companion website with audio, video and other exercises: Mastering Arabic Series - Mastering Arabic 1 (bloomsburyonlineresources.com)
The teacher will supply additional material, both tailor-made and taken from other sources (textbooks, YouTube clips and other new media).
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: