Description
This is an MSA (Modern Standard Arabic) course for beginners. MSA is the common language in the 22 Arabic countries, and is widely spread in the inter-Arab media (such as al-Jazeera). This course will provide students with the basics in Arabic and give them a good background if they wish later on to learn one of the many dialects of the region. Introduction of communicative skills as well as grammar basics will be done through the story of Egyptian and Syrian students, introducing learners to an Arabic cultural environment
Course objectives
The course familiarises students with Arabic script and phonetics and aims at giving them the possibility to understand basic structures of MSA. This is a elementary course, that will be followed by a course in the second semester. The two courses together form an integrated basic language course. At the end of the total learning process, participants will be able to read and understand simple texts (with help of the dictionary), to follow simple speeches, and to converse about routine matters.
Timetable
Please see the LUC website: www.lucthehague.nl
Mode of instruction
The course is based on an interactive method, giving space to the student to practice and to make sure he/she is progressing in the learning process. The course requires a lot of self-teaching at home, based on a colourful text book, with audio video material.
Assessment method
- In-class dictation tests 10% of final grade
- In-class oral assignment 10% of final grade
- Written Exam 20% of final grade
- Final Listening exam/Oral exam 30% of final grade
- Final Written exam 30% of final grade
Blackboard
This course is supported by a BlackBoard site
Reading list
Kristen Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal, Abbas Al-Tonsi, Alif Baa, Introduction to Arabic letters and Sounds, Third Edition, 2010, Georgetown University Press. (For the two first weeks)
Kristen Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal, Abbas Al-Tonsi, Al-Kitaab fii Ta’allum al-‘Arabiyya: A Textbook for Beginning Arabic, Part One, Second Edition, 2004, Georgetown University Press.
Recommended reading: Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Arabic-English). Edited by J. Milton Cowan. Fourth Edition, considerably enlarged and amended by the author. (Ithaca, N.Y., 1994).
Registration
This course is only open for LUC The Hague students.
Contact information
Weekly Overview
As this is a general language course, all language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) will be dealt with every week.