Arabic 101 - First-Year Arabic I

This course starts by thoroughly studying the Arabic alphabet. It introduces the basics of Modern Standard Arabic and a brief exposure to one of the Arabic dialects through the listening, speaking, reading and writing activities. By the end of this course students should be at the Novice-Mid/ Novice-High level and they should be able to:

Accurately recognize the Arabic letters, identify a number of high-frequency, highly contextualized words and phrases including cognates, derive meaning from short, non-complex texts that convey basic information for which there is contextual or extra-linguistic support. Re-reading is often required;

Recognize and begin to understand a number of high-frequency, highly contextualized words and phrases including aural cognates; begin to understand information from sentence-length speech, one utterance at a time, in basic personal and social contexts where there is contextual or extra-linguistic support;

Communicate minimally by using a number of learned words and phrases limited by the particular context in which the language has been learned, initiate social interactions, ask for basic information, and be aware of basic cultural aspects of social interaction in the Arab world, talk about themselves, their education, and family with native speakers of Arabic accustomed to interacting with learners of Arabic as a foreign language;

Write short, simple sentences or a short paragraph about self, daily life, personal experience relying mainly on practiced vocabulary and sentence structures, produces lists, short messages, simple notes, postcards;

Understand aspects of Arab culture including commonly used culturally important expressions and differentiate between formal and colloquial spoken Arabic in limited contexts.

Limited to 18 students. Fall semester. Five College Senior Lecturer Hassan.

How to handle overenrollment: Priority given to ASLC majors, then to class year (seniors first).

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: In this course we will use textbooks, audio and video instructional and authentic materials and teacher-prepared materials and exercises. Assessment tools in this course assess the four language skills and are based on attendance and class participation, homework, weekly quizzes, a mid-term and final written exams, in addition to oral presentations and listening evaluations.