Arabic

Level 1

Arabic Level 1 (LFA00005L) 

Prerequisites

The course is aimed at those with no previous knowledge of the target language. It is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff and members of the public.

Duration and mode of delivery

19 weeks over 3 terms

We are committed to on-campus face-to-face teaching.

The following principles apply to all our courses:

• Places will be assigned on a first come first served basis 
• The learning aims and objectives of our courses are unchanged, as are the breadth and depth of content.
• The workload remains in accordance with academic requirements (20 credits = 200 hours of learning).
• Interaction with peers and tutors remains at the heart of our course design and delivery.
• You need to have access to a laptop or desktop and internet connection (please check the minimum specifications)

Aims

The course has two main aims. The first is to equip you with the key language skills to enable you to communicate in Arabic at a basic level, or to facilitate a trip to the countries where the target language is spoken. The second is to facilitate the acquisition of grammatical structures in Arabic which will provide the foundation for more in-depth study later on. This course focuses on general structures and functions and includes practice in the four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing).

Objectives

On completion of the course, you will be able to:

• communicate simply but effectively in Arabic at an elementary level
• understand basic cultural and social aspects of the language
• talk about yourself and understand when others tell you about themselves and their circumstances, including jobs
• order food; ask about prices
• ask for / understand directions, opening times and how to find facilities
• feel confident about pronouncing Arabic correctly, understanding and making yourself understood by a native speaker at an elementary level
• understand basic numerals
• describe things
• understand basic written instructions, signs and short communications
• understand simple information received in aural form
• have a knowledge of basic grammatical structures.

Teaching method

A communicative approach will be used throughout the course, with an emphasis on real-life situations. Grammar will be taught in context. During the course, your tutor will provide you with extra materials. To know what resources you will need to support your studies, please check our course material webpage.

Time commitment

In addition to your 2 hour face-to-face sessions per week, you will be expected to spend around 2-3 hours each week on independent study, as advised by your tutor.

Assessment and certification

Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work throughout the year and assessed via an end of year exam. The exam is mandatory for students taking the LFA modules for credit and optional for extracurricular students and members of the public. 

An LFA certificate will be awarded to participants who pass the end of year exam. Assessment details will be available by the start of the module.

Level 2

Arabic Level 2 (LFA00006L) 

Prerequisites

The course is aimed at those with previous knowledge of the target language (e.g. those who have successfully completed Arabic Level 1 or an equivalent beginners course, or who have spent some time in an Arabic-speaking country). It is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff and members of the public.

Duration and mode of delivery

19 weeks over 3 terms

We are committed to on-campus face-to-face teaching.

The following principles apply to all our courses:

• Places will be assigned on a first come first served basis 
• The learning aims and objectives of our courses are unchanged, as are the breadth and depth of content.
• The workload remains in accordance with academic requirements (20 credits = 200 hours of learning).
• Interaction with peers and tutors remains at the heart of our course design and delivery.
• You need to have access to a laptop or desktop and internet connection (please check the minimum specifications)

Aims

The key aim of the course is to extend your language skills in all skill areas (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and improve confidence, with the aim of increasing your ability to understand and communicate in Arabic. Grammar revision will form part of the course to help improve accuracy.

Objectives

On completion of the course, you will be able to:

• understand and participate more fully in conversations that might occur in everyday situations with improved fluency and pronunciation
• use a wider range of vocabulary and more complex structures when dealing with situations encountered at beginner’s level (eg. greetings, directions, places, shopping and eating out)
• speak and write about present, past and future events in simple terms
• talk about what you have done and will be doing
• talk about the weather
• talk about days, months and seasons
• describe people
• write a personal postcard or email
• understand numerals up to 1000
• understand basic written instructions, signs and short communications
• speak with better pronunciation so that you will be more easily understood
• feel more confident about pronouncing Arabic correctly, understanding and making yourself understood by a native speaker

Teaching method

A communicative approach will be used throughout the course, with an emphasis on real-life situations. Grammar will be taught in context. During the course, your tutor will provide you with extra materials. To know what resources you will need to support your studies, please check our course material webpage.

Time commitment

In addition to your 2 hour face-to-face sessions per week, you will be expected to spend around 2-3 hours each week on independent study, as advised by your tutor.

Assessment and certification

Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work throughout the year and assessed via an end of year exam. The exam is mandatory for students taking the LFA modules for credit and optional for extracurricular students and members of the public. 

An LFA certificate will be awarded to participants who pass the end of year exam. Assessment details will be available by the start of the module.

Level 3

Arabic Level 3 (LFA00025C) 

Prerequisites

This module is aimed at those who have successfully completed the Level 2 course or an equivalent post-beginners course, or who have spent a reasonable amount of time in a country where the language is spoken. Students who have sound knowledge in Standard Arabic and can read, write and speak in SA are also eligible to join this course. The course is open to undergraduate and postgraduate students, staff and members of the public.

Duration and mode of delivery

19 weeks over 3 terms

We are committed to on-campus face-to-face teaching.

The following principles apply to all our courses:

• Places will be assigned on a first come first served basis 
• The learning aims and objectives of our courses are unchanged, as are the breadth and depth of content.
• The workload remains in accordance with academic requirements (20 credits = 200 hours of learning).
• Interaction with peers and tutors remains at the heart of our course design and delivery.
• You need to have access to a laptop or desktop and internet connection (please check the minimum specifications)

Aims

This module seeks to enable students to:

• further develop their four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), while learning Arabic within the framework of diglossia (learning how to distinguish between the written and the spoken, formal and informal). 
• further develop their skills in the communicative competences of Modern Standard Arabic and the main colloquial accents (e.g. Egyptian, Jordanian and the Gulf region)
• gain further knowledge of cultural aspects of the Arab world and an understanding of additional structural patterns appropriate to this level
• gain more confidence in using the language in daily communication and in using the acquired skills for further studies in a variety of specialisations (e.g. history, politics, business). 

Objectives

On completion of the course, you will be able to:

• express feelings and conduct conversation independently rather than relying on situational dialogue topics
• distinguish key differences in the main colloquial accents
• recognise and distinguish the use of assimilation and elision in speaking, in addition to understanding key varieties in using them in the main regional accents as well as in modern standard Arabic  
• read more fluently
• have a sense of appreciation for style when writing

Teaching method

A communicative approach will be used throughout the course, with an emphasis on real-life situations. Grammar will be taught in context. During the course, your tutor will provide you with extra materials. To know what resources you will need to support your studies, please check our course material webpage.

Time commitment

In addition to your 2 hour face-to-face sessions per week, you will be expected to spend around 2-3 hours each week on independent study, as advised by your tutor.

Assessment and certification

Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work throughout the year and assessed via an end of year exam. The exam is mandatory for students taking the LFA modules for credit and optional for extracurricular students and members of the public. 

An LFA certificate will be awarded to participants who pass the end of year exam. Assessment details will be available by the start of the module.