Arabic Beginners 1 - LFA00031C

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Module summary

This module runs over 22 weeks, from September to May. This course is aimed at students who have no previous knowledge of Arabic. Over the course of two semesters, it will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to learn Arabic and communicate in basic situations. It will focus on developing a communicative competence from beginner level and provide a foundation for further study.

Module will run

Occurrence	Teaching period
A	Semester 1 2026-27 to Semester 2 2026-27

Module aims

This module will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to communicate and interact in Arabic over the course of 22 weeks and to develop an awareness of key cultural aspects in the Arabic-speaking world. It will focus on developing a communicative competence at beginner level, pitched at A1-level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The module aims are:

• to build up basic skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing
• to develop strategies for learning Arabic
• to develop interactive skills in familiar situations
• to introduce and practise the writing system and orthography

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in activities and tasks emphasising three core communicative skills:

1. reception activities (oral, audio-video and reading comprehension);
2. production activities (oral and written production);
3. interaction activities (oral, written and online interaction).

The mediums of instruction are English and Arabic.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students should be able to:

• Understand everyday basic expressions and short, simple informational material and texts (e.g. on sports, music, travel or short, illustrated narratives about everyday activities).
• Produce short simple phrases about people and places and about themselves (e.g. name, address, family, nationality), to describe themselves as well as simple aspects of their everyday life in a series of simple sentences prepared in advance.
• Interact in a simple way and ask and answer simple questions about themselves and their daily routines.
• Recognise basic cultural differences (e.g. differing ways of numbering, measuring distance, telling the time, etc.) and establish basic social contact by using the simplest everyday polite forms of greetings, farewells and introductions.

Module content

Topics may include:

• The alphabet.
• Definite and indefinite nouns.
• Greetings and leave-taking.
• Introductions.
• Simple sentences.
• Describing places.
• Pronouns and demonstrative nouns.
• Jobs, work and study.
• Countries and people.
• Colours and numbers.

Indicative assessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	60.0
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	40.0

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

*The weightings below will only apply to students who opt in to get a mark.

Continuous Assessment 60%

• S1, Week 11 (30%): submission including reading and linguistic competence tasks. “Linguistic competence” tasks can include grammar, vocabulary and use of language.
• S2, Week 10 (30%): 1-hour in-class closed written assignment including a writingsection and linguistic competence tasks.

Oral Exam 40%

Individual oral exam focusing on speaking and interaction skills (6 min)

Indicative reassessment

Task	% of module mark
Essay/coursework	60.0
Oral presentation/seminar/exam	40.0

Module feedback

Students’ performance will be monitored through formative work and in guided class practice throughout the year.

Indicative reading

Textbook: Mastering Arabic 1, 4th edition. Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar, Bloomsbury.

Handouts designed by the tutor accompany the textbook.