Arabic Post-Beginners - LFA00033H

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Module summary

This 20-credit module runs over two semesters (Semester 1 and Semester 2) for a total of 22 teaching weeks. This course is aimed at students who have a basic knowledge of Arabic. Over the course of two semesters, it will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary to learn Arabic and take part in everyday routine exchanges. It will focus on developing a communicative competence at a post-beginner level and provide a foundation for further study. When students enrol on the elective it will be assumed that they are willing to undertake an uneven workload.

Professional requirements

None

Related modules

LFA Arabic Beginners 2 or equivalent (A1+/basic knowledge of Arabic)

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 two semesters and to develop an awareness of key cultural aspects in the Arabic-speaking world. It will focus on developing a communicative competence at post-beginner level, to about A2 level standard of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

The module aims are for students to:

• further develop the 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).

• 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.

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in communicative activities and tasks emphasizing three modes of communication:

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 straightforward factual texts with a satisfactory level of comprehension.

• Produce short, complex texts on topics of interest and give and justify their opinion.

• Summarise, report and give their opinion about accumulated factual information and produce very brief reports in a standard conventionalised format.

• Express personal opinions and exchange information on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events).

• Generally respond appropriately to the most commonly used cultural cues to discuss in simple terms different perceptions of culturally determined actions.

• Reflect upon language use and to justify linguistic choices.

• Self-monitor and self-regulate their own learning and resources.

• Identify and apply adequate strategies to prevent or overcome breakdowns in interaction and production activities.

Module content

Topics may include:

• The past tense

• The present tense

• Broken plural

• Talking about the past

• Daily routine

• Future plans

• Letter writing

• Numbers.

• Days of the week.

• Months of the year.

Indicative assessment

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

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

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. Additional metalinguistic awareness questions for students in the I and H coded versions of this module worth 5% of the final submission mark will be included in this assignment.

• S2, Week 10 (30%): 1-hour in-class closed written assignment including a writing section and linguistic competence tasks.

Oral Exam 40%

Individual oral exam focusing on speaking and interaction skills (8 min)

Reassessment

This module is reassessed at the component level. This means that if you are required to resit this module, you will have to re-take any of the original assessment components that you have failed (see summative assessments above for list of components).

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 and assessed via continuous assessment submissions and an end-of-year oral exam. Students will be given written feedback and marks for their work within the University mandated schedule.

Indicative reading

Textbook: Mastering Arabic 2, 4th edition. Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar, Bloomsbury.

Handouts designed by the tutor accompany the textbook.