Arabic 102

ARAB 102
Elementary Arabic II

1. Catalog Entry

ARAB 102
Elementary Arabic II

Credit hours (4)
Prerequisites: ARAB 101 or placement by examinations

Four hours lecture and language practice. A continuation of ARAB 101 with emphasis upon communication in both the present and past tense. This class is not for native or heritage speakers of Arabic. Independent laboratory practice required. Approved for Core Curriculum credit in College Core B in Humanities.

2. Detailed Description of Course

This is a four credit hours course of the second and last sequence of elementary Arabic language. Arabic is a Semitic language used throughout the Arab World which extends from Morocco in North Africa to Oman in the Gulf area. In this class, students learn Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), as it is used in media and books throughout the Arabic-speaking world with emphasis upon communication in both the present and past tense.  

A continuation of Arab 101, reviews the study of the essential elements of Arabic structure, and introduces new Arabic structure, vocabulary, and cultural aspects of the Arabic-speaking world. This class is not for native speakers of Arabic. Aural comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing are stressed in that order. Independent laboratory practice required.

3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Class instruction targets communication practice using the situations, intentions, vocabulary, culture, and grammar introduced in a given chapter.  Other activities include: grammar and vocabulary explanations, pronunciation practice, listening comprehension exercises, writing, and grammar drills.  Class is conducted primarily in the target language.

4. Goals and Objectives of the Course

Students will be able to demonstrate language skills appropriate to the level of study.
Speaking and listening goals (standardized ACTFL proficiency criteria): Students will be able to speak Arabic by relying heavily on learned utterances but occasionally expanding these through simple recombination of their elements. Students will be able to ask questions or make statements involving learned material. There will be some spontaneity, but speech will continue to consist primarily of learned phrases. Students will be able to pronounce nearly all Arabic sounds accurately when uttered in isolation and a growing number even in rapid speech. In regards to listening skills, students will be able to understand short, learned phrases and some sentence-length utterances, particularly where context strongly supports understanding and speech is clearly audible.

Reading and writing goals (standardized ACTFL proficiency criteria): Students will be able to identify an increasing amount of learned material without assistance and to understand a limited amount of new material when supported by context or dictionary assistance. In writing, students will be able to reproduce a variety of learned phrases and some basic sentences by recombining learned material. Students will be able to meet a number of practical writing needs and write short, simple letters.

Students will be able to analyze similarities and differences between their own and the target cultures.

Students will be able to explain contemporary international issues from the perspectives of their own and the target cultures.

5. Assessment Measures

Speaking progress is evaluated in class and in oral interviews. Written homework assignments provide a basis for the evaluation of writing progress.  Listening and reading comprehension and grammatical accuracy are tested in quizzes, chapter tests, and on the final exam.  In most of these testing situations, students will also either demonstrate or further expand (in the case of new linguistic excerpts containing new cultural topics) their familiarity with cultural topics and current global issues.  Students’ success in using Arabic will therefore demonstrate not only their linguistic abilities but also their cultural competence to anticipate, identify, and to simulate the use of different cultural perceptions and behaviors through the new language.

6. Other Course Information

To supplement linguistic and cultural encounters in class, students are expected to participate in some extracurricular activities such as conversation with native speakers, watching Arabic language movies, and inquiring about Arabic world cultures by means of the multitude of media available as informational resources.  This can help students fulfill the B.A. foreign language requirement. ARAB 101 is for beginners and students who have had no more than one year of Arabic in high school. Students who have taken ARAB 100, they may take ARAB 102, but they are not eligible to take ARAB 101.

Review and Approval

June 20, 2015