SOAS LANGUAGE CENTRE Arabic Beginners 1 Materials: Wightwick, J. and Gaafar, M. (2014): Mastering Arabic 1 (3 rd ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan. Overview of Course Contents Synopsis 12 hours Introduction to the Arabic language The aim of Arabic Beginners 1 is to provide students with a basic knowledge of Alphabet and pronunciation ‘standard’ Arabic, which is the dialect common to the entire Arabic-speaking part of Greetings the world and not specifically associated with any given country or region. A good Introducing oneself: name, nationality, profession Forming simple sentences grounding in Modern Standard Arabic is the basis from which learners may progress Male and female forms to the study of vernacular forms, such as Egyptian or Levantine Arabic. Talking about one’s family Feminine words The course covers grammar and essential vocabulary and focuses on the four Demonstratives (What’s this?) language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), aiming to enable students to Talking about one’s work communicate in everyday situations. The course is taught in English and Arabic, and a Plural forms Describing things variety of materials specifically created by SOAS Language Centre teachers are used 24 hours alongside the main textbook. Everyday objects ( Whose is this? ) Possessive endings In class, students are encouraged to interact with each other using Arabic, practising Making polite requests the vocabulary and structures learnt in pairs or in small groups. Outside of the class, The indefinite and definite articles ‘Sun and moon letters’ students are encouraged to revise what has been taught, so that progress may be Describing places made as the material covered becomes more complex. Participants are asked to put Asking questions ( Where? How? What? etc.) sufficient time aside between sessions to undertake the necessary consolidation. Prepositions Introduction to dialect features This course may be taken as a 10-week/term-long course in any of the three The iḍafa construction academic terms of the year, where the number of contact hours is 20. In both Forming more complex sentences Describing one’s town intensive and semi-intensive mode (offered during Easter and over the summer), the Writing and listening activities number is contact hours is 24. In semi intensive mode, the division between the first Overview and progress test and second weeks is indicated, opposite ( 12 hours; 24 hours). .