Arabic Readings and Culture
1. Catalog Entry
Arabic Readings and Culture
Credit hours (4)
Prerequisites: ARAB 202 or placement by examinations
Students will expand their knowledge and further develop skills in the areas of listening, speaking, reading, writing, and culture with an emphasis on reading. This class is not intended and not recommended for native speakers of Arabic, but Heritage Arabic speakers are welcome. This course has been approved for Core Curriculum Credit in College Core B in Humanities.
2. Detailed Description of Course
This course is intended for students with knowledge of Arabic equivalent to the completion of the second year of college Arabic. Using selective reading materials from reading about contemporary events (first part of the semester) and Arabic literature, prose and poetry, (second part of the semester) the course seeks to familiarize students with reading comprehension techniques, with a simple understanding of both newspaper and literary language, and with an appraisal of critical thinking skills. The following communicative tasks are also covered: relating activities and impressions, making comparisons, and expressing opinions. Other cultural topics include Arabic film, history, art, music and word-processing in Arabic.
3. Detailed Description of Conduct of Course
This course will be conducted entirely in Arabic and requires active class participation. Although one third of the contact hours would have to be categorized as “lecture,” about two thirds of class time is devoted to open discussion of selected topics either in groups of three students or in a general class setting. Following a general discussion students are asked to read and analyze representative materials (newspaper and literary pieces). Students will be required to give an oral report in Arabic on one of the topics assigned and to write one eight-page term paper (or two analytical essays of approximately four to five typewritten pages each) dealing with one of the cultural topics studied in class. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers is recommended regarding the preparation of all manuscripts.
4. Goals and Objectives of the Course
Students will be able to demonstrate language skills appropriate to the level of study. Reading and writing goals (standardized ACTFL proficiency criteria): Students will develop reading skills that will enable them to read consistently with increased understanding simple connected texts dealing with a variety of basic and social needs. As regards writing, students will be able to meet a number of practical writing needs by communicating simple facts and ideas in a loose collection of sentences. There is growing evidence of control of the syntax of noncomplex sentences and basic inflectional morphology, such as declensions and conjugation.
In speaking, students will be able to handle successfully a limited number of interactive, task-oriented and social situations. They can ask and answer questions, initiate and respond to a variety of statements, maintain face-to-face conversation, and communicate in a wider variety of situations such as are covered in the textual materials read and practiced. Students will develop listening skills that will enable them to understand learned utterances, some longer sentence-length utterances, and will begin to understand main ideas and some facts from interactive exchanges and connected aural texts.
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 will be evaluated in oral presentations. Written homework assignments and test exercises provide a basis for the evaluation of writing progress. Listening and reading comprehension, grammatical accuracy, and familiarity with the new culture are tested in quizzes, chapter tests, and on the final exam.
6. Other Course Information
ARAB 300 targets language learners with the equivalent of four semesters of college Arabic and can help students to complete the B.A. degree requirement for students who began their college level study of Arabic with the fourth semester (ARAB 202). If students have taken ARAB 210, they have fulfilled the prerequisites for ARAB 300.
Review and Approval
June 28, 2012
June 20, 2015