ARA 105 Arabic Language (Level 2)

Instructor: Dr. Samia Elbassiouny

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Knowledge of Arabic language and its associated cultural practices, values, attitudes, and norms opens more doors to the Muslim world and Arabic speaking communities than would otherwise be available. In this course, students participate in lectures and interactive learning activities and engage in studying more complex grammatical structures, vocabulary in connection with Muslim and Arab cultures, daily life, festivals, poetry, music, stories, issues of identity, ethics, spirituality, and other facets of their culture. They use the structures and vocabulary in listening, speaking, and writing activities. Students explore a wide variety of styles of writing and genres of literature from different periods of Islamic history through authentic, primary texts. They engage in intensive reading of writings on a number of cultural topics, which enables them to critically approach and evaluate prose, fiction, and non-fiction, through literary theories. A close reading of the sources and scenario-based discussions enable students to expand their vocabulary, and discourse analysis skills and improve their critical thinking skills. Through independent research, students further their inquiry into the relationship between language and culture and produce and support theses of their own.




LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

1. Describe, compare and contrast a variety of topics using past, present, and future tense verbs (e.g., environments such as city, work, family, study, entertainment, daily routine, school surroundings; past trips, significant historical events, past and present experiences, future plans, etc.)

2. Formulate grammatically (syntactically/morphologically) and semantically correct sentences of increasing length and complexity on a variety of topics.

3. Demonstrate knowledge of vocabulary drawn from primary and secondary readings, and context areas, and good control of Arabic structures, grammar, and spelling when expressing their ideas in spoken and written forms.

4. Interpret factual and inferential information.

5. Identify and explain the meanings and connotations of some words and expressions and describe their meanings in relation to the varied cultures of the Arab World in historical and geographical contexts.

6. Plan and carry out research with their peers aimed at identifying and comparing various cultures of the Arab World and North America using the vocabulary they acquire in written and oral forms.

7. Show proficiency in spoken and written Arabic.

8. Discuss and integrate religious, and ethical values in learning the Arabic language and in using it in a wide variety of contexts.

9. Identify issues relating to Canadian society and Muslims in Canada, explain and propose arguments and solutions in short paragraphs using acquired vocabulary, idiomatic expressions and grammatical structures.




PREREQUISTIES


The successful completion of ARA 101 Arabic for Beginners or approval of the instructor.

Meet The Course Instructor