Elementary Modern Standard Arabic (ARABIC 101, Section 01)
A Language and Culture Course
Fall 2005

Distance Lecturer:

Dr. Nabil Abdelfattah
E-mail: nabil.abdulfattah@scglobal.net
Via Videoconferencing from San Francisco State University
Web: www.montana.edu/wwwml/Abdelfattah/
Tel & Fax: (510) 526-3869

Local UM Adjunct Instructor:

Samir I. Bitar
The Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
E-mail: samir.bitar@umontana.edu
Phone: (406) 243-4385
Office: LA 431

Textbook:

1. Brustad, et al., Al-Kitaab fi ta’allum al-arabiyya: A Textbook for Beginning Arabic, Part I. (Required)

2. Alif-Baa, Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds. (Required)

Grading:

The grading is a shared responsibility between the Distance Lecturer and the Teaching Assistants/Local Instructors. Please refer to the syllabus provided by Dr. Nabil for all grading details.

Course Description, Goals and Objectives:

Ahlan wa Sahlan! Welcome to Arabic!

Elementary Modern Standard Arabic brings you the opportunity to learn Arabic via distance learning and the benefit of a local native Arabic speaker. We will use modern media in an innovative language learning method that should be both exciting and motivating. So prepare for active participation in class.

The class will meet five times a week. Twice weekly Via Videoconferencing from

San Francisco State University , Dr. Nabil will transmit simultaneous interactive video instruction to students at each participating university. The Professor and students at each site will be able to talk with one another via a large screen projector in the classroom.

The other three days, I (Samir) will lead the class in discussion sessions in which you will work on building your communicative skills and knowledge of Arab culture.

Language is naturally and primarily acquired through hearing and listening to strings of sounds. When it comes to learning and teaching a second language it is strongly advisable to imitate the acquisition process of first, language as well as to learn how to read texts; hence the materials of this course will expose you to a large quantity of aural and written texts. This exposition to real-life Arabic can be the most challenging and rewarding exercise you undertake.

In one academic year (or its equivalent), students will be guided to learn the Arabic alphabet, vocabulary, syntax, grammar, and be able to converse in the target language as an intermediate-low speaker or better (ACTFLE standards). Additionally, students will be exposed to some aspects of the Arabic culture, customs, and traditions.

Course readings:

In addition to materials contained in the textbooks, there will be additional poetry texts that are designed to enhance the students’ ability to read and speak the language continuously (transition from one word to the next). Students are expected to memorized the assigned passages by the indicated times.

Course Requirements:

• Participation: Students are required to participate in all lectures and local sessions.

• In-Class Assignments: At the beginning of each class session (every class hour, and starting in the second week), students will be asked to carry a short dialogue/conversation with a classmate. Students will be randomly selected so each student must be ready every day.

• Homework Assignments: There will be daily homework assignments, which will be collected. These assignments must be done at home, they will not be corrected in class, but students can ask in class if they have a question about a particular drill or sentence. Remember that most exams will be based on the assigned drills, so those who do the HW will do well on the exams.

• Quizzes: There will be at least 6 vocabulary quizzes. (The first may cover the alphabet—connecting letters etc. –and some vocab.)

• Exams; Please refer to the syllabus provided by Dr. Nabil for details.

Extensions:

Extensions (for making up quizzes exams) should be requested in advance. Unexcused, late work will be penalized. Students may miss one quiz and make it up, no questions asked; after that, students must provide a valid reason for missing any quiz or exam.

Students are responsible for making use of the audio and video materials that constitute an itegral part of class materials..

Attendance:

As the syllabus indicates, attendance is important. It includes coming on time and it directly affects your grade. Language learning is a highly cumulative process. It is like making a tower out of blocks: you keep building on top of what you did the day before.

Classroom Sessions:

1st Class will be August 29, 2005

Monday: Lecture 2:10 – 3:00pm Dr. Nabil (interactive video) - Liberal Arts Building; Room No. 106

Tuesday: Session 2:10 – 3:00pm Samir Bitar - Liberal Arts Building; Room No. 335

Wednesday: Lecture 2:10 – 3:00pm Dr. Nabil (interactive video) - Liberal Arts Building; Room No. 106

Thursday: Session 2:10 – 3:00pm Samir Bitar - Liberal Arts Building; Room No. 335

Friday: Cultural Session 2:10 - 3:00pm Samir Bitar – Liberal Arts Building; Room 106

Office Hours:

 I will be in my office from 9:30-10:30 : M,W,F and from 10:30-11:30 T, R. Everyone is encouraged and is welcome to come in, visit and practice Arabic. I am also available by appointment.