Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic (ARAB 295, Section 01)
A Language and Culture Course
Fall 2005

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. Xeroxed Instructor's handouts as needed.

Grading:

Grading will be computed on the following basis. Final grades will be the accumulative points from:

  Participation: 10%

  Conversation: 10%

  Composition: 15%

  Homework assignments: 10%

  Quizzes: 15%

  Exams: 30%

  Poetry: 10%

Course Description, Goals and Objectives:

Ahlan wa Sahlan! Welcome to Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic!

This is a continuation of the first year Arabic. There will be more emphasis on fluency and grammar. Language is naturally and primarily acquired through hearing and listening to strings of sounds. Adhere to the following recommendations to acquire the most from this class.

• Mimic and imitate to the extent necessary to sound like a native speaker of Arabic.

• Review constantly, so that the speech habits of Arabic will become almost as familiar and well established as the speech habits of English.

• Avoid the use of English in the classroom, except when necessary.

• Take advantage of every opportunity to use the language. This is the only way to build up real fluency and control.

In this academic year (or its equivalent), students will engage in studying authentic Arabic materials (written, audio, and/or video) and be able to evaluate them for others. Students will be guided to function in situations where they have to use only the target language to communicate their ideas. They will also be able to converse in the target language as an intermediate-high 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 memorize the assigned passages by the indicated times.

Course Requirements:

Participation: Students are required to participate in all lectures, since conversation evaluations are done in class unannounced.

• 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. Homework gives you a chance to practice and master the ideas learned in class. We will generally start homework assignments in class, allowing you to ask questions pertaining to the assignment, then finish 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 homework will do well on the exams.

• Quizzes: There will be at least 6 vocabulary quizzes.
  
• Exams; there will be one comprehensive exam at the conclusion of every chapter, no midterm, and no final.

• Interviews: Students’ oral skills will be evaluated based on “Oral Proficiency Interview” format conversations. There will be a number of conversations handed out. Students need to be able to recreate those dialogues, or create other dialogues similar to those.

Extensions:

Extensions (for making up quizzes exams) should be requested in advance. Unexcused, late work will be penalized. Students may miss one quiz and one exam and make them up, no questions asked; after that, students must provide a valid reason for missing any quiz or exam. It is your responsibility to make up any work if you are absent. Students are responsible for using the language and computer labs, making use of the audio and video materials that constitute part of their graded assignments.

Course Evaluation:

The course evaluation is your opportunity to evaluate my performance and to provide suggestions for improving the course.

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:

1 st Class will be August 29, 2005

Liberal Arts Building : Room 140, M T W R 4:10 p.m.

Computer /Language labs: LA 103-104

Hours: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. M T W R

8 a.m. - 3 p.m. F

Language Lab:

The audio-tapes will be available any time in the language lab. The audio-tapes are available in the Library for check out, you may borrow any tape for one day only. However, it is strongly advisable to use the tapes in the lab where you find much more helpful facilities.

Office Hours:

I will be in my office from 9:30-to-10:30 on M W F and from 10:30-to-11:30 on T &R.

Everyone is encouraged and is welcome to come in, visit and practice Arabic.