Standards for Arabic Language Learning, 2002

NALRCNALRC

National African Language Resource Center

African Language Curriculum Development andEvaluation

Summer 2002 Institute

Standards for Standards for Arabic Language LearningArabic Language Learning

Mouna SariUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

[email protected]

Mustafa MughazyUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

[email protected]

Lilian FarhatRutgers University

1

[email protected]

2

WHY STUDY ARABIC?

Arabic is the mother tongue of speakers in twenty Middle-Eastern and North African countries with a population ofabout 250 million people extending from the Persian Gulf tothe Atlantic Ocean. Arabic is the national language ofAlgeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, SaudiArabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emiratesand Yemen. Arabic is also the sacral language of twenty-four non-Arab Muslim countries with a population of aboutone billion. Arabic is the language of Islam, a richliterary tradition, and a civilization that contributedgreatly to all areas of human endeavor. The Arabic alphabetis the second in use after only the Roman alphabet. TheUnited Nations adopted Arabic as one of its six officiallanguages in 1974. Arabic has become indispensable foranyone interested in Islamic studies, comparative theology,Middle-Eastern studies, international law, politicalsciences, or international business. Although there are manyregional varieties of Arabic, Standard Arabic is understoodby all dialect speakers.

The Arab world has become the focus of internationalattention because of the production of oil and large-scaleeconomic investments and development. Also, Arabic hasrecently received an international status, as it is thelanguage of world-class modern literature such as the worksof the Nobel Prize winner Naguib Mahfouz, an Egyptiannovelist; Jibran Khalil Jibran, a Lebanese poet; and MahmoudDarwish, a Palestinian poet. Events in the Middle Eastaffect our daily lives, and the study of Arabic providesnecessary insights to better understand the cultural,ideological, and political forces of that vital region ofthe world. Arabic, like Hebrew, is a Semitic language. It is spoken andunderstood in various forms by millions of people throughoutthe Middle East and beyond. Examining any etymological

3

dictionary will reveal that English, French, German,Spanish, Italian, Greek, Russian, Persian, Aryan, Sanskrit,Hindi, Chinese, and Latin have borrowed many words fromArabic. Words such as magazine, cat, cover, Alcohol, Algebra, hallucinate,cable, and as many as 1000 other words passed from Arabic toEuropean languages alone. Modern Arabic varies a good dealfrom country to country, differing as much as, say Spanishand Portuguese. However, the classical written Arabic haschanged little over the centuries. Classical Arabic, thelanguage of the Muslim holy book, the Qur'an, is used onlyin writing and rarely in speech. A standardized modernArabic is used for newspapers, for television and, withlocal variations, for conversation.

Other reasons for the study of Arabic is that the MiddleEast is the cradle of civilization and the birthplace of theworld’s three monotheistic religions. It is also home tosome of the world’s greatest archeological and religioussites and it is very rich with diverse cultures. Ancientarchaeology and monuments such as the pyramids, sphinx andother sites in Egypt and other Arab countries add to thesignificance of Arabic studies. Arabic is the gateway for aninteresting and self-rewarding scholarly or business career.

Arabs and their History

Millions of people in the Arab countries in North Africa andSouth West Asia speak Arabic as a mother tongue:. Morepeople speak Arabic in non-Arab countries as a secondlanguage such as in Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, Malaysia,Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. Standard (or Classical)Arabic is the written language for all Arabic speakers.Although every Arab country has its unique dialect ofArabic, all these dialects derive from Standard Arabic interms of pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. As aresult, Arabic speakers from different parts of the ArabWorld can communicate with one another easily, especially asthey get more and more exposed to one another’s dialectsthrough the media and thus learn to identify the equivalence

4

of different pronunciations and lexical items in differentdialects. Nevertheless, the most widely-understood Arabicdialect in the Middle East remains the Egyptian dialectbecause of the predominance of the Egyptian cinema and musicindustry, which has led to an abundance of Egyptian moviesand songs throughout the whole Arab world. The earliest manifestation of a linguistic form, which canbe identified as Arabic, is on a tombstone at Nemara in theSyrian Desert, dated A.D. 328, and one or two similarinscriptions from the fifth-sixth century. Round about A.D.600 there were current in Arabia a number of dialects,roughly classifiable in to an eastern and a western group.The course of the sixth century, however, had seen theproduction of a corpus of poetry, preserved initially byoral transmission, and only written down for the first timein the eight-ninth century. The linguistic status of thispoetic corpus is very debatable, but a frequently acceptedhypothesis is that it represents a sort of koine or commonlanguage used for poetry (and probably for 'elevated'diction in general) throughout the peninsula, and notcompletely identifiable with any one dialect as used for thepurposes of everyday life, though on the whole its mainfeatures appear to be eastern rather than western.

Arabic Language and Culture

One interesting aspect of Arabic culture that is directlyconnected to Arabic language is Arabic Calligraphy. TheArabic alphabet is derived from the Aramaic Nabataeanalphabet. It is a script of 28 letters. The letters arederived from 17 distinct forms, distinguished from oneanother by a dot or dots placed above or below the letter.Short vowels are indicated by diagonal strokes written aboveor below the letter. The early Arabs felt an immenseappreciation for the beauty of the spoken word and later forthe written word. Among the most famous Arabic scripts isthe Kufi script (the script of Kufa, a city in Iraq). Arab

5

artists decorate the walls of the mosques with verses fromal-Qur’an written in the Kufi script which is adistinguishing characteristics of Islamic architecture.

STUDYING ARABIC IN THE U.S.

Because Arabic is the medium of a great civilization and thelanguage of a large number of speakers in the US andoutside, more and more American universities offer Arabic asone of their major foreign languages through their Africanlanguage programs, Near-/Middle-Eastern studies, or otherinstructional units. Moreover, Arabic has become animportant asset for doing advanced research in variousdisciplines such as political science, religious studies,and economics. The following is a list of some universitiesin the United States that currently offer Arabic.

California State University, Los Angeles, CA Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. City University of NY--Queens College, Flushing, NY Duke University, Durham, NC Indiana University in Bloomington Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN Johns Hopkins University/SAIS, Washington, D.C. Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI Northwestern University, Evanston, IL Ohio State University, Columbus, OH Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA Rutgers University, Piscatawa, NJ Saint Cloud State University, Saint Cloud, MN Stanford University, Stanford, CA University of California at Berkeley University of Florida, Gainesville, FL University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign University of Kansas, Lawrence, KN University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI

6

For more information, please contact the National African Language Resource Center, or check the NALRC web site at http://african.lss.wisc.edu/nalrc

ABOUT STANDARDS FOR ARABIC LANGUAGE LEARNING

The standards are not a stand-alone document, nor do theyconstitute a curriculum or syllabus. Rather, they areintended to assist educators, whether at the level of theindividual classroom, school, or district, in developingstandards-based curricula for teaching Modern StandardArabic.

The generic Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Preparing for the 21st

Century is a visionary document based on the premise thatevery American student should have the opportunity todevelop proficiency in a second language in an articulatedsequence of instruction. Consequently, the Sample ProgressIndicators contained in the generic document reflect thisideal learning situation and describe in broad terms theexpected outcomes of such an extended curriculum. It isimportant to note that the generic standards document, whichgrew out of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines, reflects aprogression in our understanding of how language is used.

The Arabic standards document is divided into five goalstaken directly from the generic document for foreignlanguage learning. Each goal is supported by two or morecontent standards that elaborate what students should knowto achieve the goals. They are followed by sample progressindicators, which describe what students need to be able todo to meet the standards at different developmental stages--beginning, intermediate, and advanced. These sampleprogress indicators are cumulative and neither prescriptivenor exhaustive. Intermediate and advanced students areexpected to exhibit the progress indicators of the lowerlevels as well as the progress indicators of their ownlevel.

7

../../../redirect%3Fhttp://african.lss.wisc.edu/nalrc

The beginning, intermediate, and advanced sequences areassumed to cover the K-12 sequence even though we understandthat the majority of students of African languages includingArabic, do not begin their language studies until college oruniversity. Currently, there is no school system, privateor public, which offers a K-12 articulated curriculum inAfrican languages. However, the Arabic standards that assumebeginning, intermediate, and advanced sequences provide theopportunity for the learning of Modern Standard Arabic tobegin at any level.

For example, college or university level students who beginlearning Arabic during their first year of college can beexpected to demonstrate progress indicated by beginningsample progress indicators before moving to the intermediatelevel. Such beginning level students are assumed to be ableto demonstrate progress indicated by advanced sampleprogress indicators by the end of their university program.

On the other hand, if Arabic is taught continuously from theearly grades, it would be reasonable to assume that abeginning student can demonstrate progress indicated bybeginning sample progress indicators by grade 6 or 8. Ifthis same student continues till the end of grade 12, weassume that the student can demonstrate progress indicatedby advanced sample progress indicators by grade 12.Similarly, if a student of Arabic begins the study of thelanguage at the high school level and continues till the endof high school year, it is also reasonable to assume that ahigh school beginning student can demonstrate progressindicated by intermediate sample progress indicators bygrade 12. Notice that the progress of students in terms ofstandards of excellence, or proficiency, is the factor to bemeasured, not by years of studies.

The Arabic standards are applicable to current classroomreality. The sample progress indicators for any level caneasily be spiraled up and down in the level ofsophistication in order to accommodate learners of different

8

language backgrounds and levels. The standards are alsoapplicable to heritage learners who are often alreadyfamiliar with at least one regional dialect of Arabic. Inrecent years, a growing number of heritage learners havebeen entering the university Arabic programs with priorknowledge of the Arabic language and culture. Such learnerscan be allowed to begin their learning of Modern StandardArabic either at the beginning, intermediate, or advancedlevel depending on the sample progress indicators that theydemonstrate at the entry level.

The Arabic-specific examples under each sample progressindicator serve as a starting point for teachers toconceptualize how the standards might be applied in theclassroom. In addition, the sample learning scenariosdemonstrate how the standards and progress indicators mightbe used as the foundation for a unit or a daily lesson. Mostof the sample learning scenarios can be expanded or modifiedfor different classroom situations at various levels.

The Arabic standards were developed with an integratedapproach in mind, encouraging the use of speaking,listening, reading, and writing skills. These skills are tobe transacted through a spiraling and recursive process atall levels to lead toward developmentally appropriatecommunicative competence in Arabic. The inclusion of thelatest instructional technologies brings the Arabic languageand culture into the classroom in an immediate and authenticway, and provides an additional means for achieving thestandards.

NATIONAL STANDARDS, STATE FRAMEWORKS, AND LOCALCURRICULA

Standards for Arabic Language Learning is intended for manyaudiences and for many purposes. It describes on a nationallevel what we expect our students to know and be able to do.It is our message to legislators, educators, board ofeducation, communities, parents, and students. It is a

9

guide for state curriculum frameworks. At the district andlocal levels, it is a guide for curriculum development.

It is important to understand that this document is notmeant to be a classroom tool. It is not a curriculum for anArabic course. Neither is it a guide for daily lessonplanning. Standards for Arabic Language Learning does not mandatemethodology, and it is not textbook bound. It does not tellany instructor how to teach. It provides a destination, nota road map.

Standards for Arabic Language Learning is a statement of whatstudents should know and be able to do. State frameworksprovide a curricular and programmatic context. Districtcurriculum guides further define course content in acoordinated sequence. Lesson plans translate curriculum intomeaningful and creative activities for the individualclassroom.

Standards for Learning Arabic

COMMUNICATION GOAL ONECommunication in Arabic

Standard 1.1: Interpersonal Communication

Students engage in conversations or correspondence in Arabicto provide and obtain information, express feelings andemotions, and exchange opinions.

Standard 1.2: Interpretive Communication

Students understand and interpret spoken and written Arabicin a variety of topics.

Standard 1.3: Presentational Communication

10

Students present information, concepts, and ideas in Arabicon a variety of topics to an audience of listeners orreaders.

CULTURES GOAL TWOGain Knowledge and Understanding of the Cultures ofthe Arab People

Standard 2.1: Practices of Cultures

Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationshipsbetween the practices and perspectives of the cultures ofthe Arab world.

Standard 2.2: Products of Culture

Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationshipsbetween the products and perspectives of the cultures in theArab world.

CONNECTIONS GOAL THREEUse Arabic to Connect with Other Disciplines andExpand Knowledge

Standard 3.1: Making Connections

Students reinforce and further their knowledge of otherdisciplines through Arabic.

Standard 3.2: Acquiring Information

Students acquire information and recognize the distinctiveviewpoints that are only available through Arabic cultures.

COMPARISONS GOAL FOUR

11

Develop Insight through Arabic into the Nature ofLanguage and Culture

Standard 4.1: Language Comparisons

Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of languagethrough comparisons of Arabic to their native language.

Standard 4.2: Cultural Comparisons

Students demonstrate understanding of the concepts ofculture though comparisons of Arabic cultures to their own.

COMMUNITIES GOAL FIVEUse Arabic to Participate in Communities at Home andaround the World.

Standard 5.1: School and community

Students use Arabic both within and beyond the schoolsetting.

Standard 5.2: Lifelong Learning

Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners byusing Arabic for personal enjoyment and enrichment.

COMMUNICATION GOAL ONECommunication in Arabic

The linguistic situation in the Arab world is unique becauseof its diglossic characteristic, where there are twovarieties of the language: a ‘high’ one viz. ClassicalArabic used for religious and educational discourse and a‘low’ one viz. Colloquial Arabic used in informal contextsand everyday face-to-face communication. Moreover, thecolloquial varieties differ from one country to another and

12

from one region to another within the same country, as wellas in the degree of ‘colloquialness’ for the same speakerdepending on the context. Similarly, the degree of‘standardness’ also varies according to the context. Forexample, a lecture in Arabic would not include the caseendings while a recitation of the scripture wouldnecessitate their inclusion. An educated native speaker ofArabic knows how to code switch between these sub-varietiesas well as the social factors that motivate the use of onerather than another.

For learners to effectively communicate in Arabic as aforeign/second language, they need to learn Modern StandardArabic and one of the many regional dialects, such asEgyptian, Levantine, Moroccan, or Saudi among many others.Only when they develop high competence in both varieties ofArabic, can they achieve the level of communicativecompetence where they can function in an Arabic-speakingenvironment. This fact has motivated a few universities inthe U.S. to offer classes in a colloquial dialect inaddition to Modern Standard Arabic. Because Standard Arabicis the variety offered in most universities, is the varietythat is understood in all Arab countries, and is used ineducated and written discourse, students’ communicativeskills will be developed in Modern Standard Arabic.

Goal one of this standard focuses on the communicative modein its three essential aspects. The first aspect focuses onface-to-face communication by two or more individuals viadirect conversation or through exchanges of notes andpersonnel messages. The second aspect is called theinterpretive mode and its main focus is on understandingwhat one hears or reads through no direct personal contact.Written, visual and aural material requires interpretationto be comprehended. The third aspect is called thepresentational mode and it deals with individualscommunicating their thoughts to an audience of listeners andspeakers through a specialized medium, such as recordings,

13

presentations or written texts. The three communicativemodes form the three standards of the first goal.

For American students, the ability to communicate in Arabicwill become an increasingly important asset in the rapidlyshrinking, interdependent world of the 21st century. In thecourse of their work or their leisure activities, studentswho have studied Arabic may be called upon to interact withspeakers from areas around the globe in face-to-faceconversation as well as by telephone, in writing or viaelectronic mail. They must be able to interpret theconcepts, ideas and opinions expressed by Arabic speakersthrough their media and their literatures. They may be askedto present information for an audience orally or in writing.

Goal One focuses on language use and communicativecompetence. It is clearly evident that schools anduniversities across he country employ a great variety ofapproaches, methods and techniques in teaching Arabic,depending on the level of the students, the makeup of theclass, and the aims of the curriculum. The keyconsideration, however, is the quality of the results.Consequently, Goal One does not refer to specific coursecontent, but rather to outcome of instruction, that is, howstudents are able to use Arabic to communicate with others,and how effectively they can use communication strategies tocope in linguistically unfamiliar or challenging situations.These linguistic outcomes can be broken down into threecommunicative modes: the interpersonal mode, theinterpretive mode, and the presentational mode.

Interpersonal mode: Two-way communication via conversationor written exchanges

In the interpersonal mode, two or more individuals interactwith one another. As they take turns expressing themselvesin speech and through body language or in writing. They havethe opportunity to negotiate meaning, that is, to checkwhether their intentions are accurately understood and, if

14

not, to make necessary adjustments or clarifications. Mostcommonly, the interpersonal mode is employed in face-to-faceconversation and telephone calls, but it is also used in theexchange of notes and e-mail messages.

Interpretive mode: Understanding what one hears or reads.

In the interpretive mode, one or more individuals try tounderstand what others, with whom they have no directpersonal contact, have said or written. The stronger theindividual’s command of the language and the greater theirunderstanding of cultural referents, the more precise thisinterpretation will be. The interpretive mode is used whenone listens to the radio, lectures, and recordings, when onegoes to a concert or to the theatre, when one watchestelevision or a movie, and when one reads a book ormagazine.

Presentational mode: Expressing one’s ideas in speech orwriting

In the presentational mode, one or more individualscommunicate their thoughts to listeners or speakers withwhom they may have no immediate personal contact. Theseactivities may take the form of an oral presentation, aphone message, an audio/video recording or a written text.

These communicative modes are reflected in the threestandards under GOAL 1. To meet these communicativestandards, students must have ample opportunities toexperience Arabic as it is spoken and written in the Arabworld. They need to develop effective strategies forexpressing themselves and for understanding authentic,spoken and written materials in Arabic.

STANDARD 1.1: INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Students engage in conversations or correspondencein Arabic to provide and obtain information,

15

express feelings and emotions, and exchangeopinions.

This standard focuses on interpersonal communication. In thebeginning levels students will perform basic speech acts,produce and understand simple conversations, and developbasic survival skills. However, as students progress tohigher levels, they would demonstrate a growing pragmaticcompetence and better communicative skills in face-to-faceinteractions, phone conversations, formal contexts andpublic speech.

Sample Progress Indicators, Beginning

Students introduce themselves to others (i.e., provideinformation about themselves, their majors, as well astheir likes and dislikes).

Students demonstrate the ability to use appropriateexpressions for greetings and leave-taking.

Students demonstrate the ability to elicitclarifications, requests repetition, understandfeedback and follow instructions.

Students engage in activities in which they demonstratethe ability to function appropriately in everydaysituations such as shopping, asking for and givingdirections, and ordering food in a restaurant.

Students describe objects, places, and events in simpleterms.

Sample Progress Indicators, Intermediate

Students carry longer conversations on a variety oftopics in formal and informal settings.

Students discuss past experiences and future personal,career, and travel plans.

Students appropriately perform speech acts such asmaking apologies, taking into consideration a varietyof factors (e.g., social distance, age and genderdifferences between the speaker and the addressee).

16

Students express their opinions and attitudes towardscurrent events, movies, songs, and other selectedmaterials.

Students produce informal writing in which theyexchange or discuss their views on a variety of topicsand experiences.

Sample Progress Indicators, Advanced

Students conduct longer discussions on intellectualtopics (politics, literary criticism, economy, etc.).

Students conduct formal interviews for collectinginformation and writing reports.

Students participate in problem-solving activities. Students correspond with native-speaking pen-pals

either via snail mail or e-mail. Students use proverbs and idiomatic language correctly.

STANDARD 1.2: INTERPRETIVE COMMUNICATIONStudents understand and interpret spoken andwritten Arabic on a variety of topics.

This standard targets students’ progress in the use ofeffective strategies to tackle different comprehension tasksin spoken and written communication. Within the scope oforal communication, students will be exposed to authenticmaterials from formal and informal genres (conversations,songs, movies, newscast reports, political speeches, etc.),and will demonstrate their understanding of the content ofthese genres. In the domain of written communication,students will be exposed to different forms of written texts(newspapers, literature, menus, etc.) and will demonstrateboth comprehension and interpretive skills.


Students understand and follow classroom-relatedinstructions such as “please, open your books,” “Do you have anyquestions?” etc.

17

Students follow directions in various contexts (such asexecuting a recipe, following driving directions, orgoing from point A to point B).

Students understand the use of time expressions,prices, and dates.

Students can recognize objects, places, and peoplebased on provided oral or written descriptions.

Students understand commercials, simple songs, (such asthose of Fairuz, and Abdul-Haleem) simple poems (suchas those of Nizar Qabbani and Abu Al-Qasim Al-Shaby),as well as folk tales.

Students maintain coherent conversations, and by sodoing indicate their understanding of the oral input.


Students understand and follow complex classroominteractions such as “open your books to page X and do the firstexercise.”

Students demonstrate the ability to use a root-baseddictionary to look up unfamiliar words by reducing themto their radical consonants and select the appropriatemeaning for the context.

Students identify the main ideas of expository textsand demonstrate the ability to follow simple plots inshort stories and novellas.

Students locate specific information in ads, TV guides,bus schedules, weather forecasts, and texts onhistorical Arab figures.

Students locate a text on the internet on a topic oftheir choice and demonstrate their understanding of itsgeneral content and of some specific information (e.g.,students can locate web pages on Arab leaders andextract specific information about this leader).


Students understand and appreciate jokes.

18

Students understand newscasts, political discussions,as well as sermons in mosques and churches.

Students are proficient in using the root-baseddictionaries and in selecting the appropriate meaningfor the context.

Students understand texts in classical Arabic (e.g.,excerpts from the Qur’an or the Bible, The Arabian Nights,and pre-Islamic poetry).

Students understand and follow complex instructionssuch as those provided in a manual for assembling oroperating an electronic device.

Students analyze a text and draw inferences orconclusions (e.g., they decide who the culprit is in adetective story based on provided data).

STANDARD 1.3: PRESENTATIONAL COMMUNICATIONStudents present information, concepts, and ideasin Arabic on a variety of topics to an audience oflisteners or readers.

This standard focuses on the presentation of information,concepts, and ideas in spoken and written Arabic. This willtake the form of leading discussions, making oralpresentations, writing reports and research papers as wellas role-playing and public speaking with a focus on the artof ilqaa` (oration).


Students dramatize simple Arabic folk tales and skitsfrom daily life (e.g., shopping, ordering food in arestaurant, etc.).

Students provide illustrations of familiar locations(their dorm rooms, city, school, etc.) and makepresentations based on these illustrations.

Students retell famous American folk tales such asCinderella and The Tortoise and the Hare in Arabic.

19

Students select simple Middle-Eastern recipes and makecooking demonstrations based on these recipes.


Students prepare and present more elaborate skits (e.g.,being in the library, going through customs, andbargaining over prices).

Students research simple topics (historical figures andimportant events) and present their finding to theirclassmates.

Students prepare, illustrate, and present headlines ofdaily news in different domains (e.g. sports, politics,economy, and weather).

Students write menus of different Middle Easter foods anddescribe the dishes in these menus.

Students develop and maintain the class website.


Students perform modern Arabic one-act plays such asthose written by Tawfeeq Al-Hakeem.

Students perform the traditional Arab art of orationcalled ilqaa` through the reading of poems and formalspeeches.

Students role-play job interviews and talk shows. Students present paintings, photographs or videos of

cultural events such as weddings and dances and talkabout their historical or cultural content and their owninterpretations of that content.

Students lead discussions on current Middle-Easternpolitical events and social issues (e.g., gender roles,overpopulation, and illiteracy).

Students critique literary works such as novels andplays.

20

CULURES GOAL TWOGain knowledge and understanding of the cultures ofthe Arab world.

Gaining an understanding of any given culture is not an easyundertaking. For often enough people within the samecultural milieu and speaking the same language woulddisagree as to the main perspectives shared by members ofthe same culture. However there are general features of aculture that a language learner will do well to be cognizantof in order to avoid sincere attempts at communication andunderstanding turning into miscommunication andmiscomprehension. Knowing more about the cultural contextmakes it more possible for communicative acts to resonatewith their proper meaning.

The study of Islam provides a crucial entry point to theworldview shared by the majority of people in the Arab worldand beyond. Knowledge of Islam and its many branchesprovides an understanding of the main value system shared bythe elite and the people, a key to the dominantperspectives, a guide to prevailing practices, and asensitivity to the spirit that infuses the highestachievements of Arab culture. In addition to Islam, historyplays a vital part in shaping important features ofpersistent cultural perspectives, such as the regionaldifferences between the Maghrib and Mashriq, the east andwest of the Arab world, and the various national and sub-national cultures. A multiplicity of political, ideologicaland ethnic perspectives ranging from pan-Arabism to Kurdishnationalism, on the one hand add to the particularity anddistinctiveness of Arab culture, and to the belonging of thesame culture in the global process of modernization and itsmore cross-national value systems.

The practices of a culture often fall in step with itsdominant perspectives and mostly in urban areas while atother times local customs and rituals are of equivalent

21

importance. The “cult of the saints” in Morocco, the Sufisin Cairo, the Druze and Alawites in Syria and Lebanon demandto be studied in their own right if one plans to study, towork, or to travel to those regions.The products of Arab culture express both the richness craftindustries and the contributions of modern industry. Thecare given to traditional daily items such as pottery,tiles, crystals express the attention and value still givento small delicate items. While the grand monuments of todayaspire to wed great religious schemas and faith to modernengineering and architecture, the building of modern grandmosques and many of the buildings in the Gulf States expressthis union. The value systems of the old Bedouin and theachievements of modern education produced a medical miracle.A Saudi doctor, a woman, was able to successfully implant awomb in a previously infertile woman.

The study of the Arabic language enables the students tounderstand diverse cultures of the world. It also preparesthem to interact successfully with members of communitieswith a minimum of misunderstanding. As global proximityincreases, American students need to develop a greaterawareness of other people’s worldviews, their way of life,and their patterns of behavior. They also need to recognizethe significant contributions that Arab cultures have madeto world civilization.

Goal Two focuses on Cultural Competence, that is, theability to understand Arab cultures, and, eventually, theability to function in a culturally appropriate manner in anArabic-speaking milieu. In addition, Goal Two includeshumanistic aims, which constitute one of the traditionalobjectives of Arabic institution. As part of their Arabiccurriculum, students arrive at a greater understanding ofhuman condition as reflected across the centuries and aroundthe globe in Arabic literature, art, and philosophy.

The acquisition of knowledge and understanding of culturesdepends on several key factors, including the ability to

22

observe and analyze culture, and support the development ofempathy toward other peoples. Within this standardsdocument, the term “Culture” is understood to include thephilosophical perspectives, the social practices, and theproducts of a society.

The perspectives of a culture are derived from itsvalues, beliefs, attitudes, and ideas. There is not asingle “Arab culture” but rather many cultures, whichembrace the Arabic language as their means of expressionand communication. In fact, each country (e.g., Morocco,Egypt, Saudia Arabic, Lebanon, etc.), region or sub-grouphas its own philosophical perspectives and world-view.The interrelationship of ideas and values helps toexplain “why” and to anticipate “how” a particularculture will respond to events, problems, and questions.Since a given curriculum cannot include all of the Arabcultures, most programs focus on Modern Standard Arabic.

The practices of a culture are seen in its patterns ofsocial interaction and reflect the traditional ideas,beliefs, attitudes, and values (perspectives) of itspeople. Each country, region or sub-group has developedits own system of interpersonal interaction, which isreflected in conversational conventions, gestures, socialetiquette, business and legal procedures, leisureactivities, religious customs, and the like. In short,these forms of social behavior embody the knowledge of“What to do when and where”. Some of these may be similarto American practices, while others may be quitedifferent, giving rise to possible misunderstandings bythose who do not know how to interpret them within theirown cultural context.

The products of a culture include concrete aspects ofdaily life, such as foods, clothing, type of housing,utensils, and inventions, as well as the concrete andabstract elements of social organization, found ineducational, health, scientific, business, entertainment,

23

recreational, and judicial institutions. Arab cultureshave provided the stimulus to produce many importantliterary, and artistic achievements.

The above three aspects of culture are interwoven within thestandards under this goal.

STANDARD 2.1: PRACTICES OF CULTURES Students demonstrate an understanding of therelationships between the practices andperspectives of the cultures of the Arab world.

This standard focuses on familiarizing the learners with theworldviews that are prevalent in the Arabic-speaking world,and how these belief systems are reflected in the Arabs’social patterns of behaviors and use of language.


Students recognize appropriate and taboo gestures andbody language in the Arab world (e.g., physical proximityduring conversations is viewed as appropriate, whilebeckoning and touching between members of differentgenders are viewed as inappropriate).

Students perform basic speech acts such as apologizingand expressing thanks and gratitude appropriately.

Students are familiarized with some of the major holidaysin the Arab world and with the special cultural practicesassociated with them.

Students identify major cultural figures in the Arabworld (e.g., singers such as Um Kalthoum and Kadhem Al-Sahir).

Students learn about the Arabic family structure and thesocial roles associated with different members of thefamily.

Students participate in some Middle-Eastern games (e.g.,backgammon, dances, card games, etc.).

24

Students recognize the difference between students’behavior in class in the U.S. and in Arab countries(e.g., in the Arab world students stand up when theinstructor enters the class or when they are called uponwhereas in the US they do not. In addition, in the Arabworld no food or drink is allowed in class while in theUS students can eat, drink, or chew gum in class).


Students use the terms of address that are appropriatefor different addressees (male/female, young/elderly,etc.) in formal and informal contexts.

Students learn about the leisure practices predominant indifferent Arab countries (e.g., camel racing in the Gulf,fantasia in Morocco, and horse dance in Egypt).

Students are familiarized with the different histories ofArab countries.

Students learn about the ethnic and religious compositionof the Arab world (e.g., Copts, Assyrians, Druze,Berbers, Nubians, Bedouins).

Students discuss American stereotypes of Arabs (e.g., thehomogeneity of Arabs, the prevalence of oil economythroughout the Middle East, and the seclusion of women)and dispel these stereotypes.

Students learn about the impact of Arab civilization onWestern sciences, philosophies, and art.

Sample Progress Indicators, advanced

Students know about the different Arabic scripts (e.g.,naskh, thuluth, riq`ah) and are familiarized with the Arabicart of calligraphy.

Students prepare and present a profile of an Arab countryor of a subculture in an Arab country.

Students discuss such important concepts as ‘Arabism’,‘Orientalism’, ‘Arab unity’, and ‘the Islamic nation’.

25

Students learn about the prevalent traditional beliefs inArab countries (e.g., the evil eye, sophism, the power ofsaints).

Students learn about various rituals and practicespreformed during special cultural events (e.g., weddings,births, and funerals).

Students interact with members of the local Arabic-speaking community.

STANDARD 2.2: PRODUCTS OF CULTURE Students demonstrate an understanding of therelationships between the products and perspectivesof the cultures in the Arab world.

This standard focuses on familiarizing the learners with anarray of artifacts to illustrate the richness of thedifferent cultures composing the Arab world, and to help thelearners develop an appreciation for these cultures.


Students learn about the different monetary systems usedin different Arab countries.

Students learn about the major Arabic musical instrumentsand their impact on the development of music in otherparts of the world (e.g., the Arabic lute developed intothe guitar).

Students learn about the different cuisines and dressingstyles in the Arab world.

Students are familiarized with the traditional craftsprevalent in different parts of the Arab world (e.g.,carpet-weaving, ceramics, embroidery, leather-tanning,etc.).

Students recognize landmarks and famous monuments in theMiddle East (e.g., the Pyramids in Egypt, the Dome of theRock and the Church of the Nativity in Jerusalem, theremains of Petra in Jordan, etc.).

26


Students are familiarized with the major folk tales inthe Arab world such as kalila wa dimna, The Arabian Nights, andAbu Zaid al-Hilaali.

Students are familiarized with the works of modernnovelists such as Naguib Mahfouz, poets such as Adonis,and popular singers such as Julia Butrus.

Students are exposed to the films of the major directorsin the Middle East such as Yussef Chahine.

Students are introduced to the different styles ofarchitecture and home decoration in different parts ofthe Arab world.


Students are exposed to the different artistic traditionsin the Middle East (e.g., theatre, novel, story telling,and puppetry).

Students recognize the variety of political regimes,economic institutions and natural resources in the Arabworld.

Students learn about the works of the Arab intellectualicons and their contributions to human civilization(e.g., Averros in philosophy and Avicena in medicine).

Students identify the works of Arab Americans indifferent disciplines (Ralf Nader in environmentalstudies and politics, Casey Kasem in media).

Students are familiarized with the major newspapers inthe Arab world, read articles from these papers anddiscuss their content.

Students read and appreciate classical works such as epicpoetry as well as religious texts.

CONNECTIONS GOAL THREEUse Arabic to Connect with Other Disciplines andExpand Knowledge

27

The focus of this goal is for learners to develop concreteand useful applications for the linguistic and culturalknowledge that they have gained in the language classroom inorder to promote their careers and improve their personalresources.

STANDARD 3.1: MAKING CONNECTIONSStudents reinforce and further their knowledge ofother disciplines through Arabic

In this standard students use their Arabic knowledge as aresearch tool to gain access to primary sources in differentdisciplines. This can be beneficial to the learners in twoways: (a) by empowering them to come up with new andinnovative analyses, and (b) by providing them with theskills necessary to engage in comparative projects inliterature, religious studies, philosophy, etc.


Students demonstrate knowledge of the location of thedifferent Arab countries, of their major cities andlandmarks, their climates, and natural resources.

Students develop familiarity with the major figures inthe Arab world such as famous scientists, politicians,and artists.

Students are familiarized with some historical events andfigures that had a significant impact on therelationships between the West and the Arab world (e.g.,Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt and the discovery of theRosetta Stone, Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’stomb, the construction of the Suez Canal by Ferdinand DeLisepise).

Students discuss the contributions of Arabs in differentfields of science (e.g., optics, algebra, chemistry,astronomy, etc.).

28


Students understand authentic articles as well as TV andvideo clips in Arabic in various subjects (e.g.,politics, religious studies, etc.)

Students are familiarized with the major recent events inthe history of the Arab world (e.g., colonization,independence movements, the establishment of newregimes).

Students prepare presentations in Arabic in topics fromtheir disciplines.

Students supplement their research in their areas ofmajor by consulting Arabic sources.


Students discuss economic, political, and social issuesthat are relevant to the Middle East (e.g., the peaceprocess, oil economies, and urbanization).

Students present their research for other classes in theArabic language class using the appropriate technicaljargon.

Students expand their knowledge in their disciplines byreading the Arabic classical works relevant to thesefields (e.g., the treatise of medicine by Avicena, andthe Introduction by Ibn Khaldoun in the philosophy ofhistory).

Students discuss their research interests in Arabic. Students expand their knowledge about various ethnic

groups in the Arab world (e.g., Copts, Berbers, Bedouins,Nubians, etc.).

STANDARD 3.2: ACQUIRING INFORMATIONStudents acquire information and recognize thedistinctive viewpoints that are only availablethrough the Arabic language and Arab cultures

29

This standard focuses on students’ ability to accessinformation available only for those who are fluent inArabic and well acquainted with its cultures. The result ofsuch knowledge is the development of a better understandingof the worldviews shared by Arabic speakers.


Students interview members of the local Arabic-speakingcommunity about certain Arabic cultural practices andreport to their class.

Students read comic books for children in Arabic such asSimbad and Aladin.

Students listen to Arabic songs and discuss the culturalthemes expressed in them.

Students learn about Arabic art (e.g., calligraphy, woodcraving, tile-making, etc.).


Students prepare and present short reports on issuesrelated to the Arab world (e.g., traditional beliefs andcustoms, gender issues, etc.) using authentic sources.

Students listen to a variety of Arabic TV and radiochannels such as Al-jazeera.

Students use the internet to find Arabic texts on topicsthat interest them.

Students use Arabic resources to gather information abouttopics they study in other classes (e.g., globalization,the Middle East conflict, Islam, etc.).


Students understand materials designed for nativespeakers of Arabic such as Al-jazeera newscast, politicalspeeches and religious sermons.

Students use Arabic sources in the literature reviewsection of their research in their disciplines.

30

Students read scholarly articles and classical materialin Arabic.

Students make presentations in Arabic on particularaspects of Arab culture or social issues prevalent in theArab world.

Students develop an understanding of the Arab viewpointson certain controversial issues such as the Middle Eastconflict, feminism, globalization, etc.

Students interview Arabic speakers in the local communityto gain experience in conducting actual field research inArab countries.

COMPARISONS GOAL FOUR Develop Insight into the Nature of Language andCulture

While Arabic shares with English many linguistic structures,it has some unique structural characteristics that define itas a Semitic language. Hence, it is beneficial for learnersof Arabic to be acquainted with the points of structuraldifference between the two languages in order to ease theiracquisition of Arabic and minimize negative transfer.Moreover, language is the product of the culture that givesrise to it. As a result, each language reflects the historyand the worldview of that culture. That is why, both theculture and the language need to be taught hand in hand sothat the learners can recognize how the cultural worldviewis reflected in the semantic dimension of the language.

STANDARD 4.1: LANGUAGE COMPARISONSStudents demonstrate understanding of the nature oflanguage though comparisons of Arabic and theirnative languages. Arabic is reputed to be one of the most difficult languagesto learn because it uses a different writing system, hasmany guttural sounds, and uses a root-and-patternderivational system. This standard aims at familiarizing the

31

learners with the structural properties pertaining to Arabicthat are different from English in order to facilitate theirlearning experience.


Students demonstrate mastery of the writing system(writing from right to left, using the correct lettershapes in different word positions, using the appropriatevowel diacritics, etc.).

Students emulate the native-speaking pronunciation ofunfamiliar sounds such as those represented by the

following Arabic letters ع , , ع� , ق� , ط, خ� [Add IPA] .ض, ض� Students demonstrate the ability to read and write both

the Arabic and Hindi numerical systems used in Arabcountries.

Students produce both phrases and sentences in thecorrect word order (e.g., noun + adjective in nominalphrases and VSO word order in non-equational sentences).

Students use the Arabic pronominal system correctly withregards to person, number, and gender.

Students are introduced to the root-and-patternderivational system.


Students recognize the difference between the alphabet-based English dictionaries and their root-based Arabiccounterparts.

Students demonstrate knowledge of the basic root-and-pattern derivations (e.g., kataba ‘he wrote’, kaatib‘writer’, maktuub ‘letter’, maktaba ‘library’, etc.).

Students recognize the canonical patters associated withcertain parts of speech or lexical classes (e.g., theadjective pattern of inherent properties is CaCiiC as inTawiil ‘tall’, jamiil ‘beautiful’, kariim ‘generous’ etc.).

32

Students recognize the difference between Arabic andEnglish collocations such as “talk ON the phone” vs.“talk IN the phone”.

Students recognize the various words used in differentArab countries for the same referent (e.g., the wordssayyaara (the Levant), àrabiyya (Egypt) and tomobiil (Morocco)are all used to refer to ‘car’.

Students recognize the shades of meaning associated withdifferent word orders such as VSO, SVO, and OVS.

Students are familiarized with certain derivational formsthat do not exist in English (e.g., the exaggerationforms and verbal nouns).


Students recognize the different meaning associated withthe ten Arabic verb classes. For example, verbs with ageminated second radical are usually causitive verbs inArabic. Cases in point are ?akkala ‘he fed’, kattaba ‘he madesomeone write’ and ħaddada ‘he specified, i.e, madesomething become specific’.

Students demonstrate familiarity with variousderivational forms such as ?afàl, faaìl, mafùul, fa`àal, and mifàalthat are associated with the comparative adjectives,active participles, passive participles, exaggerationforms, and nouns denoting instruments, respectively.

Students demonstrate knowledge of the numerous pluralpatterns and the different ways of expressing tense andaspect as well as negation.

Students recognize regional variations in Modern StandardArabic. For example, the sound /j/ is pronounced /g/ inStandard Arabic in Egypt while it is pronounced /j/ inNorth Africa and /dj/ in the Arab Gulf.

Students use Arabic idiomatic expression correctly.

33

STANDARD 4.2: CULTURAL COMPARISONSStudents demonstrate understanding of the nature ofculture through comparisons of Arabic culture andtheir own.

This standard focuses on equipping the students with thecultural competence required for successful interaction withnative speakers of Arabic. In addition, students need toknow no only about the various cultures of the Middle Eastbut also about different domain-specific sub-cultures (e.g.,how to conduct business with Arabic business people).


Students learn about the leisure practices prevalent indifferent Arabic countries and how these differ fromthose in the American culture (e.g., camel-racing in theGulf, backgammon in Egypt, etc.).

Students listen to music from different parts of the Arabworld (e.g. Rai in Algeria and al-muwaššaħaat in Morocco).

Students learn about the different dances in the MiddleEast (e.g., dabka in Lebanon, line-dancing in the ArabGulf and Morocco, and taħTiib in Egypt).

Students compare Arabic and American folk tales that havesimilar themes.

Students learn about the different cuisines of differentparts of the Arab world.


Students compare American and Arabic proverbs. Students are familiarized with the different calendars in

use in the Arab world (e.g., the Assyrian, the Coptic,the Georgian, the Islamic, etc.).

Students read Arabic cartoons in daily newpapers andcompare them to their American counterparts.

Students learn about appropriate and taboo gestures andbody language in the Middle East.

34

Students learn about the different musical instruments inthe Arab world and their historical origins such as therabaaba in Egypt and Morocco, which has African origins,and the Gulf drums that have Indian origins.

Students interact with members of the local Arabic-speaking community.

Students search the internet and collect culturalinformation about the Arab world from different Arabicwebsites.


Students identify the differences between the politicalregimes in the Arab world and that of the U.S. anddiscuss the cultural and historical factors that promotesuch regimes.

Students learn to participate in cultural events andsocial gatherings appropriately.

Students watch Arabic movies from different parts of theArab world and discuss the social issues raised in thesemovies.

Students chat on the internet with native speakers ofArabic to obtain first-hand cultural information.

Students develop a deeper understanding of the practicesof the different ethnic groups in the Middle East.

COMMUNITIES GOAL FIVEUse Arabic to Participate in Communities at Home andaround the World

Goal Five strives from the initial stages of languageacquisition to extend what is learned in the schoolenvironment to the Arabic-speaking community. The transitionoccurs in stages and aims to expand immersion conditions asfar as possible into the local community. The latter plays acrucial role in enriching the learners’ language learningexperience because it provides them with an exposure to thecolloquial forms of Arabic (i.e., the Arabic regional

35

dialects), which the learners will not be able to sampleunless they actually travel to different countries of theArab world. By acting as linguistic miniatures reflectingthe diglossic situation permeating the Middle East, thelocal Arabic-speaking community becomes an extension of theclassroom, supplementing the students’ learning of ModernStandard Arabic with an exposure to the Arabic regionaldialects. Surrounded in this way by the language in itsclassical and colloquial forms, the Arabic learners are thusable to evaluate, enhance, and enrich their Arabic languagecapacity.

The issue of dialect becomes apparent and the student has tomake a choice between the dialect he/she will be speaking.At educational institutions that teach colloquial Arabic thecommunity can be the extension of the classroom. Otherwisethe student encounters similar conditions to the one he/shewill find in the home countries.

Arabic-speaking communities can be found in every corner ofthe globe. Some of the oldest communities have made theirhome in the New World, North and South America, in Africasouth of the Sahara, and in many European and Asiancountries. Arabic is an international language among othersister international languages and is becoming more so asclassical texts once read by elite religious Ulama are nowbeing read and analyzed for meaning by an increasinglyliterate population all over the Islamic world. Anotherfactor contributing to the international spread of Arabic isthe technological revolution of the past two decades. Themore than fifteen Arabic satellite channels and theinformation available on the world-wide web expands theopportunities where Arabic will be useful to heritage andbusiness communities outside the Arab world.

A new generation of learners, born away from the mothertongue countries seeks to learn the language of theirparents in order to participate in a smaller worldenvironment, to better learn the perspectives of Arab

36

culture and to practice its customs. The opportunity totravel to Arab speaking countries to live there for severalyears as part of a career, to conduct business or to doresearch is increasingly a common option, open to manycompetent in Arabic. The heritage learner and the non-heritage learner will discover many opportunities to enhanceand develop their skills and will find their capacitiessought after and rewarded in today’s global environment. Arabic-speaking immigrant communities can be foundthroughout the United States. The Arab immigrants, old andnew, have established thriving communities in Paterson N.J.,Atlantic Ave. in Brooklyn N.Y., Dearborn Michigan,…Texas,Calif.??In many places the learner can walk along along avenue of stores, bookstores, restaurants, pastryshops, pharmacies, video shops, appliance stores…advertisingtheir wares in bold Arabic script and conducting theirbusiness in Arabic.

Community members establish Mosques and churches, businessand professional offices, and more recently Islamic schools.Many of these schools grew out of the mosques’ Sundayschools and they primarily cater to Arabic speakingcommunities and a large population from non-Arab Islamiccountries. They teach, in addition to the required statecurriculum, Arabic for several hours a week. This is arelatively new development that is effecting the teaching ofArabic at the secondary school level by demonstrating theviability of introducing the language to the K-12curriculum. Also it is effecting collage teaching byincreasing the demand for advanced level classes. Since atthe present time students from these schools have beenentering in increasing numbers to the university and placinginto higher level Arabic classes. Depending on the learnerthey place at the intermediate level and above. Thisclearly demonstrates the interrelationship between thecommunity and its demands and those of the educationalsystem.

37

STANDARD 5.1: SCHOOL AND COMMUNITYStudents use Arabic both within and beyond theschool setting

The goal of the serious language learner is to functionadequately even fluently in a full immersion environment.This goal can be applied regularly and consistently at everylevel of language competence. The first standard of thefifth goal stresses the process of practicing languageskills outside the classroom setting. The student relies onhis level of language skills to navigate work, sport,business and leisure activities in the local community. Thecommunity can be school friends and school events, invitingmembers of the community to the school to talk to thestudents about what they do, and the homes of student’sparents can be open to student –community encounters. Atthis stage the school and home environment act astransitional stages to enter the larger community, which inturn prepares the learner to enter the world of Arabcountries with their many sub-cultures. Eventually thepersistent student can enjoy a world of meaningful soundsand gestures, of comprehensible words and signs that did notexit for him/her prior to learning Arabic.


Students present speeches, poetry readings at the annualArab night.

Students retell familiar stories to the Arab club. Students teach the Arabic alphabet to elementary school

students. They can also introduce the children to ageappropriate cultural material concerning Islam or theArab world.

Students can visit high schools and Islamic schools tocommunicate their college experience acting as advisorsto encourage the younger students to continue theirArabic studies at the university.

38

Students can communicate with students from Arabcountries through e-mail, or teleconferencing. Heritagestudents can communicate with their families via e-mailor recorded telephone conversations.


Students in Arabic class seek out students who haverecently arrived from Arab countries and arrange formutually beneficial exchange in language practice.

Students can conduct interviews with Arabic speakers fromthe community, asking them about their background andexperience. They can also videotape the encounter andpresent it to the class, thereby inviting the communityto the classroom.

Students stage a performance, a play or a series ofskits, and invite family and friends.

Students leave school grounds and go to a nearbyrestaurant, after having learned the pertinent vocabularyin class through pretend skits, and at least order thefood in Arabic.

In a van arranged for by the university, students cantake a day or a half-day trip to a local community. Andafter practicing in class relevant scenarios, theyproceed supervised, to shop, to browse, to eat, to drink…in Arabic.

Students choose a theme such as immigration (see attachedscenario) and make a video to be sent home with studentsto be viewed by the families or at the church or themosque. Students are then asked to report on thefeedback.


Students are asked to conduct a research project usingresources in Arabic. The student can use writtenresources or educational talk shows from the satellitenetworks.

39

Students can research and write about their chosendiscipline in Arabic.

Students create a more complex video providingcommentaries about subjects relevant to the Arabcommunity, like current or historical issues, and tapingthe viewer’s feedback.

Students attend a cultural event, like a concert by apopular Arab singer and write their impressions andcriticism of the event as a whole, and compare it tosimilar events they have been to before.

Students explore career prospects where they can usetheir language skills. The business community oftenmaintains connections with overseas branches that requirecommunication in Arabic. Students can prepare theirresume in Arabic.

Students explore prospects of spending a semester or ayear abroad.

STANDARD 5.2: LIFELONG LEARNINGStudents show evidence of becoming lifelonglearners by using Arabic for personal enjoyment andenrichment

To adopt a second language as one’s own provides a lifelongconnection to another culture. The learner can always shiftto see another perspective, to expand his/her worldview, tobe able to learn, to compare and to question in anotherculture. The Arabic learner can also hear the music in thesounds of the language, appreciate the art in its writingform and delve deeper into the cultural perspectives itoffers. When a learner spends years internalizing thelanguage it becomes an inseparable part of himself/herself,an unbounded resource for reflection and a constant sourceof pleasure. The student can demonstrate evidence of adeeper link and relation to the Arabic language by seekingout a variety of activities outside the school environment


40

Students listen to Arabic music. Browse through or lookat Arabic magazines and newspapers. View Arabic moviestogether. Seek out cultural events planned by church andmosque such as “Egyptian festival,” “Lebanese Festival.”

Students help prepare and sample delicacies from thevarious regions of the Arab world.

Students organize “haflas,” (parties) and experience thesocialization typical of the Arab community.

Students can present oral reports with attendingpictures, videos, or slides from areas in the Arab worldthey have traveled to or wish to visit one day.


Students read Arabic magazines for enjoyment. Students visit local restaurants together, or travel

farther to experience foods from Yemen, Sudan or otherlesser known foods. Regional and national cuisine variesgreatly from Morocco to the Oman.

Students watch Egyptian soccer teams, or the Asia cupsoccer matches to experience the frenzy that unites allsoccer fans worldwide.

Students are referred to permanent museum exhibitsdealing with art from the Arab or Islamic world. Theyare also referred to visiting museum exhibits announcedregularly by magazines, such as Aramco.

Sample Progress Indicators, Advanced Students participate fully in Arabic cultural events off

and on campus. They also contribute time and ideas toorganizing such events.

Students read books, magazines and newspapers, watchfilms and videos and listen to music, classical and new,to demonstrate a budding bilingualism.

Students establish interpersonal relations with speakersof Arabic, and maintain touch with internet friends fromthe area.

41

Students plan vacations to Arabic speaking countries withthe intention of mastering a particular dialect.

42

Sample Learning Scenarios

MARKET DAY IN CLASS (Beginning)

Students prepare for an in-class simulation of a market day.Each student brings to class an everyday item (e.g.,baklava, falafel, Arabic candy, Arabic newspapers, etc.)Each student then introduces what he/she has brought,describes it, and prices it in Arabic. Then, the instructorand the students work together to prepare dialogues relatedto buying and selling and present them as skits. First, theinstructor and a few students model in front of the othersthe buying and selling tasks. Then a section of the classdesignated as buyers and another section designated asvenders follow suit. Once both groups have acted out theirparts, they switch roles so that they will practice askingdifferent questions and providing different answers. At theend of this activity, each student has to answer aquestionnaire, indicating what he/she has sold, for howmuch, and whether he/she has made a profit or incurred aloss.

Reflection

1.1 Students practice asking different types of questionsand providing answers in a market situation.1.2 Students understand the expected behavior of a customervs. that of a vender. Moreover, they learn to recognize

43

TARGETED STANDARDS

1.1 Interpersonal Communication

1.2 Interpretive Communication

1.3 Presentational Communication

2.1 Practices of Culture2.2 Products of Culture

others’ intentions as reflected by their use of Arabic asillustrated in bargaining practices.1.3 Students perform skits in which they act as customersor venders in front of their classmates.2.1 Students get a feel of the hustle and bustle

characteristic of Arabic markets and practice bargainingover prices.

2.2 Students use cultural products as props (e.g. Arabsweets, newspapers, different Arab currencies, etc.).

3.1 Students learn about negotiating skills in Arabicsuch as performing small talk, and bargaining overprices, and use that knowledge in other classes such as

business, marketing, cultural anthropology, and Middle-Eastern studies. 4.1 Students practice using the appropriate terms ofaddress between strangers (e.g., ustsaaz, ‘Sir’, ukht‘sister’, and Hajj(a), used in addressing an elderly man or

woman). 4.2 Students compare markets in the Arabic world withfarmers’ markets in the US.5.2 Students learn important negotiation skills that canprove crucial to their careers (e.g., in doing

business with Arab corporations or working indiplomacy).

44

POSTER SESSION(Beginning)

Students at the elementarylevel contact members of thelocal Arab community fromdifferent countries tocollect stamps as well aspostcards depicting famouslandmarks from these regions.

They expand their collections with pictures gathered fromthe internet and information about these landmarks(historical background, geographic location, religioussignificance, etc.). Students, then, use the pictures,stamps and postcards as well as the information they havegathered to develop country profiles. Finally, studentsprepare and present descriptions of these countries for aposter session open to the public where the students showthe pictures or present a slide show and talk about them.

Reflection

1.1 Students interact with the local Arab community togather information, pictures, and stamps and interactwithin their groups to develop country profiles.1.2 Students listen to native speakers’ descriptions of the landmarks depicted by the pictures and read simple descriptions of them in picture dictionaries or simplified

encyclopaedias. 1.3 Students present the country profiles they have developed in a poster session to their classmates and others interested in the Middle East.2.1 Students learn about the cultural practices portrayed insome postcards such as the dabka dances in Lebanon and the fantazia in Morocco.

45

TARGETED STANDARDS





2.2 Students learn about the different Arabic architectural styles representing different historical periods such asthe Abbasid, Umayyad, and Fatimid eras.

3.1 Students can use these pictures and the information associated with them in other classes such as world history, art, and engineering. 4.2 Students use these pictures to make comparisons between the history and culture of the Arab world and that of the West such as the different historical backgrounds of European medieval castles and those built in Lebanon and Syria during the Crusades. 5.2 Students develop lifelong goals such as studying

abroad or joining the Peace Corps to visit the places depicted in the pictures.

46

PREPARING A MENU (Beginning)

Beginning students interview members of the local Arabcommunity to collect recipes of various dishes fromdifferent Arab countries. Then, students write simpledescriptions of these dishes specifying their origin as wellas the ingredients and method of preparation. The recipes aswell as the descriptions are used to make a menu that can beused for a dinner at a social gathering or an Arabic nighton campus.

Reflection

1.1 Students interact with the local Arab community to collect the recipes needed for the menu, and they interact with one another to design the menu. 1.2 Students demonstrate their understanding of the recipesprovided by their interviewees by writing brief descriptions of these dishes. 1.3 Students demonstrate their knowledge of a variety of Arabic dishes by designing a menu that they present at a social event or an Arab night held on campus. 2.1 Students learn about the different spices and methods of cooking prevalent in different parts of the Arab world. In addition, students learn about the cultural normsassociated with food, cooking, social gathering and table manners in the Middle East.

47

TARGETED STANDARDS





2.2 Students sample different dishes that are typical of different areas of the Arab world, and learn about the types of cookware used for preparing those dishes. 3.1 Students use their knowledge of eating habits and Arab cuisine for other classes such as nutrition, cultural anthropology, and sociology. 4.2 Students compare the different types of food and eating habits in the different parts of the Arab world to thoseprevalent in the U.S. such as eating with one’s hands ratherthan using silverware. Also, in the Arab world guests are notwelcome in the kitchen, whereas in the U.S. the kitchen can serve as the dinning area.5.1 Students use the Arab community as a source of information and share that information with others interested in the Middle East with others (e.g., they can

cook Arabic dishes for their friends and families.).

48

FINDING AN APARTMENT (Beginning)

Learners of Arabic at thebeginning level are exposed toseveral apartment ads fromvarious Arabic newspapers toget familiarized with thelanguage used in classified ads(e.g., abbreviations, reducedgrammatical structures, etc.).

Then students write ads about their own apartments, and theoutcome is compiled into a handout of classified ads.Afterwards, students work in pairs to generate phone calldialogues in which a potential tenant asks a landlord aboutthe rent of an advertised apartment, the cost of theutilities, and the location of the apartment. Once thestudents complete their scripts, they role-play theirdialogues. Reflection

1.1 Students interact with one another to generaterealistic dialogues between a potential tenant and alandlord.

1.2 Students understand the format of classified adsused in Arabic newspapers, and demonstrate theirunderstanding by producing their own ads.

1.3 Students role-play the dialogues they generatedin class.

2.1 Students learn about the different cultural normsassociated with housing such as allocating residencesfor single people and others for married couples andfamilies. This pattern is motivated by the tendency foryoung people not to leave their parents’ residenceunless they start their own families.

2.2 Students learn about the types of housing in the Arabworld and consult authentic housing ads in various

49

TARGETED STANDARDS




2.1 Practices of Culture2.2 Products of Culture3.1 Making Connections

newspapers from different Arab countries such as Al- ħayat,Al-Ahram, and Al-Sharq al-AwSaT.3.1 Students learn about the business culture in the Arab

world and use that information in their business ormarketing classes. Students also discuss how housingconditions and prices function as indicators of thestate of the economy (inflation, prosperity, etc.) aswell as the nature of the social structurecharacteristic of various countries (e.g., urban vs.rural, rich vs. poor, etc.).

4.1 Students compare the language used in classified ads inArabic and English and note differences such as thelimited use of acronyms in Arabic.

4.2 Students learn about the diverse housing styles andliving conditions prevalent in different Arab countriesand compare them to their counterparts in the U.S.

5.2 Students learn survival skills necessary formaking informed decisions about housing when visiting anArab country for work, research or leisure.

50

FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS (Beginning)

The class is divided into groups of 3-5 students, and eachgroup is instructed to decide on a process activity (e.g.,executing a recipe, going to a particular location oncampus, or finding a specific book in the library). Then,the groups write a detailed and accurate set of instructionsfor others to follow in order to perform these activities.When the groups have written their step-by-stepinstructions, the teacher verifies them to ensure that theyare accurate and detailed enough. Afterwards, the groupsexchange their instructions and follow them to fulfill theirtasks. The students’ understanding of the instructions isdetermined by their successful performance of the specifiedtasks. When all the groups have finished their tasks, theypresent an oral report describing their experience executingtheir tasks as well as the difficulties they encountered.

Reflection

1.1 Students negotiate in their groups the processactivities they want the other groups to perform, andwrite step-by-step instructions to perform theseactivities. Moreover, they interact with the teacher toevaluate and improve their descriptions.

1.2 Students read and understand the instructions writtenby others. They demonstrate their understanding by

51

TARGETED STANDARDS





successfully performing the tasks allocated to them. 1.3 Students give oral presentations about their

experiences with the tasks, in which they describe thedifficulties they encountered, the roles they played inexecuting the process activities, and what they learnedfrom doing their tasks.

2.1 While executing their tasks students learn aboutculture specific patterns of behavior related to givingdirections such as using landmarks rather than specificmeasurements of time and distance.

2.2 The teacher can guide the students’ selections of thetasks to be performed by other groups such that theyare exposed to various aspects and products of Arabculture including Arabic cuisines and the differentmethods and cookware used in preparing Arabic food(e.g., the kanaka used in making Arabic coffee inEgypt, and the barma and kaskas used to steam couscousin Morocco).

3.1 Learning to give and follow instructions introduces thestudents to the measurement systems used in the Arabworld (e.g., the metric system and traditional units ofmeasurements such as the uqiya and Egypt and the Saa`‘handful’ in Morocco). Also, history students canresearch the Arab influence on the development ofmeasuring systems of the world such as the caret formeasuring gold which has Arabic origins.

3.2 Students interview Arabic native speakers to obtainadditional information about the traditional measuringsystems used in the Arab world.

4.1 Students compare the Arabic and English numeral systemscounterpart and recognize the complexities of theformer, such as the grammatical disagreement betweenthe noun and the numeral expressions in terms of numberand gender and the use of the numerals one and two onlyas emphatic adjectives rather than as determiners.

4.2 Students learn about the cultural differences betweengiving directions in Arabic and English (e.g., inEnglish directions often include specific measurementssuch as distance, time, and amounts whereas in Arabic

52

directions tend to rely on landmarks and approximateamounts.)

5.1 Learning to give and execute directions andinstructions in Arabic is a skill that will proveinvaluable for students who are involved in campusactivities such as welcoming new Arab students andhelping them settle in their new environment.

53

DRAMATIZATION OF AN ARABICFOLKTALE (Intermediate)

The focus of this scenario isfor students to recognize thecultural diversity within theArab world. To have a firsthandexperience with such diversity,learners of Arabic at theintermediate level interviewinternational students fromvarious Arab countries to

elicit different versions of famous Arab folktales such asthose of Joha, Simbad, and Abu-Nawwas. Then, they discuss andcompare the different versions of these stories. The finaloutcome is for each group of students to select a folktale,write up a script for two or more versions of it, and thendramatize them in a public presentation.

Reflection

1.1 Students contact Arab students on campus and ask them totell them a famous folktale.

1.2 Students understand and compare the versions theyreceive and recognize the points of similarity anddifference between the various versions that they heard.

1.3 Students use Arabic to discuss among themselves theversions they have collected, and write two or morescripts based on these versions, which they willdramatize and present in a cultural night or some othercultural event.

2.1 Students recognize the importance of story telling as acultural practice as well as its moral role in thesocialization of children in the Arab world.

2.2 The learners get the written versions of the folktalesthey heard, read them, and recognize the differencesbetween the written and oral versions.

54

TARGETED STANDARDS





3.1 Students use what they learn about Arabic folktales(e.g., family structure and relationships, friendship,and the social obligations) as a source of informationfor projects in other subjects such as culturalanthropology, sociology, religious studies, and history.

3.2 Students do research and learn more aboutimportant Arabic cultural values such as hospitality,generosity, loyalty etc. as reflected in the folktales.

4.1 Students compare the linguistic and discourse patternsused in Arabic folktales to those conventionally used inEnglish folktales such as beginning an Arabic story withthe expression kaan ya ma kaan (once upon a time) andpraising the Prophet.

4.2 Students compare the themes that Arabic folktalesrevolve around to those prevalent in English folktales.

5.1 Students use the community as a resource for getting afeel for the cultural richness and diversity in the Middle East.

ARABIC MUSIC AND SONGS (Intermediate)

Students develop and conducta survey in which they

interview Arab students oncampus (in Arabic) to knowtheir favorite singers andsongs. Then, based on theresults of the survey,students select the most

popular singer, and serf the internet to listen to some ofhis/her famous songs. They choose a song that they wouldwrite the lyrics for with the help of the instructor.Finally, students rehearse singing the selected song and withthe cooperation of the music department, they can prepare aperformance.

55

TARGETED STANDARDS





Reflection

1.1 Students interview several Arab students on campus toknow about their favorite singers and songs. Also,students discuss and negotiate in Arabic which song theyall like and are interested in performing.

1.2 Students listen and write the lyrics of the song, and byso doing they demonstrate their understanding of thewords and theme of the song.

1.3 Students rehearse the song in class and later give aperformance in which they sing and maybe play MiddleEastern musical instruments.

2.1 Students learn about the manners and etiquette ofattending musical concerts in the Arab world, and howaudiences of different age groups express theirappreciation of artists in concerts.

2.2 Students learn about the major artists in the MiddleEast as well as about artistic movements and traditionsacross generations and regions. Moreover, they recognizethe various musical instruments that are popular indifferent parts of the Arab world, and their impact onnon-Arab musical traditions.

3.1 Students can transfer their knowledge of Arabicmusical instruments and singers in

other disciplines such as musicology and history (e.g.,the role of singers of political domains).3.2 Students interview Arab students on campus to learn

about popular Arab singers and gather information toidentify the reasons that enable those singers to appealto the Arab audience.

4.2 Students compare the musical instruments and stylesin different parts of the Arab

world and the West as well as the position of artists insociety. They also compare and discuss the differentthemes expressed in Arabic songs vs. American songs.

5.1 Students co-operate with their colleagues in the Musicdepartment, who are interested in Middle Eastern music,to stage a performance through which they exchange their

56

experiences and knowledge about Middle Eastern music andart.

COIN COLLECTION (Intermediate)

With the help of the Arab community, students make acollection of coins and banknotes from different Arabcountries. Their task is to get familiarized with thecurrencies of these countries, their monetary values incomparison to the American dollar, and the figures depictedon them. Students, then, gather information about thehistorical background associated with these figures and makea display of these coins with banknotes that illustrate theirhistory.

Reflection

1.1 Students use Arabic to interact with members of thelocal community and to work in groups to make the coincollection.

1.2 Students listen to and understand the input provided bytheir informants about the coins, and their values.Also, students read the information on the coins andbanknotes, and read about the figures or landmarksdepicted on them.

57

TARGETED STANDARDS





1.3 Students write brief notes about the coins and put themon display in the department or in the students’ union.

2.1 Students are familiarized with the cultural normsassociated with money and banking systems. For example,banknotes in Egypt do not depict presidents or othernational figures. Instead, they depict Islamic landmarkssuch as old mosques on the face of the banknote, whichis written in Arabic only, and Pharonic monuments on theback, which is written in English.

2.2 Students learn about the different monetary systems usedin different Arabic countries such as the Pound inEgypt, Dirham in Morocco, Riyal in Saudi Arabia, and theLira in Lebanon.

3.1 Students may apply the knowledge they have gained aboutthe monetary systems used in the Arab world to doprojects in other classes such as history or economy.For example, history students may choose to do a projecton the Arabic origin of the present currencies of someWestern countries such as the Brazilian Real andMacedonian Denar, which are historically related to theArabic Reyal and Dinar still used by many Arab countries.Economics students, on the other hand, may do a projecton the value of the different Arabic currencies and howthat value is determined by the status of the differenteconomies of the Middle East (e.g., the currencies ofthe oil-producing Gulf countries tend to have a highconversion value in comparison to the American dollarwhereas the currencies of the other Arab countries donot.)

4.1 Students compare some of the jargon used in the stockmarket section of the Arabic news or newspapers to itscounterpart in the English media.

4.2 Students learn about the different banking systems inthe Arab world. For example, in the Arab Gulf, banks donot lend money with interest whereas such restrictionsare not found in other Arab countries.

5.2 Students in Arabic classes as well as other students whoare interested in studying in or traveling to the MiddleEast can benefit from this activity by learning about the

58

monetary systems in the countries they are interested invisiting.

59

AT THE DOCTOR’S(Intermediate)

Students are introduced to theArabic terms for commonillnesses (e.g., cold, flu,fever, etc.) as well as thegrammatical structures used toexpress physical discomfort orillness (e.g., theconstruction `ind + possessive

pronoun and the collocation aš`uru bi- ‘I feel’). Then, studentsare divided into groups, and each group prepares a dialoguerelated to visiting a doctor such as setting an appointmentover the phone, chatting with another patient in the doctor’swaiting room, being examined by the doctor, and filling aprescription at the local pharmacy. Once all the dialogueshave been completed, they are compiled into an elaborate skitperformed in class.

Reflection

1.1 Students interact with one another to write dialoguesrelated to the theme of visiting a doctor.

1.2 Students understand and use the appropriate terms andgrammatical constructions in developing the dialogues.

1.3 Students use the dialogues they prepared to perform askit comprised of three or four short scenes.

2.1 Students learn about traditional medicine in differentparts of the Middle East such dripping garlic juice inthe ear to cure infections in Morocco, and drinkinganise tea for stomachaches in Lebanon.

2.2 Students learn about cultural products related tomedicine such as herbal concoctions, the use of incenseand Taset el-khadda in some parts of Egypt to curesuperstition related illnesses such as spiritualpossessions.

60

TARGETED STANDARDS

1.1 Interpersonal Communication1.2 Interpretive Communication1.3 Presentational Communication2.1 Practices of Culture2.2 Products of Culture3.1 Making Connections

3.1 Students learn about the contributions of Arab scholarsto the field of medicine such as their discovery of thecirculatory system, their establishment of the firstmental institution in Baghdad, their pioneering ofmodern psychiatry, optics and other fields. Thisknowledge will be prove useful to medical andpharmacology students for their research and practice.

3.2 Learning about traditional medicine and medicalpractices opens a window into certain aspects of Arabculture that only native speakers have access to such asthe Arabs’ beliefs with regard to the of existence ofjins and the evil eye.

4.1 Students learn how Arabic differs from English withrespect to some grammatical constructions that areequivalent in meaning yet different in structure (e.g.,the use of the Arabic prepositional phrase `ind + NPinstead of its English verbal phrase counterpart ‘have +NP’). Moreover, students compare Arabic and Englishpatterns of scientific discourse. For example, ClassicalArabic medical texts start with a canonical religiousintroduction and a synopsis of the philosophy of scienceas well as a detailed biography of the author followedby the content material, and end with a denial of fullknowledge of the topic and a relegation of suchknowledge to God.

4.2 Students compare American folk medicine to its Arabiccounterpart. For example, many Americans use garlic tocure a cold whereas Egyptians use onion for the samepurpose.

5.2 Students learn survival skills that may prove valuablewhen visiting any country of the Middle East. For studentswho plan to join the Peace Corps as volunteer medical staff,knowledge of the medical practices and the cultural beliefsassociated with them will help them carry out their tasksefficiently.

61

FASHION SHOW (Intermediate)Students contact members ofthe local Arab community,identify the ethnic groups orcountries represented andinterview members of thesegroups about their traditionalclothing styles and thecelebrations associated withthem. Students prepare theirquestions such that the

interviews elicit information about the social factors thatdetermine the choice of a particular dressing style (e.g.,gender, age, martial status, and religious beliefs).Students collect clothing samples from the community andwrite a description of the clothing items they receive aswell as the cultural norms associated with them. At the endof the semester students organize a fashion show in whichthey display the traditional clothing items and describethem to the audience in Arabic.

Reflection1.1 Students interview members of the Arab community to

elicit information about the dressing traditions indifferent parts of the Arab world and obtain clothingsamples to illustrate these traditions.

1.2 Students synthesize the information they receive fromthe interviewees and write a report about theirfindings.

1.3 Students display the samples of clothing items theycollect and present brief descriptions of these items aswell as the cultural norms behind them.

2.1 Students recognize the dressing styles appropriate fordifferent social groups (urban vs. rural, young vs.elderly, male vs. female, etc.). Also, students learnabout the different traditional clothes worn only onspecific occasions.

62

TARGETED STANDARDS





2.2 Students display samples of clothing and accessories toillustrate the information they gather about variousdressing traditions in the Arab world.

3.1 Students use the information they learn from thisproject in other areas of research and study such astextiles industry, fashion design, art, women studies,and geography. For example, students of geography learnmore about the effects of the climate on the clothingtypes in different Arab regions such as white gowns thatprotect them from the sun, and in some areas peoplecover their faces to protect them from the sand carriedby the wind.

4.1 Students compare the Arabic grammatical structures usedin eliciting information (e.g., yes/no and wh-questions,terms of address, demonstratives) to those used in theirnative language.

4.2 Students identify regional differences in dressingstyles between various Arab countries. For example, insome Arab countries men wear turbans, whereas in othersthey wear Fez hats or kufiyas. Also, widows in Egypt andthe Levant wear black while in North Africa they wearwhite.

5.1 Students use the knowledge they gain from this projectto develop an understanding of how to dressappropriately in different settings when visiting Arabcountries so as to avoid offending their hosts.

63

MOCK INTERVIEWS (Advanced)

Students are familiarized with sample Arabic resumes and areasked to write their own. They then exchange their resumesand peer-review them to benefit from their classmates’feedback. Once the resumes have been reviewed and revised,students exchange them and write interview questions on thebasis of the information provided in the resumes.Afterwards, they stage interviews in which one student asksquestions and another provides answers. Since students arethe ones who write the interview questions, they are giventhe freedom to be creative with regards to the themes or thetone of the interviews. Some students may choose to focustheir interviews on the cultural differences between the USand the Middle East (e.g., in the Arab Gulf, it isacceptable to ask job interviewees about their age,religious beliefs, and marital status while in the US suchquestions are considered illegal). Other students may chooseother themes such as job, graduate school, and researchinterviews.

Reflection1.1 Students work together to write their own resumes,critique one another’s resumes, and revise them. They thenwork in pairs in choosing the theme and tone of theirinterview and generate questions for the interview. 1.2 Students understand the format of the samples of

the Arabic resumes and demonstrate theirunderstanding by emulating the models in developing their

64

TARGETED STANDARDS





resumes.1.3 Students act out the dialogues generated for the

interviews.2.1 Students learn about the cultural domains and

practices associated with different types of interviewsin the Arab world (e.g., culturally appropriate questionsand answers).

2.2 Students read authentic resumes in Arabic, whichintroduces them to the Arabic business world. Moreover,students may use some cultural props such as Arabic

clothing to simulate real-life situations of an Arabemployer interviewing an American for a job.

3.1 Students acquire interviewing skills that preparethem to collect field data in different parts of theMiddle East.

4.1 Students learn the appropriate terms of address touse in such formal contexts as that of a job interview.Students also learn how Arabs present themselves in

resumes, where personal achievements are toned down toshow modesty.

4.2 Students compare the cultural norms behindinterviews in the Arab world and in the US. (e.g., eyecontact between members of different genders, physical

proximity, and the level of friendliness). 5.2 Students can utilize their resume-writing and interview

skills in Arabic to apply for a job or collect datafrom interviewees in the Arab world.

IMPERSONATING FAMOUS ARABFIGURES (Advanced)

Students select some renowned historical or contemporary

65

TARGETED STANDARDS




2.1 Practices of Culture

Arab figures that they want to ‘impersonate’. Studentsgather information about their selected figure (e.g. his/herdate and place of birth, characteristics of his/her era,his/her major contributions, etc.), write up a shortautobiography, and present it to the class. Students arealso expected to be able to answer questions posed duringthe presentation. After each presentation, the instructorand the students discuss in detail the political andcultural climate during which that figure lived as well ashow his/her accomplishments have affected world history.

Reflection

1.1 Students communicate with the instructor abouttheir selected Arabic figures and get his/herinput and advice about where they should go to researchthat figure and what information they should include intheir presentations.

1.2 Students read different resources in Arabic abouttheir selected figures and decide on what they thinkis relevant and appropriate for the assignment.

1.3 Students prepare and present their reports inclass

2.1 Students learn about individuals who incurredsignificant changes in Arabic culture such as QasimAmin, who led the women’s emancipation movement in

Egypt, and Gamal Abul-Nasser, who eliminated formaltitles such as baasha ‘lord’ and bek ‘Sir’. 2.2 Students use realia in their presentations to show thecultural produces introduced or created by the figures theychose. For example, students can show pictures of theglobe designed by Al-Idrisi the geographer, the medicalinstruments developed by Avicena, and the astrolabedeveloped by Ibn-Maja. 3.1 Students research the contribution of influential

Arab figures in their own disciplines (Avicena inmedicine, Al-Farabi in Philosophy and logic, Al-Idrisi in

geography, Abu-Hayaan At-tawheedi in Algebra, etc.).4.1 Students highlight the accomplishments of their

66

selected figures by comparing them to theircontemporaries in the West, including the US.5.1 Students present information about the achievementof Arabs in different disciplines to one another.

67

ARABIC NEWSCAST (Advanced)

Students prepare and present anewscast, in which they reporton current political events,sports happenings as well asthe weather. The final outcomeis a videotaped news report inwhich students play differentroles such as news reporters,anchor people, interviewers,correspondents, and the

weatherman. Students select topics that interest them or arerelated to their studies such as the Middle East conflict,the U.S. war on terrorism, global warming, and thefluctuation of oil prices in relation to current events.Students watch, understand, and discuss several recordedmodels of Arabic news produced by pan-Arab news agenciessuch as Al-jazeera. In preparation of these reports, studentsconsult professors from different disciplines to elicittheir perspectives. Students synthesize the information theycollect and present a coherent newscast similar to themodels they watched. Moreover, they discuss the differencesbetween Arabic and in terms of rhetorical styles andspecialized jargon. They videotape their rehearsals andcritique them with regard to language and content, and thefinal presentation is recorded and shared with other classesas well as the Arab community.

Reflection

1.1 Students interview native-speaking professors andmember of the local Arab community to gather information for their reports as

well as different perspectives on these events. 1.2 Students listen and analyze the sample newscasts they

watch as well as the information they gather from theinterviewees.

1.3 Students prepare and present sample newscasts to share

68

TARGETED STANDARDS




2.1 Practices of Culture

with their classmates. 2.1 Students demonstrate understanding of the cultural

values and norms underpining the rhetorical stylesappropriate in Arabic news reporting.

2.2 Students watch authentic Arabic newscasts from avariety of Arab countries.

3.1 students use the newscasts as a source of researchmaterial for their projects in other classes such aspolitical science and economics.3.2 Students conduct interviews with Arabic-speaking

experts as well as members of the Arab community togain access to views and perspectives that are available

only through the medium of Arabic. 4.1 Students identify the differences between therhetorical styles used in Arabic and English newscasts. 4.2 Students identify the culture norms underlying therhetorical styles used in Arabic newscasts such as formalgreetings. 5.1 Students develop contacts with the Arab community in

terms of collecting information through interviews aswell as sharing the final outcome with them in acultural night or a social event.

WHO IS THE CULPRIT? (Advanced)

Students read an Arabic open-ended detective story. Then,based on the clues provided inthe narration, each group triesto determine the culprit andprovide arguments in support oftheir choice. At the same time,other groups who have made other

choices defend the former groups’ suspect by providing analibi or arguments for his/her innocence. Finally, studentswrite a script for and dramatize a court scene, in which theyplay the roles of judge, jury, defense, and prosecutor. Inthis scene the defense and the prosecutor present their

69

TARGETED STANDARDS





arguments and those who act as jury reach a final verdictbased on how persuasive these arguments are.

Reflection

1.1 Students discuss and decide on the identity of thesuspects and provide arguments to defend theirpositions.

1.2 Students read the detective story in Arabic and use theclues provided in the plot to pick out suspects.

1.3 Students play roles in the court scene and presenttheir arguments for the purpose of persuading the juryto reach a verdict in support of their position.

2.1 Students learn about the cultural norms associated withshame and honor (e.g., a person who commits a crime notonly brings shame to himself/herself, but also to allhis/her family and associates). At the same time, theylearn about culture-specific criminal activities suchas honor killing.

2.2 Students learn about the legal systems used indifferent Arab countries (e.g., the shari`a law in SaudiArabia and tribal laws such as majlis Haq al-`arab amongBedouins).

3.1 Students use the legal and cultural information theylearn from the discussions in their work in otherclasses such as sociology, law, and religious studies.

3.2 Students can consult legal documents as well asdocumentaries in Arabic to access information aboutdifferent Arabic legal systems available only to nativespeakers of the language.

4.1 Students compare the argument styles, legal jargons,and formal discourse patterns in Arabic and Englishlegal materials.4.2 Students learn about the cultural norms associated with

rights and obligations that lead to a low rate of crimein Arab countries compared to those leading to highercrime rates in many other modern societies.

5.1 Students learn about personal safety issues in theMiddle East and help friends and family members

70

recognize the fact that the Middle East is one ofsafest places for foreigners.

A LOVE STORY (Advanced)

Students read the famous Arabic poetic play Qais wa Laila byAhmed Shawqi, which tells the tragic epic love story betweenQais of Arabia and his beloved Laila. They also listen to thetheatrical performance of the play by the renowned Egyptianmusician and singer Abdu-l-Wahaab along with Asmahan. Then,students discuss the themes and write reflective essays ondifferent aspects of the story. For example, students maychoose to write their essays on the theme of love in generalor on the cultural norms reflected by the story, etc.Finally, each student selects a character from Shawqi’s playand rehearses for a dramatization of the play.

Reflection

1.1 Students discuss the themes of the play, including howcultural norms such as tribal feuds, social structure,and family feuds control one’s social life.

1.2 Students read the play and listen to the theatricalperformance and express their interpretations in theform of reflective essays.

1.3 Students rehearse and perform the play for an audience.2.1 Students learn about tribalism and the role of poetry

as a medium of communication and tribal pride in pre-Islamic society.

71

TARGETED STANDARDS

1.1 Interpersonal Communication1.2 Interpretive

Communication1.3 Presentational

Communication2.1 Practices of Culture2.2 Products of Culture 3.1 Making Connections

2.2 Students read samples of different genres of ClassicalArabic poetry such as al-rithaa ‘eulogy’, al-madH ‘praise’,and al-ghazal ‘romanticism’, among many others.

3.1 Students of comparative literature can find ClassicalArabic poetry a great source of research material.Also, students of cultural anthropology and history canuse authentic poetic texts as primary resources intheir projects in other classes.

3.2 Students can develop a better understanding of the wayArabic speakers view the world such the centrality ofthe family and tribal ties, the notion of Arabism whereall Arabs think of such poetry as their heritage eventhough that poetry was written mainly in Arabia.Students also recognize the Arabs’ perception ofClassical Arabic poetry as a model for Classical Arabicand language art.

4.1 Students are introduced to the styles, genres, andstructure of Classical Arabic poetry in comparison withthose of Modern Arabic as well as English poetry. Forexample, all pre-Islamic poetry had rhyme that wasfollowed throughout the poem that might be a thousandlines, and a unified metric structure.

4.2 Students compare the cultural norms expressed in Romeoand Juliet to those reflected in Qais wa Laila and recognizethe striking similarities between the two stories. Forexample, they are both about a love story that isimpeded by family feuds, and both end tragically. Thedifferences between the two stories reflectdifferences between Arabic and Western cultures. InRomeo and Juliet the protagonists secretly marry whereasin Qais wa Laila the protagonists cannot conceive of suchan act because of the social stigma that will beattached to them and to their families.

5.2 Students will be encouraged and inspired to pursuereading classical Arabic poetry for their own personalpleasure and enrichment.

72

Standards for Arabic Language Learning, 2002

Documents

Transcript of Standards for Arabic Language Learning, 2002