ARAB101

This course is the first in a series that aims at helping students achieve communicative competence in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA). This course of study represents the first step in the acquisition of the basic skills in the areas of listening, reading, speaking, and writing for students new to the language. These skills will acquire more life when they are placed in the cultural context of the Arab cultures, a context that is indispensable in the pursuit of mutual communication and understanding. Emphasis will be placed on MSA, the variety used in most forms of media and official and formal communication throughout the Arabic-speaking world. The course will begin by acquainting students with the sounds and shapes of the alphabet, while at the same time introducing them to ways of speaking in basic conversations. We will establish a foundation in basic communication skills without focusing on grammatical concepts but, rather, with emphasis on oral, aural, reading and writing abilities.