SOAS LANGUAGE CENTRE

Arabic Beginners 1

Materials: Wightwick, J. and Gaafar, M. (2014): Mastering Arabic 1 (3rd ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan.

Overview of Course Contents Synopsis

Introduction to the Arabic language The aim of Arabic Beginners 1 is to provide students with a basic knowledge of
Alphabet and pronunciation ‘standard’ Arabic, which is the dialect common to the entire Arabic-speaking part of
Greetings the world and not specifically associated with any given country or region. A good
Introducing oneself: name, nationality, profession
Forming simple sentences grounding in Modern Standard Arabic is the basis from which learners may progress
Male and female forms to the study of vernacular forms, such as Egyptian or Levantine Arabic.
Talking about one’s family
Feminine words The course covers grammar and essential vocabulary and focuses on the four
Demonstratives (What’s this?) language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), aiming to enable students to
Talking about one’s work
communicate in everyday situations. The course is taught in English and Arabic, and a
Plural forms
Describing things variety of materials specifically created by SOAS Language Centre teachers are used
Everyday objects (Whose is this?) alongside the main textbook.
Possessive endings
Making polite requests In class, students are encouraged to interact with each other using Arabic, practising
The indefinite and definite articles the vocabulary and structures learnt in pairs or in small groups. Outside of the class,
‘Sun and moon letters’
students are encouraged to revise what has been taught, so that progress may be
Describing places
Asking questions (Where? How? What? etc.) made as the material covered becomes more complex. Participants are asked to put
Prepositions sufficient time aside between sessions to undertake the necessary consolidation.
Introduction to dialect features
The iḍafa construction This course may be taken as a 10-week/term-long course in any of the three
Forming more complex sentences academic terms of the year, where the number of contact hours is 20. In both
Describing one’s town
Writing and listening activities intensive and semi-intensive mode (offered during Easter and over the summer), the
Overview and progress test number is contact hours is 24. In semi intensive mode, the division between the first
and second weeks is indicated, opposite ( 12 hours; 24 hours).