LN701     
Arabic: Level One (Standard)

This information is for the 2013/14 session.

Teacher responsible

Mr Nadim Ben Mohamed Mahjoub CMK.C804

Pre-requisites

  • No previous knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic required.
  • Students should demonstrate commitment to regular attendance, completion of homework, completion of the dossier and all assessments.
  • Students should dedicate at least two hours per week for coursework in addition to classes.
  • This course is suitable for students wanting to learn Modern Standard Arabic.
  • Admission into the course upon tutor’s approval during the information sessions.

Course content

Course aims

  • To develop the ability to use Arabic effectively for purposes of practical communication at survival level.
  • The course introduces the students to the Arabic writing system and enables them to read and write basic words and sentences.
  • To deal with a range of predictable simple language tasks using a limited range of language.
  • To establish the skills, language and attitudes required to promote and facilitate further study of Arabic.
  • To bring the students to level A1- of Common European Framework.

Communicative content

  • Greetings
  • Asking for and giving personal information
  • Talking about your immediate family
  • Talking about studies and jobs
  • Say where you live
  • Asking for and giving directions
  • Talking about your city and country
  • Talking about present actions

Structural content

  • Alphabet
  • Joining letters
  • Pronunciation
  • Feminine and masculine words
  • Roots
  • Present tense
  • The definitive article
  • Independent pronouns and pronoun suffixes
  • Nouns-adjective phrases
  • Numbers
  • Plural
  • Dual
  • Word order
  • Demonstrative: this (masc./fem.)
  • Possessive pronouns
  • Interrogatives (where, when, what, how many,etc.)
  • Prepositions: in, between, etc
  • Nisba (nationality)
  • Idafa (genitive construction)
  • Introduction to Past Tense
  • Linking words (Firstly, after, lately, etc.)

Teaching

12 hours of classes in the MT. 20 hours of classes in the LT. 8 hours of classes in the ST.

  • This is a 40 hour-course.
  • Please refer to the LSE timetable for course teaching arrangements.

Indicative reading

Students will be provided with a study pack.

Other useful materials for this level

  • Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic, Letters and Sounds by Brustad et all. Georgetown Univ. Press, Second or Third Editions
  • Mastering Arabic Grammar, Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar, Palgrave Macmillan, 2005
  • Al-Kitaab fii Ta‘llum al-‘Arabiyya  Al-Kitaab Fii Ta Allum Al- Arabiyya: Pt. 1: A Textbook for Beginning Arabic by Brustad et al, Georgetown Univ.Press, 2011
  • Mastering Arabic 1, Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar, Palgrave Macmillan, 2007

Language Centre Learning Support

  • Tandem Learning: Regular events to improve your spoken language skills - Join our Language Exchange programme! Find out about the details and our Facebook Groups
  • Online Language Learning: Try our Moodle site “LSE Language Gateway” as extra support for your language learning (includes links to podcasts, streaming television, free online courses).

Go to www.lse.ac.uk/languages and click on 'Learning Support'

Assessment

Continuous assessment (50%) in the MT, LT and ST.
Oral examination (30%) in the ST.
In class assessment (20%) in the LT.

Key facts

Department: Language Studies

Total students 2012/13: 80

Average class size 2012/13: 12

Guidelines for interpreting course guide information