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All Media Arabic Webclasses require a solid basis in Standard Arabic, i.e. the ability to autonomously access an easy authentical Arabic text (with the aid of a dictionary). Even though some grammar points will be discussed in class, the focus will not lie on grammar work supposing that the students have already a good knowledge of it or the ability to look things up.
However, an exception to this forms the Preparatory Course, that aims at preparing students having few experience with authenical texts to learn how to access them and to fill gaps in grammar that are important to the understanding of the texts. Also vocabulary building will be an important focus of the Preparatory Course. As for CERF, the course addresses students of Arabic who have completed A2, thus can be situated within B1.1 (self-assessment grids)
| Language | Class mainly conducted in Arabic (Fuṣḥa) and English. | |
| Focus | Acquiring of vocabulary and collocations typical for Arabic Media Language, strengthening of reading, listening comprehension, and speaking in Standard Arabic. | |
| Activities | Working on media texts as provided by newspapers or magazines, supplemented by TV or radio extracts. Written and spoken exercises at home and in class in order to build up vocabulary, reading and listening comprehension; working on the texts and in case of TV or radio the spoken and written text of the program (transcript); translation of difficult parts; discussions as regards the content of the programs in English and Arabic (prepared). Instructions in class will be in Arabic (but explicitly introduced). | |
| Length of texts and programs | The text dealt with each week might be about a page long, in case of TV or radio programs, between 5 and 10 minutes long. Most of the TV or radio programs are provided, by the TV channel, with Arabic transcripts. | |
| Preconditions for participants | Sound knowledge of Arabic grammar and ability to understand an intermediate Arabic text with the aid of a dictionary. Participants are not expected of having extensively read Arabic authentical material or followed Arabic TV programs. Participants can express their opinion in Arabic spontaneously in a simple way, a discussion without preparation might still be too difficult. | |
| Main aims | Strengthening of reading and listening comprehension; acquiring of vocabulary in such a way that participants will be able to understand main ideas of texts and TV programs, can summarize viewpoints and give short personal comments in Standard Arabic. | |
| Level CERF | B1.2: Klick here for self-assessment grids |
| Language | Class mainly conducted in Arabic (Fuṣḥa). | |
| Focus | Enlargement of vocabulary and collocations typical for Arabic Media Language. Some of our courses will focus especially on the strengthening of listening comprehension, others more on reading comprehension (with - of course - some share of listening comprehension as well). Our classes are interactive, therefore we will work in any case on the participant's abilities to express himself in Standard Arabic. | |
| Activities | According to the focus of the courses: Working more on written reports and news or the spoken and written text of TV programs (transcript); written and spoken exercises at home and in class in order to built up vocabulary and listening comprehension. Activities might also include writing of a transcript for some parts of a TV program, the presentation of a program to the others in class etc. The discussion of the content of the programs is more in the focus than in the beginners' class and will mainly be in Arabic. | |
| Length of texts/programs | The sections discussed every week are between two to four pages (written) or 10-15 minutes (TV programs) long. As for the TV programs: Most of them are provided, by the TV channel, with Arabic transcripts. | |
| Preconditions for participants | Ability to read over a Media text (or watch a TV program) and catch some of the main ideas without the help of a dictionary. Ability to follow instructions by the teacher in Arabic, summarize viewpoints and give short personal comments in Standard Arabic. | |
| Main aims | Getting confidence in dealing with Arabic media texts through a lot of input and different kinds of approaches to them, understanding large parts of TV programs without the aid of a transcript and to take part in simple discussions in Standard Arabic. | |
| Level CERF | B2.1: Klick here for self-assessment grids |
| Language | Class purely conducted in Arabic (Fuṣḥā). | |
| Focus | Discussing the content of chosen texts or TV programs using important structures and expressions of Media Arabic itself. | |
| Activities | Working through leading questions to some texts or TV programs at home and discussion of the issues in class. Activities might include watching additional material in class or presentations in class to a certain topic or program. Vocabulary work, especially through discussing of important and special vocabulary, expressions or grammatical devices used in the texts or programs. | |
| Length of programs | The texts discussed every week might comprise more than four sheets of text. TV programs are between 20 to 45 minutes long (however, they can be much shorter if the focus of a course is more on reading than listening comprehension). Some of the programs might be provided, by the TV channel, with Arabic transcript. | |
| Preconditions for participants | Reading comprehension allowing the participant to handle also longer texts in Arabic without resorting too often to a dictionary and listening comprehension allowing the participants to follow a TV-program and understanding most of it even without further preparation or the aid of a transcript. Ability to express and illustrate one's opinions in Arabic, to follow a discussion in class and to respond to others' arguments. | |
| Main aims | Enlargement of the participant's abilities to express himself in Standard Arabic, extension of active and passive vocabulary, insight into current cultural, social, political or economic issues of the Arab world. | |
| Level CERF | B2.2-C1: Klick here for self-assessment grids |
