module specification

In this module students will develop advanced language skills and work towards becoming independent users of Arabic. (CEFR Level B1)  Students will learn how to use Arabic in a wide range of contexts both personally and professionally, through practical class activities focusing on authentic language use. There will be a particular emphasis on developing reading and writing skills, as well as oral, listening and intercultural skills.  The course extends students’ ability to use a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary accurately. In addition, cultural aspects of Arabic speaking countries will be studied.
The course is structured around class time, independent learning and guided WebLearn materials.

Completion of OAL074 OR near B1 competence

The aims of this module are:

•  To increase students’ linguistic competence in Arabic in all skills towards an advanced level (level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference)
• To further develop appropriate language learning strategies to encourage effective independent learning of Arabic
• To develop a further understanding of the cultural contexts of Arabic speaking countries
• To enhance student employability and transferable skills

1.
• Development of listening skills, including note taking and reconstituting notes
• Development of writing and reading skills
   Further development of a wide range of lexis
• study of genre and register in written texts
              2.

• extension and expansion of grammatical control (new and revised structures)
• Development of oral fluency and accuracy
• Development of linguistic devices to improve cohesion and coherence

Learning and teaching strategies will be delivered through a blended learning approach. Learners will actively participate in individual and group activities in class and independently, using online resources and tools available on Weblearn, as well as paper based materials. They will receive teacher and peer feedback to enable them to reflect on their learning

The learning outcomes of this module are calibrated to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.  By the end of the module students should be able to:

• Write accurately and in an appropriate register on a variety of topics related to personal matters, current affairs and areas of professional expertise.
• Demonstrate the ability to narrate experiences and events, and give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans
• Proof read and correct mistakes

• Deliver a clear presentation on a prepared topic, with some errors and hesitations
• Use a  wide range of language to give clear descriptions
• Express viewpoints on most general topics in a fluent manner

The module will be assessed through an in class test, course work and an oral test. The in class test will assess learning outcomes 1 and 2, the course work will assess learning outcomes 1 and the oral test will assess learning outcomes 2.

Lewis Marilyn (1999) How to study foreign Languages, London, Macmillan Study guides, ISBN 0333736672
• Weblearn and other appropriate online resources
• Abboud,  P. F. & McCarus, E. N. 1983 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic Part 1 (Cambridge,  CUP)

Dictionaries:

• Wehr, Hans, Arabic-English dictionary (Urbana, Illinois: Spoken Languages Services, 1994)
• Ba'albaki, M. 2003 Mawrid. A Modern English-Arabic Dictionary (Beirut, Dar El-Ilm Lil-Malayen)

Web Sites

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/arabic/  (News in Arabic)
• http://www.al-hakawati.net/arabic/Aboutus/Index.asp  
                    (Culture, society, etc. of Arab countries)   
• www.BBC.co.uk/arabic
• www.aljazeera.net