Arabic Language (ARABL-UH)

This course is designed for learners with no prior knowledge of Arabic. Students who have studied Arabic before or who have prior knowledge of Arabic are required to take a placement test. This is a full semester (or equivalent session) course during which students first learn the Arabic alphabet, then move on to work on the sentence and paragraph levels. It is an interactive course designed to build the student’s abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At the end of the semester students should be able to carry on a short conversation; ask and answer questions; introduce themselves and others; provide simple biographical information; interact in simple daily life situations; ask for assistance; express likes and dislikes; read short texts; and gain a basic understanding of Arab culture. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, brief presentations, short essay writing, and a final exam.

This course builds on the knowledge and skills that students acquire in Elementary Arabic 1 (ARABL-UH 1110) which is a prerequisite course for this class. This is a full semester (or equivalent session) course during which students continue learning formal Arabic (MSA), expand their knowledge of the grammar, build on previously learnt vocabulary, and be exposed to a variety of cultural and daily life themes and situations. It is an interactive course designed to build the student’s abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At the end of the semester students should be able to read texts on familiar topics and understand the main ideas; speak about themselves and their environment; carry out basic daily life transactions; and initiate and sustain conversations on a variety of topics. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, brief presentations, short essay writing, and a final exam. Students joining the course from outside NYU Abu Dhabi are required to take a placement test.

This course is the first in a series of courses meant for students who come from Arabic-speaking families and who grew up in an Arabic-speaking environment but have not had sufficient training in Arabic. These courses are designed to help those students master formal Arabic language skills and empower them, as citizens, to become more engaged in their society, culture, and heritage. The series achieves this goal by reactivating the students’ acquired but dormant knowledge of their native tongue even as it provides new accessible and relevant instruction in the language.

This course builds on the knowledge and skills that students acquire in Elementary Arabic 2 This course builds on the knowledge and skills that students acquire in Elementary Arabic 2 (ARABL-UH 1120) which is a prerequisite course for this class. Students joining the course from outside NYU Abu Dhabi are required to take a placement test. This is a full semester (or equivalent session) course during which students continue learning the modern standard form of the language, with limited exposure to phrases and expressions in colloquial. It is a student-centered course where the four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) are integrated along with culture to simulate real life situations. By the end of this course, students should be able to narrate in all verb tenses, describe their daily life, personal relations, and report information. Types of tasks and assignments required include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, presentations, essays, and a final exam.

This course builds on the knowledge and skills that students acquire in Intermediate Arabic 1 which is a prerequisite course for this class. Students joining the course from outside NYU Abu Dhabi are required to take a placement test. This is a full semester (or equivalent session) course during which students continue learning the modern standard form of the language, with limited exposure to phrases and expressions in colloquial. It is a student-centered course where the four language skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) are integrated along with culture to simulate real life situations. At the end of the semester students should be able to read and understand the main ideas of authentic texts written for the general public. They will be able to employ analytical reading and critical thinking skills to understand different types of text. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, presentations, short essay writing, and a final exam.

This course is the second in the Arabic Language and Heritage series designed for native learners of Arabic. A prerequisite for this course is Arabic Language and Heritage 1 (ARABL-UH 1130) or an equivalent proficiency level as determined through a placement test. This is a full semester course (or equivalent session) during which students work on mastering formal Arabic language skills to empower them to become more engaged in their society, culture, and heritage. In ALH 2, students build on their previously acquired listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills to perfect their knowledge of Arabic vocabulary and syntax. By the end of this course, students should be able to produce longer argumentative pieces; will begin to access, assess and taste some of Arabic's key modern literary and cultural products; and will continue to debate and explore various aspects of Arab culture. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, presentations, essay writing, and a final exam.

Welcome to رمسة. Finishing three semesters of MSA at a university is the prerequisites for the course. This course is designed to provide a solid foundation, at the intermediate level according to ACTFL guidelines, in the structure, pronunciation, vocabulary, and Emirati culture. As a conversation-based course, inside and outside class activities will focus on the communicative skills of listening and speaking. However, the skills of reading and writing are necessary as the text is in Arabic with some transliteration and we will place considerable emphasis on active use of the language and its culture in and out of class and in daily HW. The focus of the class will be on developing the automated production skills necessary to function in an Arabic speaking environment. A core component of class is the memorization and recitation of dialogues exemplifying basic grammatical patterns, vocabulary, cultural concepts, expressions and intonation patterns of Emirati Arabic. Outside class activities will include field trips and community interactions that will help learners enjoy an invaluable experience, which will inspire them to open their minds to new experiences and perspectives. Note: Only NYUAD students are eligible to take this course.

This course complements the student’s knowledge of Standard Arabic to include proficiency in Levantine Arabic, one of the major Arabic dialects, with emphasis on daily life tasks, conversational fluency, and cultural sensibility. A prerequisite for this class is Intermediate Arabic 201 (ARABL-UH 2110) or an equivalent proficiency level determined through a placement test. This is a full semester conversation-based course during which students focus on the communicative skills, and develop automated production skills necessary to function in an Arabic speaking environment. It is designed to build student’s abilities in listening and speaking. At the end of the semester students should be able to use the Shami dialect to participate actively in conversations by using linguistic and cultural expressions to make requests, express, and describe preferences. Tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework, periodic quizzes, weekly oral entries, presentation skits, oral film summary, oral interviews, a homestay, and an oral final exam.

This course complements the student’s knowledge of Standard Arabic to include proficiency in Egyptian Arabic, one of the major Arabic dialects, with emphasis on daily life tasks, conversational fluency, and cultural sensibility. A prerequisite for this class is Intermediate Arabic 2 or an equivalent proficiency level as determined through a placement test. This is a full semester (or equivalent session) conversation-based course during which students focus on the communicative skills, and develop automated production skills necessary to function in an Arabic speaking environment. It is designed to build student’s abilities in listening and speaking. At the end of the semester students should be able to use the Egyptian dialect to participate actively in informal conversations by using language and cultural expressions to make requests, express, and describe preferences. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, weekly brief presentations and a final exam.

This is an introductory course in Emirati dialect and culture designed for students who have completed Intermediate Arabic I. In contrast with the MSA sequence, which focuses on traditional literacy, this course adheres to the communicative method and focuses on fluency in conversation, accuracy in pronunciation, and the stimulation of intercultural competence. Through extensive and intensive listening, at-home recording, and in-class role play and interaction, the course creates an immersive environment to help students develop the production skills necessary to function among Emirati speakers in a variety of settings. Students will have the opportunity to interact with guest lecturers from a variety of fields, to work with language partners, and to visit a number of cultural sites in the UAE.

The course is designed to help students reach an advanced level of proficiency through analysis of authentic Arabic texts addressing a wide range of political, social, religious, and literary themes. A prerequisite for this course is Intermediate Arabic 2 or, for students joining from outside NYU Abu Dhabi, an equivalent proficiency level as determined through a placement test. The course emphasizes integrating the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At the end of the course students should be able to understand the main ideas and supporting arguments of authentic oral and written texts; draw conclusions about the author’s attitude; employ analytical reading and critical thinking; analyze various linguistic aspects in a text; and evaluate the content and organizational aspects of a specialized article. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, presentations, essay writing, and a final exam.

This course builds on previously acquired writing and conversational skills. A prerequisite for this class is Advanced Arabic 1 or, for students joining from outside NYU Abu Dhabi, an equivalent proficiency level as determined through a placement test. This is a full semester (or equivalent session) course during which students are autonomously responsible for their own learning. The course provides students with opportunities to study, analyze and present textual and audiovisual content in class, and engage in extended discussions. It is designed to reinforce the student’s abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. At the end of the semester students should be able to function competently, confidently in Arab culture, discuss and write effectively about various topics with precision and detail, enhance their critical thinking skills and interact fluently with Arabs. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily homework assignments, periodic quizzes, weekly presentations and essay writing, and a final writing project.

This course is the third and last in the Arabic Language and Heritage series designed for native learners of Arabic. A prerequisite for this course is Arabic Language and Heritage 2 or an equivalent proficiency level as determined through a placement test. This is a full semester course (or equivalent session) during which students work on reinforcing formal Arabic language skills to prepare them for a full engagement in their society, culture, and heritage. ALH 3 is a learner-centered class in which students are self-driven and autonomously responsible for their own learning. They actively participate in selecting class material and engage in peer reviewing. Students will focus more on understanding and learning some of Arabic’s major rhetorical styles used in original Arabic literature both classical and contemporary. By the end of this class students should be able to produce publication-quality output and engage in more critical study of the main intellectual debates in Arab life today. Types of tasks and assignments required for this course include daily reading and listening assignments, weekly presentations and essay writing, writing book reviews, and a final project.

This course is designed for students who are interested in the language of Qur'an and other cultural aspects related to it. Suras (chapters) and verses of chapters will be presented and analyzed; vocabulary and grammatical structures will be discussed, explained, and practiced systematically; and cultural aspects of the Qur'an (i.e. Texts, Maqamat, Tajweed, Recitation Styles, etc.) will be introduced through Arabic readings, audios and videos. This is a content-driven course that integrates language and culture. This course builds on the knowledge that students acquire in Intermediate Arabic 1 and earlier courses. It is a proficiency-based course, where the four language skills, speaking, listening, reading and writing, are integrated and practiced to simulate real life situations.

This course complements the student’s knowledge gained in Levantine 1. A prerequisite for this class is thus Levantine 1 or an equivalent proficiency level as determined through a placement test. This is a conversation-based course during which students focus on the communicative skills, and develop automated production skills necessary to function in an Arabic speaking environment. Class discussions are relevant to Shami culture, encouraging engagement and exploration of the themes through folklore, song, films, etc. It is designed to build student’s abilities in listening and speaking. At the end of the semester students should be able to use the Shami dialect to participate actively in conversations by using linguistic and cultural expressions to make requests, compare, express, narrate and describe preferences. Assignments required for this course include daily homework, periodic quizzes, weekly oral entries, presentation skits, oral film summary. This course includes oral interviews, a homestay, guest speakers, and an oral final exam.

This is an advanced-level content course in Arabic designed around the reading of Saud Al Sanousi's novel, The Bamboo Stalk. The course conceives of the novel as a lens onto a rich array of social issues in the contemporary Gulf. As students follow the protagonist's attempts to understand his hybrid identity, they explore broader questions of cultural, linguistic, and religious difference in the Gulf's Arab communities. Through a combination of class discussions, collaborative research into historical details, guest lectures, and social media resources, students will have the chance to contextualize the novel's themes and link them to their own experiences. Students are expected to reach advanced-mid proficiency by the end of the term.

This course wraps up the student’s sequenced language learning experience with an opportunity to explore the cultural and artistic diversity of the Arab world using the acquired language skills. Students cap their language achievement by accessing and studying such cultural forms as literature, song, film, folklore, etc., in the original language. The course includes fourteen modules: twelve already set, and two final modules to be worked out over the semester by two student teams. The modules center on key texts in categories like language, place, family, and customs, which inform and shape modern Arab identities.