Skip to main content

Study information

Intermediate Arabic Language II

Module titleIntermediate Arabic Language II
Module codeARA2139
Academic year2024/5
Credits30
Module staff

no title Fatima Rawan (Lecturer)

Duration: Term123
Duration: Weeks

11

11

Number students taking module (anticipated)

25

Module description

Arabic is a modern language spoken by hundreds of millions of people and a foundational language of human civilization. This is an intermediate-level module that extends as your knowledge of the language, introducing you to new and more abstract fields of communication and providing you with the means and opportunity to take your Arabic beyond level B2 to C1 (vantage/upper intermediate or proficiency/advanced) on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). Through language, the module will continue your exposure to Arabic cultural expression.

Through your prior studies, you will have acquired a deeper knowledge of Arabic language and culture, as well as at least one dialect. This module helps you build on this experience and develop active and passive learning of the language through a wide range of written and audio-visual materials. You will strengthen your awareness of the various styles and registers of Arabic and develop your skills in composition and translation. You will also consolidate your knowledge of colloquial Arabic. You will use a variety of materials chosen by course tutors.

The pre-requisites are successful completion of ARA1033A, ARA1033B and Year Abroad (or equivalent).

If you have prior knowledge of Arabic acquired outside of your degree programme or have not completed the prerequisite modules, your level will be assessed by the module convenor in order to establish whether this module is suitable for you—admission in such cases is not guaranteed. 

Module aims - intentions of the module

Building on your Arabic learning experience abroad, this module aims to develop a deeper knowledge of grammatical and syntactical structures; to develop active and passive learning of Arabic through a wide range of written and audio-visual materials; to strengthen your awareness of different styles and registers of Arabic; to broaden your skills in using Arabic; to develop your skills in composition and translation. The module also aims to consolidate your use of colloquial Arabic.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 1. Extract a sense and specific details of authentic written texts from various genres at CEFRL level B2 or C1.
  • 2. Present a detailed argument written in Arabic in answer to essay questions on a range of topics at CEFRL level B2 or C1.
  • 3. Verbally communicate with competence in Arabic at CEFRL level B2 or C1. Engage in an oral discussion of a range of (mainly contemporary) topics in Arabic, articulating your own opinions and responding to the opinions of others.
  • 4. Give an oral presentation in Arabic on a defined topic to a small group of listeners and engage in group discussion and debate of the topic presented at CEFRL level B2 or C1, articulating your own opinions and responding to the opinions of others.
  • 5. Translate passages from a variety of authentic written sources from various genres into and out of Arabic at CEFRL level B2 or C1.
  • 6. Apply your growing knowledge of a broad range of grammatical features of Arabic to a variety of linguistic tasks.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 7. Learn how to consolidate your own learning independently by using available learning aids, in a variety of media, and organise this process with guidance from course tutors.
  • 8. Recognise and understand core linguistic terminology individually and as part of a group.
  • 9. Use a bilingual dictionary to glean information about meaning, register, usage and grammatical forms.
  • 10. Engage, under guidance and independently, with Arabic media, printed and online.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

  • 11. Work in groups at solving linguistic tasks at CEFRL level B2 or C1.
  • 12. Deploy time management strategies through developing skills of self-study.
  • 13. Exercise autonomy and judgement by enhancing your independent learning skills.
  • 14. Deploy strategies for coping with unpractised linguistic, social and cultural situations.
  • 15. Further appreciate the literature and cultures of people who speak (and spoke) Arabic.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

  • Reading: You will be introduced to different types of authentic texts; including literary, practical and journalistic.
  • Writing: You will be introduced to different styles of writing. Personal and formal correspondence, instructions, description and comparison, narration, argumentation etc. You will learn how to present a topic, a discussion and a conclusion.
  • Translation: Here you will become familiar with a range of text types by translating them from Arabic into English and from English into Arabic.
  • Listening: This includes listening to a variety of clips, which might include Media Arabic, broadcasts, news, interviews, documentaries etc.
  • Speaking: You will practice speaking about various topics in colloquial or modern standard Arabic.
  • Arabic language through literature: You will have a chance to practice your skills and deepen your knowledge and understanding of Arabic cultures and literatures.

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching ActivitiesGuided independent studyPlacement / study abroad
1761240

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

CategoryHours of study timeDescription
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity13222 x 6 hours of lectures and seminars on Arabic Language. Interactive class work on written texts, consolidating the linguistic skills of reading, writing and translating
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity4422 x 2 hours of seminars, language workshops and interactive class work for listening and speaking
Guided Independent Study124Weekly homework assignments in writing, translation, grammar, oral presentations and lab work

Formative assessment

Form of assessmentSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Weekly practical and written assignments Weekly practical and written assignments 1-15Written or verbal feedback

Summative assessment (% of credit)

CourseworkWritten examsPractical exams
305020

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment% of creditSize of the assessment (eg length / duration)ILOs assessedFeedback method
Continuous assessment40• One 90-minutes written exam (25%) • One 60-minutes translation exam (15%)1,2,5-15verbal and/or written feedback
Written Examination 302 hours 1,2,5-8,10-15verbal and/or written feedback
Oral Examination 1015 minutes2,3,4,6,11,13,14verbal feedback
Translation Examination 2090 minutes1,5-9,12-15verbal and/or written feedback

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessmentForm of re-assessmentILOs re-assessedTimescale for re-assessment
Continuous Assessment • One 90 minutes written exam (25%) • One 60-minutes translation exam) (15%)1-15August/September reassessment period
Written Examination Written Examination (2 hours) (30%)1,2,5-8,10-15August/September reassessment period
Oral Examination Oral Examination (15 minutes) (10%)2,3,4,6,11,13,14August/September reassessment period
Translation Examination Translation Examination (90 minutes ) (20%)1,5-9,12-15August/September reassessment period

Re-assessment notes

This module follows reassessment standards set out in the University of Exeter’s Teaching & Quality Assurance Manual.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic Reading:

Materials would include selected readings from a variety of resources, including:

  • Leila Al-Sawi & Iman Saad, Al-Murshid: A guide to Modern Standard Arabic Grammar, AUC Press, Cairo, 2012
  • Abdulkareem Said Ramadan, Conjunctions and Interjections in Modern Standard Arabic, Routledge, New York, 2019
  • Ben Amor, Taoufik, Developing Writing Skills in Arabic, Routledge, New York 2013.

 

Supporting Materials:

  • Karin C. Ryding, A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2005
  • Alaa Elgibali& Nevenka Korica Sullivan, Media Arabic: A Course for Reading Arabic News, AUC Press, New York, 2014
  • Ronak Husni and Aziza Zaher, Working with Arabic Prepositions: Structures and functions, Routledge, NY, 2020
  • Ghada Bualuan,Stories from One Thousand and One Nights, Routledge, NY, 2019 
  • El Mustapha Lahlali, How to Write in Arabic, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 2009
  • Omar Othman Jubaq,The ABC of Translation, Sharqan Al-Ghamidi press, Riadh, 2020
  • Wehr, H, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1979.
  • Concise Oxford English-Arabic Dictionary of Current Usage, Oxford University Press, 1982.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

ELE: ele.exeter.ac.uk

Key words search

Intermediate Arabic Language

Credit value30
Module ECTS

15

Module pre-requisites

ARA1033A, ARA1033B and Year Abroad (or equivalent)

Module co-requisites

None

NQF level (module)

5

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

01/10/2008

Last revision date

19/06/2024