Introductory Arabic 1
UndergraduateANU-ARAB10022025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Get ready to speak at a basic level in Modern Standard Arabic. You’ll build a vocabulary of common words and get to know basic grammar. Write short and simple sentences. Enjoy polite conversations. Touch on some Arabic cultural practices and traditions.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- Subject may require attendance
- Enrol by
- 9 Feb 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 14 weeks
- Price from
- $1,700
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Introductory Arabic 1
About this subject
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Recognise all of the characters of the Modern Standard Arabic alphabet;
- Read very simple text with high frequency structural patterns and vocabulary related to basic topics;
- Use Modern Standard Arabic alphabet (hand-written and typed) to write short and simple sentences and paragraphs with correct present and future tense and limited past tense about basic topics;
- Use a dictionary or online resources to assist own oral, aural, reading and written communication strategies;
- Communicate in simple conversations including greetings, courtesy requirements, personal and accommodation needs and provide simple biographical information; and
- Listen and respond to simple questions about basic topics.
- Lesson 1 Introduction: Transliteration system (arabizi). Phonetic background. Common greetings. Introducing oneself. Leave taking. The Arabic alphabet. The one-way connectors. Numbers 1 to 10
- Lesson 2 Identifying yourself and others: Introduction to separate personal pronouns. The two-way connectors ب ت ث ن ي. Introduction to the long and short vowels
- Lesson 3 Morning greetings: Asking about well being. Alphabet : ج ح خ س ش ف ق ة
- Lesson 4 Enquiring about place of origin: Subject and predicate. More separate pronouns. Arabic alphabet : Letter ص ض ط ظ ع غ. Arab states and capital cities
- Lesson 5 the Arabic alphabet (continued) – ك ل م ه The attached pronouns. Expressing possession. The relative noun
- Lesson 6 The Arabic alphabet (The last characters ) – ء ى Arabic diacritics. Foreign sounds. Introduction to definite and indefinite words
- Lesson 7 Reading passage 1 : طالبة مغربيّة. Describing location using preposition. The coordinating particle “and” : وَ - حرف العَطْف. The demonstratives أسماء الإشارة. Contrasting using لكنْ ـ لكنّ
- Lesson 8 The nominal sentence revisited: Negating with laysa. Introduction to regular masculine plurals
- Lesson 9 Reading passage 2 : في الجامعة. Introduction to the noun / adjective agreement. Introduction to the idafa structure. Using the demonstratives
- Lesson 10 Reading passage : حوار. Asking questions. Expressing contrast with the particles أَوْ or أَمْ : . The Arabic verb (verb to know). The particle kam
- Lesson 11 Reading passage : مونى وعادل في الرباط. The cases in Arabic. The dual in context. Introduction to the number / noun agreement (1 to 10). More on plurals
- Lesson 12 Reading passage : عائِلةُ مَهى لَحّام. Arabic last names. Revisiting the object of the verb or the preposition. Ordinal numbers. Pronouns of separation
In the first year students undertaking Introductory Arabic 1 and Introductory Arabic 2 develop basic competences in both written and oral grammatical patterns, both orally and in writing, using Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), and learn to interact in limited aspects of everyday life situations. Emphasis at this stage is on mastering the Arabic sound system and pronunciation.
This course assumes no previous knowledge of the language. It covers the Arabic script, sound system and basic grammar rules. The teaching uses a new method of audio-visual and audio-lingual approach and is designed to develop the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing by the use of dialogues, class interaction and oral and written drills. Language laboratory work may be incorporated into the course. On completion of the course, students will have acquired the ability to speak at a basic level in Modern Standard Arabic, the ability to read and understand a range of simple Arabic texts within a vocabulary range of 300-400 most commonly used words, basic grammatical structures of the Arabic language and familiarity with some Arabic cultural practices and traditions.
- Active participation in weekly online session Q&A (15%)
- 3 x Reading - Writing - Listening exercises (submitted via Wattle) (25%)
- 150 words in Arabic on a given topic (10%)
- Oral Exam (20%)
- 2 hour online test conducted via Adobe connect - Reading, comprehension, Translation, Grammar, Composition (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Others
This is a fast paced academic course at a University level.
You might be required to undertake a placement test
Additional requirements
- Other requirements - To successfully engage in this course students will need the following: • Laptop or computer • Computer camera (either inbuilt or webcam) • Headset with microphone • Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome browser • Reliable internet access • Access to a scanner or smartphone and to a printer
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
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Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
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