Introduction

This open-source book, Elementary Arabic I, is aimed at undergraduate students who are taking Arabic in their first semester. It is the introductory part of an open-source series in Arabic. It starts from scratch and builds literacy in the language while working on speaking and conversation from day one. By the end of this course, students will have covered letters and sounds and be ready to explore the language in a structured and organized manner. Each chapter starts with letters and sounds practice, then moves on to new vocabulary and structure in a lively, interactive approach. Vocabulary and grammar sections are supplemented with audio that is transcribed in the appendix to provide accessibility.
This OER will be unique in its presentation of Arabic language content through theme-based modules. Each theme is addressed through vocabulary, grammar, reading, speaking, and writing components. Each chapter includes self-check embedded quizzes that help learners digest language concepts. The book is also designed with teachers in mind. Each chapter includes pair work and group tasks that the teacher can implement in class, as well as other parts that can be assigned as homework. The last part in each chapter includes an overview assignment that some programs can use if they implement the hybrid approach.
The main focus of the book is to establish a sound basis in Standard Arabic structure in a simplified and sequenced approach. While developing a solid foundation in written Arabic, an introduction into spoken Egyptian Arabic will be integrated to enhance students’ spoken fluency and enrich their cultural experience in their language-learning journey. Most Arabic programs will be able to cover this course in half a semester, after which they can direct their students to the second level Elementary Arabic II available at the MSU Libraries’ Open Textbook Publishing website.

License

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Elementary Arabic I Copyright © 2022 by Sadam Issa and Ayman Mohamed is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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