Modern Language Centre

Evening Language Courses

Course Description

Arabic level 1
How long does the course last?
3 x 10 week terms with 10 classes per term. Lessons take place once a week and last 1.5 hours each. This gives
a total of 45 hours tuition.

Who is the course for?

The course is aimed at a wide range of students with a general interest in Arabic. No prior knowledge of
Arabic is required as the course is for complete beginners.

What are the objectives of the course?

To acquire basic language skills and to achieve the equivalent of A1 level of the CEFR, entry level of the
NQF.
By the end of the course you will:
be able to communicate in very basic everyday-life situations, including greetings, daily activities, finding
your way, telling the time and date, making simple purchases, ordering a meal, etc
be able to understand very simple oral and written texts and ascertain specific information on simple topics
have developed an insight into Arab-speaking life, culture and society

How is the course taught?

A communicative approach is used. All four skills (speaking, reading, listening and writing) are practised,
with the main emphasis on speaking.
Students engage in interactive language activities, participating in group and pair work according to a
syllabus based on systematic grammatical progression.
Students will also be offered guidance in self-study and set optional homework tasks.

What sort of Arabic do you teach?

We teach Modern Standard Arabic (written) and the educated spoken variety (an example of this is the
Arabic as spoken on Al Jazeera satellite channel)

What course can I do next?

After completing all 3 terms of level 1, students should be able to join a level 2 class.
Students who have only completed one or two terms of level 1 should join a False
Beginners class.

Course outline
Term 1
Topics
Personal information: name
Family
Jobs/occupations
Things/objects in the house
Functions
Greeting others and responding to greetings
Introducing oneself and others
Talking about what you do
Asking questions
Describing objects and rooms
Making polite requests
Grammar
Feminine and masculine words
Masculine and Feminine sound plurals
Possessive endings (attached pronouns)
Definite and indefinite nouns
Personal pronouns (I, you, we, he, she)
Demonstrative pronouns
Question Words
Adjectives I
Alphabet and sounds
Letters of the alphabet
Long vowels
Short vowels
Joining letters and handwriting practice

Term 2
Topics
Towns and cities
Countries and capital cities
Nationalities
Numbers 1-10
Colours
Eating and drinking
Functions
Describing your town/city
Asking for directions
Describing geographical position
Talking about where you came from
Giving your telephone number and address
Buying things in the market
Describing what you have
Ordering food and drink in a restaurant
Talking about the past

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Grammar
The negative
Idafa constructions
The sound masculine and feminine plurals (continued)
Adjectives II
Personal pronouns
Plural patterns (irregular) I and II
The Dual
Plural with numbers
How much? How many?
Group words (collective nouns)
Past Tense
The accusative case

Term 3
Topics
Numbers 11-100
Weather
Trips/holidays
Time
Everyday activities
Means of transportation
Days of the week
Education: school and university
Months of the year
Functions
Describing the weather
Talking about a trip/vacation/holiday
Telling the time
Asking and answering questions about everyday activities
Comparing things
Renting a car
Talking about business and politics
Talking about your plans
Grammar
Plural patterns III and IV
Past verbs in the plural
The Present tense
Comparatives and superlatives
Was/were
Weak verbs
Word order and verbs
The negative
The Future tense

Learning resources
Textbook and exercise book:
Wightwick, J. & Gaafar, M.(2015) Mastering Arabic 1, Third Edition w/ 2 CDs. Palgrave
Wightwick, J. & Gaafar, M. (2014) Mastering Arabic 1 Activity Book Second Edition, Palgrave

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Students are expected to purchase their own textbook. An exercise book may also be recommended. The
teacher will supply additional material, both tailor-made and taken from other sources (textbooks, newspapers,
and new media).

Recommended additional material:

Wightwick, J. & Gaafar, M. (2005) Mastering Arabic Script, Palgrave
Wightwick, J. & Gaafar, M. (2005) Mastering Arabic Grammar, Palgrave
Wightwick, J. & Gaafar, M. ( 2012) Read and Speak Arabic, G and w Publishing
For a list of bookshops where you may be able to purchase text books please see our web page:
www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/mlc/about/facilities/shops.aspx

Online language learning resources:

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/mlc/lrc/language-resources/arabic.aspx

Independent Study
Research indicates that successful language learners revise new material and review their progress on a regular
basis. The Language Resources Centre (LRC), situated in room K-1.072 in level minus one of the Strand
Campus, houses a wide collection of learning material including text and grammar books, magazines and
newspapers, CDs, DVDs, satellite television and self-access e-learning language programmes.
For details on LRC opening times, please see our website:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/mlc/lrc/index.aspx

Date of last revision: July 2015

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