Arabic Language Through Dialogue - Part 3 (With Downloadable MP3 Files)

As the interest in studying Arabic has increased exponentially over the past decade, the needs of our students have evolved. Rather than learning Arabic for the purpose of reading sources for dissertation writing, most students coming to Arabic today wish to use their Arabic skills in order to obtain positions in the business world, in NGOs, and in government-related employment. Especially at state universities, the population of Arabic students is composed of undergraduates who are interested in the Arabic of everyday life: every time that our Arabic program has polled students on their goals for learning the language, the primary one had been speaking. However, historically, AFL teaching materials have lagged behind those of other languages in terms of leading the learner of Arabic from the more basic to the more advanced conversation skills, functions, and topics. This book represents an attempt to build the Arabic learner's communicative skills sequentially, in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and functional skills. It introduces the student to basic topics that are easily accessible and frequently used in everyday conversation, providing in each lesson a dialogue; speaking, reading, and writing exercises; cultural information; and selections from Arabic magazines and websites. The book focuses on developing spoken MSA skills as a way to enable the beginning student to communicate with speakers across a variety of dialects. This textbook is for those students who have taken about 4 semesters of Arabic or who are at the Intermediate Mid level (ACTFL). Learning at this level remains communicative and rich in dialogues and exercises that are all related to the dialogue learned. Dialects are introduced again through songs from various parts of the Arab world. In addition, authentic stories from the Arab old tradition are introduced and learned. The textbook integrates all four language strands: speaking, listening, reading and writing. We believe that this book presents an exciting new direction in Arabic language pedagogy in the United States. Our hope is that after using the book, Arabic instructors and students will find this to be the case. Best wishes for a smooth and enjoyable journey with the Arabic language! The MP3 files associated with this book are on a URL address printed inside the book.