Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA1033A: Elementary Arabic Language I

This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce you to the basics of modern written Arabic starting with the alphabet and progressing to simple sentence structures. You will study elementary Arabic grammar and learn how to read and write Arabic. You will also learn how to speak Arabic with elementary fluency and understand what you hear through “listening” activities.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. read elementary texts on familiar topics and understand the main ideas with and without a dictionary, to read texts for basic understanding and finding specific information. 2. speak about yourself and your environment and carry out conversations on a variety of topics. 3. listen to simple Arabic texts and demonstrate an understanding of what you hear. 4. write simple sentences in Arabic using correct grammar and to translate simple sentences from English to Arabic and from Arabic to English
Discipline-Specific Skills	5. identify and use basic linguistic structures in writing and in conversation; 6. Use available learning aids in a variety of media, such as a reference grammar and bilingual dictionary, to consolidate learning;
Personal and Key Skills	7. develop time management skills and demonstrate the capability to conduct independent study, as well as how to work in pairs and groups in conversation and on text-based work. 8. Work in pairs and groups in conversation and on text-based work; 9. Confidently use a foreign language; 10. Use audio-visual material, online resources and the language laboratory. 11. work independently, within a limited time frame, and without access to external sources, to complete a specified task.

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

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

Introduction to Arabic letters and sounds.

Arabic grammar and syntax

Introduction to some spoken dialects of Arabic

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
132	168	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	44	Lectures: These focus on explaining grammar topics. (4 hours per week over 11 weeks
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activity	88	Language Workshops and Seminars: These are conducted in small groups and include Pair work, Group work, Language games and Language Lab work. (8 hours per week over 11 weeks)
Guided Independent Study	40	Homework assignments and preparation for class.
Guided independent study	40	Learning grammar.
Guided independent study	25	Learning vocabulary.
Guided Independent Study	40	Listening and speaking practice.
Guided Independent study	23	Preparation for examinations.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Preparation and revision for Arabic classes. This includes grammar drills, short pieces of writing and translation.	100-300 words per week	1-10	Written and oral feedback in the classroom and outside

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
30	50	20

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Examination	50	2 hours	1,4,5,7,9, 11	Written and verbal feedback
Continuous assessment. Assessed homework assignments and in-class tests contribute to continuous assessment mark. An average mark will be taken of all the marks of both the assessed homework assignments and in-class tests	30	One 30 minute class test at the end of the third week of the first term. - One 20 minute class test at the end of each unit (usually one a week	1-10	Written and verbal feedback
Oral test	10	10 minutes	2,5,9	Verbal feedback
Listening test	10	20 minutes	3,9	Written and verbal feedback
	0
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Examination 2 hours	Examination 2 hours(50%)	1,4,5,7,9	January assessment period
Oral test 10 minutes	Oral test 10 minutes (10%)	2,5,9	January assessment period
Listening test 20 minutes	Listening test 20 minutes (10%)	3,9	January assessment period
Continuous Assessment	Assignment (300 words in Arabic) (30%)	1,4,5,7,9,10	January assessment period