Module ARA2173 for 2019/0
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA2173: Living and Communicating in the Arab World
This module descriptor refers to the 2019/0 academic year.
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 the concept of Arabic diglossia, dialect and register.
- Fundamentals of comparative Arabic dialectology.
- Introduction to the phonetics and phonology of an Arabic dialect.
- Introduction to the grammar, morphology and syntax of an Arabic dialect.
- Lexical development through vocabulary drill and role-play scenarios.
- Reading handwriting, reading signage, reading basic media Arabic texts.
- Health and wellbeing in the Arab World.
- Social conventions and social behaviour in the Arab World.
- Risk assessment techniques.
- Staying in touch.
- Personal financial planning and management.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 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 Activities | 22 | Lectures: These focus on explaining grammar topics and acquiring practical skills for life in the Middle East. (11 hours per week over 2 weeks) |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 33 | Language Workshops and Seminars: These are conducted in small groups and include Pair work, Group work, Language games and Language Lab work. (16.5 hours per week over 2 weeks) |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 | Homework assignments and preparation for class |
| Guided Independent Study | 20 | Learning grammar. |
| Guided Independent Study | 35 | Learning vocabulary. |
| Guided Independent Study | 35 | Listening and speaking practice. |
| Guided Independent Study | 30 | Preparation of assignments and for exams |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily homework assignments and preparation for classes. These include grammar drills, short pieces of writing and translation. | Throughout taught period of the module in term 3 | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 0 | 90 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planning and Risk Assessment Report | 10 | 1500 words | 7,8,10 | Written and verbal feedback |
| Class Presentation | 25 | 15 minutes | 7,8,10 | Written and verbal feedback |
| Oral test | 35 | 10 minutes | 1,2,4,5,9,10 | Verbal feedback |
| Listening test | 30 | 30 minutes | 1,2,3,4,5,9 | Written and verbal feedback |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planning and Risk Assessment Report | Essay (1,500 words) | 7,8,10 | August assessment period |
| Class Presentation | Presentation to two members of staff (15 minutes) | 7,8,10 | August assessment period |
| Oral test | Oral test(10 minutes) | 1,2,4,5,9,10 | August assessment period |
| Listening test | Listening test (up to 30 minutes) | 1,2,3,4,5,9 | August assessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Liddicoat, M., Lennane R., and Abdul Rahim, I. 2008. Syrian Colloquial Arabic, a Functional Course (third edition). Online Resource
Lutfi Hussein. 1993. Levantine Arabic for Non-Natives: A Proficiency-Oriented Approach . New Haven: Yale University Press.
Mitchell, T.F. 1956. An Introduction to Egyptian Colloquial Arabic . Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mitchell, T.F. 1962. Colloquial Arabic: the Living Language of Egypt . London: The English Universities Press.
Pipes, D. 1983 An Arabist’s Guide to Egyptian Colloquial .
Younes, M, Weatherspoon, M., and Saliba Foster, M. 2013. Arabiyyat al-Naas: An Introductory Course in Arabic. Vol. 1 Oxford: Routledge.
Supporting Materials:
Wehr, Hans 1979. A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic. Wiesbaden, Harrassowitz.
