Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA2148: Arabic for Beginners II

This module descriptor refers to the 2022/3 academic year.

Module Aims

This module aims to enhance your reading, writing and communication skills in Arabic. The module aims to develop all language-related skills, including reading, listening, speaking, writing and cultural knowledge, by means of written texts and audio-visual clips. By the end of the course, you are expected to have achieved basic-to-intermediate proficiency in the language.

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. Extract a broad sense and some specified detail of written texts at CEFRL level A2. 2. Extract a sense and some specified detail of aural communications at CEFRL level A2. Use acquired vocabulary to converse and write on a range of topics, including: oneself; friends, family and colleagues; work; and location; 3. Write short and simple texts on selected topics at CEFRL level A2. 4. Verbally elicit, understand and communicate basic factual information and simple selected topics relevant to everyday situations in Arabic, displaying reasonable levels of accuracy, at CEFRL level A2. 5. Achieve straightforward translations out of Arabic. 6. Demonstrate a sound grasp of the basic grammatical structures of Arabic and utilise it to understand and produce texts in it.
Discipline-Specific Skills	7. Learn how to consolidate your own learning by using available learning aids, in a variety of media, and organise this process with guidance from course tutors. 8. Understand the principles of intensively learning a new language and organise learning time with guidance from course tutors. 9. Use a reference grammar book and a bilingual dictionary to check the structural and lexical accuracy of your writing and expression in Arabic.
Personal and Key Skills	10. Work in groups at solving basic linguistic tasks. 11. Deploy time management strategies through developing skills of self-study. 12. Exercise autonomy and judgement by developing independent learning skills. 13. Deploy strategies for coping with unpractised linguistic, social and cultural situations. 14. Further appreciate the cultures of the people who speak Arabic.

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:

Arabic grammar and syntax,
Introduction to some spoken dialects of Arabic,
Reading and comprehension of Arabic texts,
Arabic writing and composition skills.

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
110	190	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	66	Lectures (3 hrs/wk, scheduled). Emphasis on active and passive learning, listening and reading skills, as well as developing confidence to speak Arabic.
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	44	Group and pair work (2hrs/week, scheduled) with emphasis on conversation and writing skills.
Guided Independent study	22	Language laboratory work with the help of DVDs provided
Guided Independent study	22	Preparation for assessed in-class tests contribute towards continuous assessment mark. An average mark will be taken of all the marks of assessed in-class tests.
Guided Independent study	146	Private study, including reviewing new grammar rules learned in class; learning vocabulary; practising grammar and vocabulary through drill exercises; preparatory reading and vocabulary acquisition; reading for comprehension and language development; listening to and watching audio-visual materials; writing short compositions; web-based activities; revising for examinations.

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
Weekly practical and written assignments	Weekly practical and written assignments	1-14	Verbal and/or written

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
Continuous Assessment	30	One 90-minute written test including reading, writing, grammar and translation One listening (30 minutes) One oral test (10 minutes per student)	1-14	verbal and/or written feedback
Written Examination (May/June assessment period)	50	2 hours	1,3,5,6,11,13	verbal and/or written feedback
Oral Examination	10	10 minutes	2,4,10,11	verbal feedback
Listening Examination	10	30 minutes	2,6,11	verbal and/or written 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
Continuous Assessment	Oral Assignment: (3 minutes Video Recording) Listening Assignment (up to 30 minutes) Written assignment under exam conditions (300 words in Arabic, 2 hours)	3,6,11,12,13	August/September reassessment period
Written Examination	Written Examination (2 hours)	1,3,5,6,11,13	August/September reassessment period
Listening Examination	Listening Examination (30 minutes)	2,4,10,11	August/September reassessment period
Oral Examination	Oral Examination (10 minutes)	2,6,11	August/September reassessment period