WHICH COURSE SHOULD I TAKE?
COLLOQUIAL vs MODERN STANDARD ARABIC
There are two main versions of the Arabic Language: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) (fus7a ~ فصحى) and Colloquial Arabic (3ammiyyeh ~ عامية). So what's the difference and which one should you take? Good question! The answer depends on how you want to use the language.
MSA is a single standard language that is used and understood consistently across all Arab countries. It is often perceived as 'formal' Arabic because it is used in official media sources, business documentation and textbooks. If you want to pursue Arabic in a formal working capacity, this is the course for you.
Colloquial Arabic, as the name suggests, is used in more informal environments. It is the day to day language that individuals use to converse with one another, and it varies across Arab countries. If your main goal is to converse with native speakers and engage with content such as television programs, this is more likely the appropriate course of study for you.
WHAT COLLOQUIAL ARABIC ACCENT DO YOU TEACH?
I teach the Levantine dialect. The benefits of this dialect is that it is widely understood across many Arabic-speaking countries.
WHAT TEXTBOOKS DO YOU TEACH FROM?
The Modern Standard Arabic Course will require Al Kitab Fee Taalom Al Arabiyah textbook.
The Colloquial Arabic Courses draw from independently developed material that I will share with you.
WHAT IS THE TYPICAL STRUCTURE OF A CLASS SESSION?
New students receive a free 30-minute assessment session before starting classes with me. During this session we discuss your goals and ambitions for learning the language to ensure you learn most effectively. We also conduct a brief discussion in Arabic to test your current skills if you have existing knowledge of the language.
The flow of a typical class session can be summarized as follows:
Prep: Pre-class, any supporting documents (e.g. vocabulary handouts) will be shared with you ahead of time!
Review: We will briefly review what we learned in the last class to make sure the knowledge sticks with you.
Learn new content: We'll refer to the pre-shared document and use it as an anchor for the lesson. We will focus on the technical language aspects - learn principles and then apply them. This may include having short conversations as a form of practice.
Wrap-up: We will summarize what we learned and agree on your assignment ahead of the next class!
HOW DO I REGISTER FOR A COURSE?
Simply send me an email to learnarabicwithsalam@gmail.com to arrange for course registration.
WHEN DO COURSES START?
There are no prefixed course dates. Feel free to email me and we can arrange for a schedule that best suits you.
HOW OFTEN DO CLASSES TAKE PLACE?
Ideally, I recommend no less than 2 classes per week, however we can customize the course schedule to best suit your needs.
HOW MUCH DOES A COURSE COST?
Please send me an email to learnarabicwithsalam@gmail.com for a full price list.
DO YOU HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS? FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.
WITH SALAM