This course introduces the students to speak Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (Darija) to meet their immediate communicative needs while living with Moroccan families or in the street: introducing oneself, greetings, requesting things, asking for permission, talking about the weather, etc., using simple expressions.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, students are able to:
- communicate in simple Arabic through skill integration of listening and speaking
- understand and use basic Arabic lexical items and expressions
- understand and use correctly gender agreement relationships
- use simple sentences to talk about themselves
- carry out daily life activities in CMA (shopping, ordering a meal, bargaining, etc.)
- express personal opinions
- understand basic conversations in CMA
Method of presentation:
An eclectic approach is adopted with focus on the communicative aspect of CMA. Emphasis is put on actively engaging the student in meaningful interaction in class. Pair and group work is encouraged during all class activities. Students practice course material through situational dialogues which, besides providing meaningful contexts for language practice, constitutes good opportunities for cultural awareness: simple texts, videos, songs, games, and simplified short stories all aiming at preparing the learners to function appropriately in everyday-life situations.
Required work and form of assessment:
Class participation (10%); Oral presentation (10%); Weekly quizzes (20%); Homework (20%); Midterm exam (20%); Final exam (20%).
content:
Week 1:
- Class introduction, Syllabus review, Handout
Unit 1:
- Introducing self and others + greetings and taking leave
- Speaking practice + Quiz
Week 2:
Unit 2:
- Asking appropriately for everyday-life objects and things
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 3:
Unit 3:
- Shopping and bargaining + counting
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 4:
Unit 4:
- Ordering a drink at a café + drinks
- Listening and speaking
Week 5
Unit 5:
- Asking for directions + place names
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 6
Unit 6:
- Travelling in Morocco + transportation means
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 7:
Unit 7:
- Booking a room at a hotel
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 8
Unit 8:
- Talking about celebrities + Professions
- Listening and speaking + quiz
Week 9
Unit 9
-Talking about future plans + days of the week + telling time
- Listening and speaking + quiz
Week 10
Unit 10
- Talking about everyday activities +adverbs of time
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 11
Unit 11
- Talking about illnesses and medication + Body parts
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 12
Unit 12
- Taking about the weather + emotions and feelings
- Listening and speaking + final exam
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Bouazza Bagui has been teaching CMA since 1975 when he worked as a language instructor for Peace Corps (1975 – 1978). Between 1982 and 1984 he was hired by Peace Corps as a language programme coordinator, a job that involved teacher training and supervision besides designing and evaluating teaching materials. He enjoys ample experience with US Fulbright Scholars and other students from different ages and nationalities: Japanese, Koreans, Bulgarians, etc. His last teaching position was at IES Abroad Rabat with a group of students from Austin College.
Colloquial Moroccan Arabic
This course introduces the students to speak Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (Darija) to meet their immediate communicative needs while living with Moroccan families or in the street: introducing oneself, greetings, requesting things, asking for permission, talking about the weather, etc., using simple expressions.
By the end of the course, students are able to:
- communicate in simple Arabic through skill integration of listening and speaking
- understand and use basic Arabic lexical items and expressions
- understand and use correctly gender agreement relationships
- use simple sentences to talk about themselves
- carry out daily life activities in CMA (shopping, ordering a meal, bargaining, etc.)
- express personal opinions
- understand basic conversations in CMA
An eclectic approach is adopted with focus on the communicative aspect of CMA. Emphasis is put on actively engaging the student in meaningful interaction in class. Pair and group work is encouraged during all class activities. Students practice course material through situational dialogues which, besides providing meaningful contexts for language practice, constitutes good opportunities for cultural awareness: simple texts, videos, songs, games, and simplified short stories all aiming at preparing the learners to function appropriately in everyday-life situations.
Class participation (10%); Oral presentation (10%); Weekly quizzes (20%); Homework (20%); Midterm exam (20%); Final exam (20%).
Week 1:
- Class introduction, Syllabus review, Handout
Unit 1:
- Introducing self and others + greetings and taking leave
- Speaking practice + Quiz
Week 2:
Unit 2:
- Asking appropriately for everyday-life objects and things
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 3:
Unit 3:
- Shopping and bargaining + counting
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 4:
Unit 4:
- Ordering a drink at a café + drinks
- Listening and speaking
Week 5
Unit 5:
- Asking for directions + place names
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 6
Unit 6:
- Travelling in Morocco + transportation means
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 7:
Unit 7:
- Booking a room at a hotel
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 8
Unit 8:
- Talking about celebrities + Professions
- Listening and speaking + quiz
Week 9
Unit 9
-Talking about future plans + days of the week + telling time
- Listening and speaking + quiz
Week 10
Unit 10
- Talking about everyday activities +adverbs of time
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 11
Unit 11
- Talking about illnesses and medication + Body parts
- Listening and speaking + Quiz
Week 12
Unit 12
- Taking about the weather + emotions and feelings
- Listening and speaking + final exam
Bouazza Bagui has been teaching CMA since 1975 when he worked as a language instructor for Peace Corps (1975 – 1978). Between 1982 and 1984 he was hired by Peace Corps as a language programme coordinator, a job that involved teacher training and supervision besides designing and evaluating teaching materials. He enjoys ample experience with US Fulbright Scholars and other students from different ages and nationalities: Japanese, Koreans, Bulgarians, etc. His last teaching position was at IES Abroad Rabat with a group of students from Austin College.