This syllabus targets students who have finished the advanced level of Modern Standard Arabic and want to immerse themselves in the target language through authentic materiel with major focus on content rather than form. Students’ focus on content would speed up their language learning with the expectation to reach a native like competence in Arabic. Authentic materiel will rely mostly on articles from books, magazines and manuscripts related to history, geography and politics of Morocco and North Africa. By the end of the term, the students should be able to speak fluently in Arabic, write papers, read manuscripts and give presentations in Arabic in topics related to the reading pack. The students should be able to:
Acquire concepts related to the history, geography and politics of Morocco and North Africa.
Understand and analyze historical, geographical and political documents.
Prerequisites:
The students are supposed to finish MSA 301
Method of presentation:
The interactive teaching method includes a collection of activities such as:
Presenting and discussing concepts and issues based on documents,
Showing videos related to readings and encouraging students to critically analyze them.
Doing research on areas related to the readings, presenting the findings and discussing them in class.
Taking students on field trips with the objective of writing reports and discussing them in class.
Required work and form of assessment:
Participation in class: 10%
Oral presentations and mini research: 10%
Homework: 20%
Weekly quizzes: 20%
Mid-term exam: 20%
Final exam: 20%
content:
Time
Subject
Methods
Week 1
-Diagnostic evaluation
-Framing concepts and methods
Week2
History:
-Amazigh kingdoms and resistance to Roman occupation
Using analytical approaches to study documents (texts and maps)
-Trip to Chellah (Oct. 18)
Week3
Geography:
Moroccan space: Localization and identification of main natural, human and economic characteristics
Descriptive and interpretive study of the characteristics of Moroccan space via maps, photos, and graphs
Week4
History:
Aspects of medieval Moroccan history
Taking two researches on some of the aspects of the history of medieval Morocco:
-Andalucia: Crossroads of Civilizations
-Art of the Al-Muahhad dynasty
Week 5
Geography:
Human development in Morocco: a diagnostic study
-First step: collecting information about the subject.
-Presentation for discussion and evaluation of students.
Week 6
Mid-term Exam – Correction and Feedback
Week 7
History: Aspects of Modern Moroccan History
Working with historical texts and maps to analyze the following historical events:
-The Battle of Wadi Al-Makhazen and its historical significance
-Ahmad Mansour Al-Saadi’s campaign in Bilad Assudan
Week 8
Geography:
Politics of territorial management in Morocco
Working on the referential framework of this policy (principles, choices, priorities)
-Case study: National Initiative of Human Development in Morocco
Week 9
History:
Aspects of Contemporary Moroccan History
Historical texts and maps to analyze the following historical events:
This syllabus targets students who have finished the advanced level of Modern Standard Arabic and want to immerse themselves in the target language through authentic materiel with major focus on content rather than form. Students’ focus on content would speed up their language learning with the expectation to reach a native like competence in Arabic. Authentic materiel will rely mostly on articles from books, magazines and manuscripts related to history, geography and politics of Morocco and North Africa. By the end of the term, the students should be able to speak fluently in Arabic, write papers, read manuscripts and give presentations in Arabic in topics related to the reading pack. The students should be able to:
The students are supposed to finish MSA 301
The interactive teaching method includes a collection of activities such as:
Time
Subject
Methods
Week 1
-Diagnostic evaluation
-Framing concepts and methods
Week2
History:
-Amazigh kingdoms and resistance to Roman occupation
Using analytical approaches to study documents (texts and maps)
-Trip to Chellah (Oct. 18)
Week3
Geography:
Moroccan space: Localization and identification of main natural, human and economic characteristics
Descriptive and interpretive study of the characteristics of Moroccan space via maps, photos, and graphs
Week4
History:
Aspects of medieval Moroccan history
Taking two researches on some of the aspects of the history of medieval Morocco:
-Andalucia: Crossroads of Civilizations
-Art of the Al-Muahhad dynasty
Week 5
Geography:
Human development in Morocco: a diagnostic study
-First step: collecting information about the subject.
-Presentation for discussion and evaluation of students.
Week 6
Mid-term Exam – Correction and Feedback
Week 7
History: Aspects of Modern Moroccan History
Working with historical texts and maps to analyze the following historical events:
-The Battle of Wadi Al-Makhazen and its historical significance
-Ahmad Mansour Al-Saadi’s campaign in Bilad Assudan
Week 8
Geography:
Politics of territorial management in Morocco
Working on the referential framework of this policy (principles, choices, priorities)
-Case study: National Initiative of Human Development in Morocco
Week 9
History:
Aspects of Contemporary Moroccan History
Historical texts and maps to analyze the following historical events:
-Colonial oppression and “reform” in Morocco
-Current changes in Morocco (videos, discussions)
Week 10
Geography:
Morocco and globalization
Research on the topic and presentations
Week 11
Final Exam