Foreign Language (Arabic)

Bachelor 2019/2020

Category 'Best Course for Career Development'

Category 'Best Course for Broadening Horizons and Diversity of Knowledge and Skills'

Category 'Best Course for New Knowledge and Skills'

Type: Elective course (HSE and University of London Parallel Degree Programme in International Relations)

Area of studies: International Relations

Delivered by: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs

Where: Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs

When: 4 year, 1-3 module

Mode of studies: offline

Instructors: Буркут Сергей Иванович

Language: English

ECTS credits: 8

Contact hours: 152

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course of the Arabic language is held for 4 year students studying it as their major language. As the forth stage of studying Arabic at the university, the syllabus of the current year is devoted to specific purposes, such as commercial Arabic.

Learning Objectives

The purpose of the discipline “Foreign Language (Arabic)” is the development of general cultural competence and the formation of foreign professional and communicative competence, which is part of the professional competence of the bachelor in economics and international relations.

Expected Learning Outcomes

initiating and maintaining small talk, giving instructions / orders, conducting interviews
initiating and maintaining conversations that feature various types of dialogues (small talk, instructions / orders, interviews)
producing oral coherent talks
retelling and summarizing
understanding what has been said by the professor and other students; providing verbal or non-verbal feedback to what has been said
developing skills of understanding simple authentic audios that include several unknown words
Developing skills of reading to oneself and skills of understanding simple authentic texts of various genres and register
Reading for gist suggests identifying the main topic / idea, the main facts / events and their sequence; predicting the content of the text relying on its title / the first paragraph; ignoring unknown words that do not hinder understanding of the main idea; understanding international words
Reading for details means singling out the relevant information in the text
Reading for complete comprehension of the text implies complete and accurate understanding of the information that is conveyed explicitly
copying the text and writing down its key words, key collocations, key sentences as required by the communicative task; compiling glossaries; making the plan of the text in question
filling in questionnaires and forms, detailing personal information (the first name, the last name, gender, age, citizenship, address, hobbies) in accordance with norms that are common in the country whose language students are learning
replying to a letter (emails included): sending personal details; interviewing the addressee about his/her hobbies; writing a thank-you letter, apologizing or making a request; giving advice; using appropriate openings and closings
Recognizing words in speech; correct pronunciation of words (without phonematic mistakes that lead to communicative failure; with correct word stress); correct pronunciation of sentences (taking into consideration their rhythmical and intonation features)
Recognizing (in texts / audios) and using (when writing or speaking) vocabulary (words, collocations, clichès) appropriate for communicative situations and topics
Recognizing (in texts / audios) and using (when writing or speaking) morphological forms and syntactical constructions of the foreign language
Learning widely-used topic-specific vocabulary and realia (eating traditions, leisure, main national holidays, conventions for social calls)
Presenting certain cultural aspects of the country whose language students are learning and of their country (holidays, eating traditions, leisure)

Course Contents

4 year 1 module
1.Business style. Documentation. Concept of the document. Analytical work. 2. Document as a sign system. Characterization of the document as a system object. Analytical work. 3. Official documents. Business correspondence. Classification of business papers. Characteristics of certain types of documents. Analytical work. 4. Properties, characteristics and functions of the document. The structure of the document. The text of the business document. Requisites. A set of differentiated exercises. 5. Anthroponymic model. Title. Analytical work. 6. Sociocultural and pragmalinguistic competence. Fatal remedies. Courtesy formulas. A set of differentiated exercises.Information society. Globalization. Intercultural communication. Listening. Analytical work. 7. Media and periodicals. Press (newspapers, magazines). Newspaper and magazine style. Chronic, informational and descriptive (analytical) texts. Journalism. Listening. Analytical work. 8.Internet publications. Headers design. Indication of sources of information. Transfer of proper names and titles of the highest state and public posts. Vocabulary used in Arabic newspaper reports. A set of differentiated exercises.
4 year 2 module
1. Syntactic means of commercial documents: stamps, clichés, stereotypes. 2. Analysis and synthesis of relevant material. Terminology of foreign commercial activity. Classification. Differentiation. 3. International trade and economic structures. Abbreviation / Acronyms. Classification. Differentiation.Political Chronicle. Visits, meetings, meetings. Interview. Analytical reading. Conversation. 4. Political life. Political and economic associations, public organizations. UN, LAS, OIC, OPEC, OAPEC, OECD, GCC, WTO, IMF, etc. Analytical reading. Conversation. 5. Constitution. Sharia. Executive power. Legislature. Parliament. Government. Analytical reading. Conversation.
4 year 3 module
1. Letters. Contracts, contracts, agreements. Protocols Compilation. Transfer. Analysis. 2. Regulation of trade and economic activity. Analytical work. 3. Conversation. Consultations. Talking on the phone. Listening. Conversation.Foreign policy and diplomacy. Diplomatic mission, embassy. The activities of the diplomatic mission. Conversation. 4. Treaties between states. Analytical reading. Abstract translation. 5. The peace process in the Middle East. Arab-Israeli conflict. Historical, political, economic and military issues. Analytical reading. Abstract translation. 6. Ecology. Environmental Protection. Natural disasters. Man-made disasters. Terrorism. Analytical reading. Abstract translation.
Economic cooperation. International trade. Oil and gas. Import. Export. A set of differentiated exercises.
Summary of Arabic language. General Arabic Writing. Classification of consonants and vowel phonemes. Reading rules. Hamza.Verbs, adjectives, nouns.

Assessment Elements

Module Test 1
Module Test 2
Module Test 3
Final Exam Written
The exam was offline (not via Zoom or other platforms)
Final Exam Oral
Winter Exam Written
Winter Exam Oral

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (2 module)
0.2 * Module Test 1 + 0.2 * Module Test 2 + 0.2 * Module Test 3 + 0.2 * Winter Exam Oral + 0.2 * Winter Exam Written
Interim assessment (3 module)
0.2 * Final Exam Oral + 0.2 * Final Exam Written + 0.3 * Module Test 1 + 0.3 * Module Test 2

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Versteegh, C. H. M. (2014). The Arabic Language (Vol. Second edition). Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=801682

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Brosh, H. Y. (2019). Arabic Language-Learning Strategy Preferences among Undergraduate Students. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 9(2), 351–377. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1221475

Course Syllabus