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Challenges and Prospects of Arabic language instruction at Dartmouth: a reflection on students' perspectives.
Abstract
This paper explores the intersections between content, methods, and pedagogies of Arabic instruction at Dartmouth college. I will look at the connections we were able to make as instructors between what we teach and what students need to make their learning experience on campus and abroad more effective and positive while we are helping them build more skills in Arabic. At Dartmouth, Arabic that has been offered for three decades has undergone many phases as well. The Arabic curriculum changed a few times to accommodate the new realities of the field. We have a new approach to language teaching where we integrated Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Moroccan Arabic (Darija) in our classrooms. The goal of the program is to better connect language learning on campus with the immersive experience abroad. This approach was also adopted by Al-Kitaab textbook, the main textbook for Arabic instruction in the US and abroad. The last edition introduced Egyptian and Levantine varieties to be taught together with MSA. In this paper, I will also identify challenges students are facing on the levels of communication, interaction with their host communities abroad and the effects of relationships they build on their learning process. To achieve this goal, I will conduct a preliminary qualitative research based on surveys and semi-structured interviews to collect enough information about their challenges with Arabic communication abroad as students,​ researchers, or professionals. The outcomes of this paper will contribute towards an effective plan of action as we continue to develop our pedagogies and contents in the Arabic Department at Dartmouth.
Discipline
Language
Geographic Area
All Middle East
Sub Area
Arabic