Years of neglect of teaching the writing skill prompted Ryding (2013) to remark that writing remains “an under-researched topic that deserves greater professional attention.” The traditional ‘auxiliary’ status of writing in the language curriculum must be reassessed and to feature writing prominently as a skill commensurate with reading, speaking, and listening. Central to the integrity of any Arabic composition are the rawābiṭ (“connectors”) that serve a critical role creating discursive coherence and textual cohesion (Al-Batal 1985; Shakir and Obeidat 1992). In a similarly relevant study, Chiang (2003) reveals that the “overall quality” of writing samples from Chinese learners of English is deemed ‘foreign,’ because discursive coherence and textual cohesion is absent. This paper examines the discursive importance of the Arabic rawābiṭ and suggests directions for future research in constructing a pedagogy of the writing skill. I have chosen to highlight the teaching of the rawābiṭ because instructors often neglect, and students unknowingly overlook, the semantic and discursive functions that the rawābiṭ lend to forging a cohesive and coherent text. This paper adapts Ruiz-Funes’ (1999) reading-to-write model and suggests exploiting the non-linear stages of reading to raise learners’ awareness to the cohesive role of the rawābiṭ. Four research questions guide this study. First, what are the semantic functions of the rawābịt? The traditional attention to only the syntactic features of the rawābiṭ is outdated in light of the communicative objectives of language teaching. Next, which rawābiṭ correspond to which levels of proficiency as outlined by ACTFL? This is important in order to develop student skills and confidence in using the rawābịt appropriate for their general language capabilities. The third question investigates how current language curricula teach the rawābiṭ. While several textbooks for writing have been introduced since Al-Warraki and Hassanein (1994), haphazard groupings bury the rawābiṭ amid collocations, idiomatic phrases, and even demonstrative pronouns. Lastly, which approaches should instructors adopt to effectively teach the rawābiṭ? This paper suggests the reading-to-write approach, which inverts the relationship between the skills: writing no longer is auxiliary to reading but rather reading serves writing. The undeniable importance of the rawābiṭ in Arabic composition makes their strategic inclusion in all levels of the curriculum essential. By linking research in the role of the rawābịt to the needs of Arabic students at various levels of proficiency, this paper proposes innovative approaches to teaching writing.

A little over a decade ago, Arabic was primarily taught at select higher education institutions and usually supplemented courses relating to the Middle East. However, with Arabic becoming increasingly popular in the United States and being offered at several secondary and post-secondary institutions, we see that learners today have more varied attitudes towards Arab culture than they ever did before. Therefore, the 21st century Arabic classroom is not only teaching language but also culture. Currently, there are many guidelines for choosing cultural content and frameworks for teaching culture; some of them have even been integrated in teaching standards at the state and national level. The ideas presented in such works have definitely emphasized the role of cultural proficiency in the foreign language classroom. However, in order to achieve cultural proficiency, learners needs must be realized (Mantle-Bromley 1992). Therefore, this study seeks to fill this void in the context of the Beginner Arabic classroom at the secondary and post-secondary levels. The main research question of this study is: How can knowledge of learners’ needs regarding Arab culture result in higher cultural proficiency levels? To address this question we must consider other underlying questions such as the following: What do our learners know about Arab culture? What are their attitudes towards Arab culture when they commence their Arabic studies? How do their attitudes towards Arab culture change over the course of the year? How does exposure to cultural content in Arabic class affect their attitudes? What are the pedagogical techniques and methods that promote the meaningful learning of culture and consequently cultural proficiency? This study provides answers to these questions by determining the “present knowledge” (lacks) of learners regarding Arabic culture at the beginning of their Arabic language studies and the “required knowledge” (necessities) they need to attain cultural proficiency by the end of the first academic year in an Arabic language program. Moreover, it also takes into account the “subjective needs” of learners, i.e. what they want to learn about Arab culture. Thus, based on detailed analysis of learners' needs, this study proposes cultural content that is best suited to result in the meaningful learning of culture and cultural proficiency in the Beginner Arabic classroom.

In this paper, we present the results of a two-part study. The first part reviews and analyzes the textbooks and curricular materials currently used in a number of high schools in the United States. The second part builds on that review and analysis to propose a theoretical framework for future classroom materials that suit the needs of high school learners of Arabic as a foreign language. The number of and demand for Arabic programs at the high school level has greatly increased in recent years; however, the production of level-appropriate Arabic curricular materials has yet to meet this demand (Doffing, Compton, & Allaf, 2013). Anecdotal evidence suggests that the materials used in high schools do not address the interests and maturity level of high school-aged learners, do not employ a communicative methodology, or do not incorporate authentic cultural materials. This places the onus of curricular development on teachers who potentially do not have the time or resources to undertake such a weighty task. In order to investigate the validity of this anecdotal evidence, we conducted a needs and environmental analysis of the present use of Arabic teaching materials in high schools. We have identified materials used at the secondary level and analyzed them using textbook evaluation criteria based on the ACTFL standards (Cisar, 2000), with regard to their treatment of Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons, and Communities (ACTFL, 2013). We have also conducted a survey of high school Arabic teachers, seeking to understand their attitudes toward the strengths and weaknesses of the materials currently in use, in addition to their vision for future curricular materials. We then used the results of our survey to develop a framework for future textbook design in the field of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language that meets the needs of contemporary high school teachers and learners. First, we identified a number of methodological challenges, especially the creation of a framework sensitive to the needs of teachers of various experience levels and backgrounds (i.e., native and non-native speakers), as well as students of various linguistic backgrounds (i.e., heritage learners and foreign language learners). The selection and implementation of appropriate textbook evaluation criteria was also an important goal. We then developed strategies for addressing these issues, which we will present in this paper.

In this paper I introduce a new set of Moroccan Arabic materials I am developing to be used alongside the Al-Kitaab Arabic textbook series (Brustad, Al-Batal, & Al-Tonsi, 3rd Edition, 2011). Arabic curricula in the United States have seen substantial changes over the past few years as a trend toward integrating spoken Arabic continues to gain momentum; this development is reflected in the integral role that Levantine and Egyptian content plays in the the third edition of Al-Kitaab. At the same time, ongoing political instability in Syria and Egypt means that today's Arabic students are less likely to experience immersion in countries where these particular varieties are spoken. Arabic study abroad programs are now turning westward, and Morocco is emerging as one of the premiere sites for Arabic language study abroad and a focal point on students' radar. This shift of focus underscores a critical need for quality pedagogical resources for Moroccan Arabic. A few introductory-level Moroccan Arabic textbooks are currently available, among them an offering by Chekayri (2011) and the U.S. Peace Corps (2011). What is still needed in US classrooms, however, is a fully integrated curriculum that treats the Moroccan dialect as part and parcel of a unified Arabic course, rather than an add-on to a primarily MSA program. To meet this challenge, my Moroccan curriculum plugs directly into the Al-Kitaab series, using the same model as other varieties: equivalent Moroccan and formal terms are learned in parallel with the help of audio recordings, Moroccan-specific grammar notes and activities provide clarification and language activation, original Moroccan video scenes reinforce listening skills while providing cultural context, and Moroccan is used as the primary spoken medium in the classroom. While on the surface the project may thus appear to be a translation effort, interfacing Moroccan with the Al-Kitaab textbooks poses a number of methodological challenges. Some of these are linguistic, involving such questions as how to appropriately represent the phonology of Moroccan Arabic (particularly vowels), approach common words of non-Arabic origin, and present meanings for which Moroccan requires more advanced grammatical knowledge than do other varieties. Other challenges involve cultural elements, such as the fact that Moroccans often exhibit different politeness routines and use unique systems of address. Here I present some of the solutions I have found to these conceptual issues and share my experiences, to date, using the new Moroccan materials with first-year Arabic students.