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Read Arabic!Online Arabic Reading Materials for American High School Learners and
Teachers
Dr. Gerald Lampe
Dr. Frederick Jackson
Dr. Jennifer RobinsonNational Foreign Language Center at the University of Maryland at College Park
Read Arabic!
Overview of Presentation
Introduction
Features of Read Arabic!
Demonstration of Three Lessons
Some Issues in Developing the Materials
Discussion
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic!
Introduction
Read Arabic!
Project
Funded by a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s International Research and Studies Program
Target audience is American high school students 85 online reading materials of Modern Standard
Arabic ILR Levels 0+ to 1+ Available to the public at NFLC websites. No cost
and no registration!
Read Arabic!
Need for Read Arabic!
Limited materials available in MSA at secondary school level (ACTFL Novice and Intermediate)
Support the learning process of an important LCTL
Provide opportunity for independent study
Supplement classroom-based learning
Universal access, online and free
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic!
Features
Read Arabic!
Texts and Content
Topics are selected to interest high school learners
Some are authentic texts (e.g., signs, menu, classified ads)
Some are adapted from authentic texts online (e.g., biography)
Some lower-level texts were composed for instructional
purposes
* Based on ACTFL “Communication” Standards and on the ALIF Arabic Curriculum developed by Professor Wafa Hassan and her team
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic! Topics
Basic Arabic structure and vocabulary
Arab Americans
Heroes of the Arab world History and geography
Customs and traditions Everyday life
Facebook and Twitter Language for travel
Popular artists & writers Common signs
Texts in target language on topics of interest to high school learners
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic! Design
Many kinds of “scaffolding” to assist learners Translation into English (upon request) Audio recording (upon request) Glossary of words & phrases with use in context Language and culture notes
Activities to help build reading skills and check comprehension of texts. Specific hints and feedback are provided to help understanding.
Activities are repeatable
Read Arabic!
User Feedback on Lessons
Majority are students, but other users are teachers and adult self learners
Most use the materials for independent practice at home or in school labs
Almost 90% find the units interesting and helpful in learning the language
About 85% find the units to be at the right length and level for their learning
A frequent comment is “give us more units!”
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic!
Demonstration of
Three Lessons
Read Arabic!
Lessons
ILR Level 0/0+ Novice: Travel: A Train Schedule
ILR Level 1/1+ Intermediate: Letter to a Friend
ILR Level 2/2+ Cultural: People: Khalil Gibran
Available at http://readarabic.nflc.org
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic!
Some Issues in Developing the Materials
Read Arabic!
Some Issues in Developing the Materials
MSA vs. dialects• Everyday language usually in dialect• Visual & print media• Social media
Identifying Texts• Few authentic MSA examples at low levels• Presence of dialect in authentic texts• Need to capture meanings of complex morphology
Instructions• Differences in use of gender in verbs
Translation• Difficult for certain concepts
Read Arabic!
Read Arabic!
Discussion