Arabic Courses (FL)
Beginning Arabic I
This course is an introduction to the Modern Standard Arabic Language. Students will learn to listen, speak, write, and read at a beginning level. Students will become familiar with the Arabic script and sounds, develop a working vocabulary, learn basic grammatical concepts, and practice conversational dialogues. Students will be introduced to aspects of contemporary life and culture in the Arab world through films and cultural video clips.
Beginning Arabic II
Students will review letters and begin creating simple sentences in the present tense. They will learn pronouns, gender, plurals, and possession. Students will increase their vocabulary through reading short stories. They will also practice conversation and expand their knowledge of Middle Eastern cultures.
Intermediate Arabic I & II
These courses are second year, lower intermediate courses in Modern Standard Arabic, which continue to focus on the four basic skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. At this level, students will be able to speak well enough Arabic to communicate at a basic level with a native speaker on a variety of topics. Students should be able to write simple texts on everyday themes and read uncomplicated texts, such as newspaper articles on a familiar topic, and short stories. These classes cover higher level of grammatical structures. Classes will focus on speaking as an effective way of learning, and will be conducted primarily in Arabic.
Japanese Courses (JP)
Beginning Japanese I and II (JP 101/102)
The Beginning Japanese course is an introduction to Japanese conversation, reading, writing, and grammar. Along with the language, many cultural aspects of Japan will be explored. In this course, students will learn the two Japanese phonetic written systems, called ‘Hiragana’ and ‘Katakana’, and some characters of the more complex written system called ‘Kanji’. By the end of the course, students will also be able to hold a simple conversation in Japanese. JP 101 is offered in the Fall, and JP 102 is in Spring. There is no pre-requisite for JP 101, but JP 101 is the prerequisite for JP102.
Intermediate Japanese I and II (JP 201/202)
The Intermediate Japanese course is focused on developing aspects of the Japanese language covered in Beginning Japanese as well as introducing more advanced grammatical concepts. The prerequisite for Intermediate Japanese I is JP 102 or consent of the instructor.
Chinese Courses (FL)
Beginning Chinese I
This is an introductory course designed for beginners who are interested in Chinese language for academic, social, business or any other reasons. This class aims to develop the student’s ability in basic conversation, ability in beginning level of listening and speaking skills, and some knowledge of Chinese culture. Students will also have opportunity to learn to read and write Chinese characters.
The class begins with learning “pinyin,” the Chinese phonetic system which assists students to pronounce Chinese words correctly. The goals of the class are to be able to recognize, pronounce, and write 50 to 100 Chinese characters; to be able to speak 100-150 simple situational dialogues; and gain some knowledge of Chinese grammar.
The Beginning Chinese II
This class is a continuation of Beginning Chinese I. The emphasis will be on basic conversation, the development of oral/aural skills, and learning more about Chinese culture. Based on the class of Beginning Chinese I, students in this class will explore further Chinese characters.
