48
Arabic Language and Literature
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, students are expected to have developed advanced intermediate skills in various areas of competence, including reading comprehension (understanding written texts), listening comprehension (understanding spoken language), writing (composition and translation), and speaking (oral communication skills). An additional objective is to acquire specific language skills. By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- understand the main ideas of complex texts on concrete and abstract topics, as well as technical discussions in their field of specialisation
- interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes natural interaction with native speakers possible without causing strain for the other person
- produce clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and explain a point of view on a topic, providing the pros and cons of various options
Autonomy of judgement:
By the end of the course, students should be able to apply the acquired skills with a critical attitude and exercise autonomy of judgement, formulating assessments even on the basis of limited or incomplete data.
Communication skills:
Students will be required to demonstrate their ability to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions effectively in Arabic, using correct morphology and syntax. Students must demonstrate their ability to understand, analyse and translate literary texts.
Learning skills:
By the end of the course, students must demonstrate that they have acquired the critical skills necessary to find in-depth materials suitable for the programme and to undertake further studies with a high degree of autonomy.
Course Prerequisites
Students should be familiar with the key phonetic and morphological concepts (verbal and nominal) covered in the first two years. It is also important that they are familiar with reading unvocalised texts on various topics, and ideally different genres. They should also have a basic vocabulary covering a range of subjects.
Teaching Methods
The pedagogical approach adopted is communicative, with the objective of harmoniously developing the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. The pedagogical approach entails the meticulous guidance of students through a systematic learning process, with equal emphasis and attention allocated to each of the four distinct skills. This methodology ensures that no particular skill is prioritised over another, fostering an equitable and balanced development of all competencies.
The Arabic language course includes lectures, seminars and exercises involving listening, reading comprehension and conversation activities. Students will be required to complete individual assignments or research projects on specific topics to assess the skills acquired. Self-assessment tests will be carried out throughout the course.
The course is divided as follows:
Grammar and syntax: theory and practice.
Exercises A: Conversations in Standard Arabic on specific topics.
Exercises B: Writing texts in Arabic.
Assessment Methods
The final exam consists of a written test and an oral test, which are graded on a scale of 30. The final written test consists of comprehension and production of written texts, multiple-choice and open-ended exercises, and a syntax test on a digital platform. The oral test is designed to assess the quality of language learning through commentary and analysis of texts studied during the course, as well as through an interview in standard Arabic on topics covered during the course, conducted with both the teacher and the CELs. The student must demonstrate the ability to analyse and summarise content, provide complete information, use terminology correctly, and apply the analysis procedures and methodologies specific to the discipline.
There will be intermediate tests and presentations of papers.
Texts
Reference texts:
Maria Elena Avino: Caterina Pinto. Fares Aliaramneh; Monica Ruocco: Communicating in Arabic: Volume 3: Level B1–B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Milan: Hoepli. 2024.
Translations and Exercises
Nadia R. Sirhan, Mastering Arabic Vocabulary, Routledge, 2023.
Adrian Gee, Arabic Stories for Intermediate Learners, 2024.
Contents
From Maria Elena Avino, Caterina Pinto, Fares Aliaramneh, Monica Ruocco. Comunicare in arabo. Volume 3. Livello B1-B2 del Quadro Comune Europeo di Riterimento per le Linaue. Milano. Hoepli. 2024.
Units 1-5: environment and sustainability; health and well-being; work in the past and present; migrants, refugees and asylum seekers; mass media: press, radio and television.
Translations and exercises
From Nadia R. Sirhan, Mastering Arabic Vocabulary, Routledge, 2023.
Units 3-9: education; politics; work, business and economics; media; law; culture, religion and society; earth, nature and the environment
From Adrian Gee, Arabis Stories for Intermediate Learners, 2024.
Introduction to translation techniques based on the texts in units 5-8-11-12-24-49
Course Language
Italian
More information
Although attendance at lectures is not compulsory, it is strongly recommended. Regular attendance at tutorials with the CEL is also recommended.
The programme does not distinguish between students who do not attend and Erasmus students.