Arabic

Welcome to the Arabic Department

Facts about Arabic

 The expression Arabic may refer either to literary Arabic or to the many spoken varieties of Arabic or dialects.\Literary Arabic is considered by most Arabs as the standard language.
Classical Literary Arabic (al-fosha ) is both the language of the present-day media and the written language across North Africa and the Middle East, as well as the language of the Quran.
  • The Arabic language is the 6th most-spoken language in the world out of nearly 6,800 known languages (around 256 million Arabic speakers worldwide).
  • Arabic is the language spoken throughout the Arab world and widely known outside it. Arabic has been a literary language for over 1500 years.
  • The Arabic alphabet derives from the Aramaic script (which variety, Nabataean or Syriac, is a matter of scholarly dispute) to which it bears a loose resemblance like that of Coptic or Cyrillic script to Greek script.
  • Arabic dialects are the many national or regional languages derived from Literary Arabic and spoken daily from Morocco to Iraq. These sometimes differ enough to be mutually incomprehensible. These dialects are not frequently written although a certain amount of literature exists mainly in Egypt and Lebanon.
 

The Arabic department aims to:
  • - Develop the ability to communicate accurately and effectively in speech and in writing within the range of the contexts.
  • - Make linguistic connections: Students will explore the nature of languages as systems by making comparisons between Arabic and English, leading to an appreciation of the correct application of linguistic structures and vocabulary.
  • - Develop an awareness of the nature of the language.
  • - Encourage students to recognize that learning more than one language is a valuable life skill.

What skills will students learn in Arabic?
  • - Recognise and respond to words, phrases and simple sentences in spoken Arabic.
  • - Become aware of the connections between culture and language use in Arabic-speaking communities.
  • - Identify and respond to features of written Arabic.
  • - Use known words in Arabic to interact in everyday activities.

The Arabic Department offers Arabic for Arabic students, and Arabic for non-natives (Arabic as a second language). Fotr Arabis speaking students we teach the Ministry of Education syllabus, but for the non-native students we choose the books which are suitable to their levels.

Note: Students are grouped according to their level of ability - beginners or advanced.

Useful and interesting links:

http://arabkids.com/arabic/hmewka.htm

http://www.madinaharabic.com

http://www.funwitharabic.com/alphabet.html

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Islamic Studies Department

What will students learn in Islamic Studies?

- Recitation and momorisation of the Holy Qur'an is strictly emphasised

- Simple concepts of Islam and Islamic morals and values are introduced and reinforced continually throughout the lessons to instil a deep sense of belonging to Islam.

- The Prophet's (may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him) life story and hadith are taught and emphasised throughout the grades.

- Basic concepts of Islam, worship, Fiqh and Islamic moral values are also introduced and reinforced in later years.

Teaching Strategies

The Teaching strategies most often used include interaction, stories, hands-on activities, watching Islamic related movies, visits to the mosque for ablution and Salah.

Page updated 12/09/2007