Levantine Arabic: Beginner Level 3 *In-Person*

Arabic today exists in multiple overlapping yet distinct varieties. In published writing and formal contexts (e.g., articles, novels, religious texts, presentations of news or information), people use Modern Standard Arabic. At the same time, there are several different regional varieties (also called dialects) that people use primarily in conversational and informal contexts (e.g., greetings, family and social life, daily communication, social media posts). Levantine Arabic is the regional variety of Arabic used by speakers from Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria and is the native language to more than 44 million people. Furthermore, it is considered one of the most widely understood varieties across the Arabic-speaking world because of the large amount of media (songs, TV series, etc.) produced in it. Levantine Arabic shares with other varieties of Arabic many fundamental grammar structures and a large amount of vocabulary.
In Beginner Level 3, students will build on what they learned in Beginner Level 2 and continue listening, interacting, and creating stories together as a group. Through the context of discussing and acting out these stories, students will learn how to communicate with increasing complexity. In addition to the classroom stories, students will be exposed to some authentic contemporary media in Levantine Arabic, including popular songs and videos. Students will continue to learn the Arabic alphabet and practice reading words they have learned to say. Instructor: Alaa Aldeen Kayali

Sections

Instructor

Alaa Aldeen Kayali is a native Arabic speaker from Kafar Takharim in northern Syria. He earned his Master’s in Arabic Language and Literature at the American University of Beirut before moving to Cambridge to pursue a Master of Theological Studies at Harvard Divinity School. He is passionate about teaching Arabic with an eye on cultural nuances that make learning Arabic a lively and enriching experience. He also works on creating shelves for Arabic books in as many libraries and bookshops as possible.