SINARC
A free online dialect workshop was given during January for those interested to explore the Lebanese dialect through a fun, interactive way. The workshop was designed to take the students through a virtual cultural journey where they can immerse themselves in Lebanese culture. The program mixed theory and application to teach colloquial/ spoken Arabic (“Aamiyah”), and to introduce the basic skills needed for everyday communication.
Subjects covered:
Study Arabic Online is a program that simulates a classroom setting using all the latest tools for effective virtual language acquisition. The program provides a number of credit-based and non-credit based course options on various levels for students interested in Arabic as a second language only and not toward earning a degree at LAU. All courses are organized and divided according to ACTFL standards and are delivered using various online learning platforms. All SINARC instructors are native speakers with many years of teaching experience, specialized in reading, writing, and verbal communication.
The classes are distinguished in their live teacher interaction, animated lectures and interactive exercises along with a rich virtual culture immersion component.
LAU is one of the top institutions of higher education and research in Lebanon and the region and is accredited by the New England Commission for Higher Education (NECHE). As such, upon successfully completing the SINARC credit courses, you will receive an official LAU transcript that makes your credits transferrable to most institutions of higher education across the globe.
Deadline to apply: March 28
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 10:00 p.m.-12 midnight Beirut time (GMT +3). You can use the time zone converter to choose the option that suits you best.
Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays: 10:00 p.m.-12 midnight Beirut time (GMT +3). You can use the time zone converter to choose the option that suits you best.
Courses will be offered based on the number of enrolled students.
Short Placement Tests will be e-mailed to students upon receipt of their applications to help determine the classes they will join. This placement is preliminary and may be adjusted after students “meet” with their instructors on their first day of classes.
The following courses can be taken either as credit-based or non-credit based:
Formal instruction in language is enriched by immersion in an authentic cultural context. Cultural activities will include lectures on topics related to Arab and Lebanese politics, history, society and culture, as well as documentaries on certain historical sites and events in Lebanon.
Media Arabic
The Media Arabic course contains selected content from various media platforms and is designed to target the four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. It also focuses on understanding Arab and Middle Eastern culture through the media. Students study vocabulary and structures that are essential to understanding Arab media, building a sturdy and rich base that allows them to formulate opinions on the material and fluently express their views during commentaries and discussions.
The major course topics are Meetings, Demonstrations, Elections, Conflict and Terrorism, and Military. Current affairs and ongoing events in the Middle East and Lebanon are relevant subject matters that are tackled and analyzed in class. Classroom activities will be supplemented by occasional lectures and field trips (if possible).
SIN 101 Part A Elementary Arabic
This elementary course is designed for students who have no knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic. It offers a unique opportunity for descendants of Arabic- speakers to revive their lost language and cultural ties with their ancestors’ land. The course is open to the general public, students of Middle Eastern studies, business people, embassy officials and children of foreign nationals stationed in the Middle East. In this course, Arabic language instruction aims for basic proficiency in the four language skills: speaking, reading, writing, and listening. By the end of the course, students are able to handle basic daily life situations.
SIN 101 Part B Elementary Arabic
This course is a continuation of SIN 101A. It is designed for students who have knowledge od the alphabet and very basic grammar. By the end of the course, students are able to handle many daily life situations, such as identifying the self and others, naming familiar objects and people, telling time, asking for directions, describing places of residence and national origins, ordering food and drink.
SIN 111 A Upper Elementary Arabic
Students must have completed approximately one semester of Arabic (or the equivalent) to be able to join this class. They must have the ability to read and write using Arabic script, have a limited working vocabulary and a basic understanding of sentence structure and other basic grammatical concepts. This course is a continuation of Elementary Arabic and expands on all four skills of language learning; reading, writing, speaking and listening.
SIN 111 B Upper Elementary Arabic
Students must have completed approximately one semester of Arabic (or the equivalent) to be able to join this class. They must have the ability to read and write using Arabic script, have a limited working vocabulary and a basic understanding of sentence structure and other basic grammatical concepts. This course is a continuation of Elementary Arabic and expands on all four skills of language learning; reading, writing, speaking and listening.
SIN 201 A Intermediate Arabic
Students placed in the intermediate level should have taken at least one year of Arabic in college (or the equivalent), and have acquired a basic knowledge of the structure of Modern Standard Arabic. This course aims at enabling students to read, write, speak, and listen at a competency level equivalent to intermediate-mid on the ACTFL scale. Classroom instruction focuses on basic Arabic morphology, syntax and vocabulary building, as well as on reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Students are asked to comment on most daily-life situations, write descriptions and argumentation and read a variety of styles.
SIN 201 B Intermediate Arabic
Students placed in the intermediate level should have taken at least one year of Arabic in college (or the equivalent), and have acquired a basic knowledge of the structure of Modern Standard Arabic. This course aims at enabling students to read, write, speak, and listen at a competency level equivalent to intermediate-mid on the ACTFL scale. Classroom instruction focuses on basic Arabic morphology, syntax and vocabulary building, as well as on reading, writing, speaking and listening skills. Students are asked to comment on most daily-life situations, write descriptions and argumentation and read a variety of styles.
SIN 202 A Intermediate Arabic II
This course is a continuation of Intermediate Arabic I and expands on students’ acquisition of vocabulary and grammar skills. At the end of this course, students will be able to read longer authentic Arabic texts with greater ease. They will be able to write short essays and give short presentations.
SIN 202 B Intermediate Arabic II
This course is a continuation of Intermediate Arabic I and expands on students’ acquisition of vocabulary and grammar skills. At the end of this course, students will be able to read longer authentic Arabic texts with greater ease. They will be able to write short essays and give short presentations.
SIN 301 A Advanced Arabic
Students placed in the advanced level should have completed the equivalent of two or more years of Arabic in college. They will have acquired a broad vocabulary and mastered basic Arabic syntax and morphology. Class sessions aim to help students attain proficiency in expository and argumentative discourse and handle a variety of communicative tasks.
SIN 301 B Advanced Arabic
Students placed in the advanced level should have completed the equivalent of two or more years of Arabic in college. They will have acquired a broad vocabulary and mastered basic Arabic syntax and morphology. Class sessions aim to help students attain proficiency in expository and argumentative discourse and handle a variety of communicative tasks.
SIN 105 Lebanese Dialect I
Students placed in this level have no previous knowledge of the dialect. The aim of this course is to provide students of Modern Standard Arabic with an opportunity to learn the basics of the Lebanese dialect. Students in this level will learn to communicate with native speakers in various daily situations.
SIN 106 Lebanese Dialect, Level II
This course is designed for students who have had some exposure to the Lebanese dialect. The classes will enable students to practice their speaking skills and improve their pronunciation and fluency. Students will converse on topics using description, narration and argumentation.
| Tuition/ per non-credit course | $600 |
|---|---|
| Tuition/ credit course | $1,200 |
Refund Clause: Please note that there will be no refunds on program fees after the start of the session, unless the university cancels the program for unforeseen reasons.
Firas Sulaiman has 14 years’ experience teaching Arabic at various New York City academic institutions. Originally from Syria, he teaches both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and the Levantine dialect. Sulaiman is an accomplished poet who has published six collections of Arabic poetry and a collection of short stories. His work has been translated into English, Swedish, French, Romanian, Spanish, and Croatian.
Sara Ammar holds an MA from the Lebanese University’s School of Pedagogy for teaching philosophy and psychology in high schools. She has taught Arabic for native and non-native speakers at all levels since 1975 at Collège Protestant Français, where she was coordinator of the Department of Arabic. She joined SINARC in 2005 and has taught Modern Standard Arabic for non-native speakers at various levels.
Hala Majed holds a BA in Translation and an MA in Arabic as Foreign and Applied Language (AFAL), both from the Lebanese University͟ – Center for Languages and Translation (CLT). She is qualified to teach Arabic, MSA and dialect for non-native speakers. Her thesis was focused on how online tutoring improves the process of learning Arabic via applications and social websites. Her first teaching experience was in 2015 at CLT as part of the training required for her master’s. In summer 2016, she joined the CAMES team at AUB as a TA of Lebanese dialect for intermediate 1 level, to become an instructor of Lebanese dialect for intermediate 1 in the following summer. Majed joined the SINARC team in spring 2019, and has since been teaching MSA for elementary 2 level.
Laure Obeid received her BA in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language from LAU. In addition to her position as an Arabic language teacher at the International College (IC) in Beirut, she continues to teach Arabic (both classical and colloquial) to foreigners at SINARC.
Lena Chibani is an instructor of Lebanese Dialect and Media at SINARC, where foreigners are introduced to the Lebanese culture and language. Passionate about her work, she published her first book Hkine bel Lebnene in 2019. She is also an Arabic teacher and the head of the Language Acquisition Department at Wellspring Learning Community. In addition, she is the coordinator of ADYAN Alwan Junior program for education on religious diversity.
Mirna Hallak-Al Hariri is a part-time instructor of Arabic language at SINARC. Hallak-Al Hariri joined SINARC in 2015 as a tutor in advanced Arabic for Australian Diplomats and foreign students. Her specialties are tutorial classes in Modern Standard Arabic, Arabic Media, and Educated Lebanese Levantine Arabic. Hallak-Al Hariri’s background as a media consultant and magazine editor for NGOs is an asset in her discussions with diplomats and foreign students on regional, cultural and political topics. She holds a BA in Arabic Literature from Beirut Arabic University.
Practice is crucial to gaining confidence in the Lebanese dialect, and with your own designated language buddy you’ll have plenty of opportunity to do just this. This is a great way to put to use everything you learn in your daily classroom lessons and to maximize your learning potential.
The SINARC program gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the language and diverse cultures of Lebanon and the region virtually. SINARC’s rigorous academic curriculum is complemented by a rich extracurricular and cultural program featuring lectures, films, clubs, excursions, and activities with LAU’s Arab Institute for Women and Institute for Migration Studies.
Dive deeper into the region’s pressing topics
Get to know the complexities of the region from a historical perspective and the hot topics that are shaping it today through SINARC’s weekly program of virtual lectures and informative videos. The following are examples of topics covered:
Virtual excursions and tours and films.
We will share with you touristic videos, information, and links for both unknown and popular places in Lebanon such as:
We will take you on a virtual tours, teach you how to cook delicious and easy-to-prepare Lebanese dishes, and introduce you to everyday life in Lebanon through family gatherings, weddings, and walks. We will also share with you a list of Lebanese movies so that you get to know Lebanon’s culture through the eyes of its talented film-makers.
