Bite-Size Arabic: Learn to Read and Write Arabic Using the Tiniest Bit of Vocabulary and Grammar by Leston Chandler Buell (that is, by me, Dr. Bulbul) is a new textbook designed for both classroom use and independent learners. The book has been included as one of the five best books in Tutorful’s 2018 Expert Guide …
Author: Leston Chandler Buell
Tasharrafnaa: A short textbook in transcription for use with Alif Baa or Bite-Size Arabic
Two introductory textbooks for the Arabic writing system—Alif Baa and Bite-Size Arabic—teach the alphabet gradually, introducing just a few letters per unit. If the teacher covers just one unit per class meeting using these books, we are left with the problem of how to teach communication skills with the remaining classroom time before students have …
Alif Baa: A review
In this review I will give my perspective on Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds (ألف باء: مدخل إلى حروف العربية وأصواتها), a popular textbook by Kristen Brustad, Mahmoud Al-Batal, and Abbas Al-Tonsi. The book comes with a CD full of audio material. Access to a companion website with video material can be …
Arabic 4 syllabus, January–March 2018
The following is the overall syllabus for UvA Talen Arabic 4, January–March 2018. I will use this syllabus not only to lay out our plan, but also to document what we did and indicate the homework. A couple of useful links: Mastering Arabic official resources. Searcheable PDF of the Hans Wehr Dictionary Lesson Material Covered …
The principal moods of the Arabic verb: Indicative, subjunctive, jussive, and imperative
In this article we will take a short look at the main moods of the Standard Arabic verb: indicative, subjunctive, jussive, and imperative. We won’t go into excessive detail, just the contexts that beginning and intermediate learners of Arabic are likely to encounter. This is also the reason we won’t discuss the short and long …
Duolingo Arabic is coming: What should we expect?
Duolingo is a wildly popular website and app for learning foreign foreign languages. English-speakers are currently able to learn over 25 languages on the platform, ranging from the tried-and-true French and Spanish to the more adventurous Ukrainian, Swahili, Vietnamese, and Esperanto. Spanish-speakers can even take a stab at Catalan or Guaraní. Although there has been …
Arabic 3 syllabus, January–March 2018
The following is the overall syllabus for UvA Talen Arabic 3, January–March 2018. The syllabus will be updated gradually with more details as the course progresses. A couple of useful links: Audio vocabulary flashcards on Memrise. Mastering Arabic official resources. Searcheable PDF of the Hans Wehr Dictionary. Lesson Material Covered Lesson 1 22/1 During class: …
Arabic 2 syllabus, January–March 2018
The following is the overall syllabus for UvA Talen Arabic 2, January–March 2018. The syllabus is still a work in progress and may be updated gradually with more details as the the course progresses. A couple of useful links: Audio vocabulary flashcards on Memrise. Mastering Arabic official resources. Lesson Material Covered Lesson 1 24/1 During …
Mastering Arabic 1: A review
In this review I will give my perspective on Mastering Arabic 1, a popular beginning textbook by Jane Wightwick and Mahmoud Gaafar. The book is available from two different publishers (Palgrave and Hippocrene), though I imagine there are few differences between the two editions beyond the book cover and the packaging. The book can be …
What to do while waiting for Arabic 2 to begin
After completing my Arabic 1 course at UvA Talen, it can sometimes be a long wait until the Arabic 2 course begins. So, pupils occasionally ask what they can do to keep working on their Arabic while they’re waiting for the next course. I provide a few ideas in this article. Review Bite-Size. You have …