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Arabic Language and Cultures: Intermediate - LAN00093I

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: I
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

Learning a language can be a transformative and enriching experience. Both the process and the outcomes are beneficial at various levels, from increased neuroplasticity to improving your overall academic performance, fostering empathy and intercultural awareness, and enhancing your career opportunities. This course is aimed at students who already have some knowledge of Arabic. Over the course of a semester, it will steadily build the knowledge, skills, and strategies necessary for students to engage in everyday conversations and with short texts. It will focus on developing a communicative competence at intermediate level.

Related modules

Arabic Language and Cultures: Lower Intermediate or equivalent.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2024-25
B Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

The module aims are for students to:

  • further develop the four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking), while learning Arabic within the framework of diglossia (learning how to distinguish between the written and the spoken, formal and informal);

  • learn about dialects (regional dialects, such as Egyptian and Jordanian);

  • acquire advanced writing skills in modern standard Arabic;

  • gain further knowledge of cultural aspects of the Arab world and an understanding of additional structural patterns appropriate to this level;

  • gain more confidence in using the language in daily communication.

Students will engage, individually and in groups, in activities and tasks emphasising three core communicative skills:

  1. reception activities (oral, audio-video and reading comprehension);

  2. production activities (oral and written production);

  3. interaction activities (oral, written and online interaction).

The mediums of instruction are English and Arabic.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of this module students should be able to:

  • Understand straightforward factual texts with a satisfactory level of comprehension.

  • Produce short, complex texts on topics of interest and give and justify their opinion.

  • Summarise, report and give their opinion about accumulated factual information and produce very brief reports in a standard conventionalised format.

  • Express personal opinions and exchange information on topics that are familiar, of personal interest or pertinent to everyday life (e.g. family, hobbies, work, travel and current events).

  • Generally respond appropriately to the most commonly used cultural cues to discuss in simple terms different perceptions of culturally determined actions.

  • Reflect upon language use and justify linguistic choices.

  • Self-monitor and self-regulate their own learning and resources.

Module content

Topics may include:

  • Reading comprehension skills (topics may include short stories, general paragraphs, news reports, poems and literary topics).

  • Writing skills development mainly focuses on further training via exercises in class and at home.

  • Situational dialogues, a selection of passages in a variety of topics, such as political, cultural, media, history, and literature.

  • The tenses (past, present and future), more about the plural, more about making questions, the passive voice.

  • Work and ambition.

  • Talking about preferences.

  • The comparative and superlative.

  • The diminutive.

  • Key cultural aspects in each Arab country.

Indicative assessment

Task % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) 60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 40

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The written exam will include one or two questions aimed at assessing students’ ability to reflect on language use and justify their responses and choices when using the language (in English), and a task related to students’ ability to monitor their own learning.

Indicative reassessment

Task % of module mark
Closed/in-person Exam (Centrally scheduled) 60
Oral presentation/seminar/exam 40

Module feedback

Feedback on exams and essays as per University regulations.

Indicative reading

Course materials and guided readings will be provided by the module convenors via the VLE at the start of the semester.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University constantly explores ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary. In some instances it may be appropriate for the University to notify and consult with affected students about module changes in accordance with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.