Get a jump start learning Arabic this summer at Berkeley! The Middle Eastern Languages & Cultures Department offers first- and second-year Elementary Arabic courses in eight-week sessions (Session C) between June 13 and August 15. Learn how to apply here! Scholarship opportunities are available.
Contact the MELC Undergraduate Advisor with any questions.
Elementary Arabic 1A
10 AM - 12 PM, Monday -- Friday
Instructor: Zain Alattar
Elementary Arabic introduces students to Modern Standard Arabic and is designed for those with little to no prior knowledge of the language, including its alphabet and sounds. The course is suitable for individuals familiar with Arabic colloquial speech but without formal training in Modern Standard Arabic. The course develops foundational skills in speaking, reading, listening, and writing while building vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and grammar. Students will learn to communicate and engage in discussions on topics such as self, family, and surroundings. The course uses task-based and proficiency-oriented methods to enhance language learning and incorporates an exploration of Arabic cultures.
Elementary Arabic 1B
12 - 2 PM, Monday -- Friday
Instructor: Zain Alattar
This course is the second semester of the elementary level of Modern Standard Arabic. The course further teaches skills in speaking, reading, listening, and writing Arabic and builds vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that allow students to discuss topics related to self, family, and surroundings. Using task-based and proficiency-oriented approaches to foreign language instruction, the course includes regular discussion in Arabic and prepares students to communicate in a variety of contexts. The course also provides an opportunity for exploration and discussion of Arab cultures. The course covers basic syntax and grammar and introduces students to the Arabic morphological system.