STS.S20 Technology & Language Learning: Beginning Arabic

IAP 2012

Tues., Jan. 17-Fri., Jan. 19 and Mon., Jan. 23-Fri., Jan. 26
10:00 am – 1:00 pm each day; Location TBD
Enrollment limited to 12 students
3 units
This class cannot be used for HASS credit.

Everyone says learning Arabic is hard. But how much of that is how it’s taught?

This class is based on the crazy ideas that 1. learning a language—any language—should be fun, and 2. people learn a language to do things with it. By the end of the class, students will be able to read, write, and type Arabic; exchange greetings in a variety of dialects; introduce themselves; ask for clarification; and participate in online lectures in Arabic. Students will also acquire cultural knowledge, including a familiarity with elements of Arab pop culture.

For a variety of reasons, Arabic has lagged behind other languages in embracing technology in language instruction. As we study Arabic together, we will examine ways to incorporate different technologies, drawing on everything from Stellar to Twitter, from reality TV to music videos, from flashcard applications to educational software for native Arabic speakers.

Warning: The methods explored in this class will horrify traditional Arabic teachers.

This class is taught by Amy Johnson, a first year student in the PhD program in History, Anthropology, and Science, Technology and Society (HASTS). She studies language and technology—more specifically, how communication technologies influence concepts such as identity, relationship, and space via English, Arabic, and Japanese. She holds an MA in Arabic Language and Linguistics from Georgetown University, where she served for two years as a TA, teaching both introductory and intermediate Arabic.