Arabic as One Language
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For decades, students learning the Arabic language have begun with Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and then transitioned to learning spoken Arabic. While the MSA-first approach neither reflects the sociolinguistic reality of the language nor gives students the communicative skills required to fully function in Arabic, the field continues to debate the widespread adoption of this approach. Little research or evidence has been presented about the effectiveness of integrating dialect in the curriculum. With the recent publication of textbooks that integrate dialect in the Arabic curriculum, however, a more systematic analysis of such integration is clearly becoming necessary. In this seminal volume, Mahmoud Al-Batal gathers key scholars who have implemented integration to present data and research on the method's success. The studies address curricular models, students' outcomes, and attitudes of students and teachers using integration in their curricula. This volume is an essential resource for all teachers of Arabic language and those working in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language (TAFL).
Mahmoud Al-Batal is professor of Arabic at the University of Texas-Austin and former director of the UT Arabic Flagship program and the Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA). He has published many articles and books on TAFL and is one of the authors of the Al-Kitaab Arabic Language Program.