Want to learn Arabic....

Hey Loki,
May I ask where you're originally from???
And what is your native language (mother-tongue)??
May be I can help you...

Well, My university teaches Arabic for non native speakers.

Check this out:

The Department of Arabic offers a programme for teaching Arabic to Non-Native Speakers. The duration of study is three Semesters (One Academic Year) with each semester lasting four months. After completing the program requirements the students would go home with open hearts and minds filled with experience and a warm feeling of Qatari hospitality that they would always treasure.

Many students from different parts of the world have joined the program since its establishment in1987. The students were the recipients of grants (scholarships) to finance their short-term enrollment. The program continues to attract many applicants.

Non-Arab faculty at the University are also welcome to join the programme as listeners. Foreign instructors working with the Department of Foreign Languages, the Foundation Programme, and the College of Engineering have had experience with the programme at one time in their professional career at the University.

Rationale

The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers is aimed at:

teaching Arabic language courses to non-native speakers who have been admitted to the University of Qatar on the basis of three-term study grants
teaching Arabic to non-Arabs who join the University of Qatar as recipients of study grants and need to master Arabic before enrolling in a college or program of their choice. They are usually admitted to the program for Academic Semester.
preparing and developing programs and curricula for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers
offering specialized courses to be taught in groups accommodating and catering for the candidates' learning needs and intellectual and professional interests
promoting interaction with other universities, institutes and research centers which focus on teaching Arabic to non-native speakers with a view to research studies and teaching methodologies
setting up a plan/program for assessing performance and learning outcomes in the light of international norms and criteria concerning teaching foreign languages to non-native speakers
equipping foreign would-be-teachers of Arabic with up-to-date methodology that would help them teach Arabic to non-native speakers or use Arabic in their respective countries
Program Levels

The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers falls into three levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. The student concentrates on language functions, communicative skills -- listening comprehension, speaking, reading, writing and appreciation of language patterns in an interactive atmosphere.

The program offers the following courses:

300 Level (Beginner)
This course provides students with communicative language skills, emphasizing listening comprehension and responding to questions. The students will also be acquainted with sentence patters through conversation, reading and writing.

12 teaching hours per week covering reading, speaking, writing and language exercises (3 teaching hours each).
400 Level (Intermediate)
The course is aimed to develop the four basic language skills of students.

12 teaching hours per week covering reading, writing, conversation (speaking) and grammar (3 teaching hours each).
500 Level (Advanced)
This is an advanced course aimed at giving the students the opportunity to examine the structure of Arabic in depth, to write effectively and to speak fluently. Topics will include summarizing, writing reports and letters, and examining literary genres.

12 teaching hours per week covering literature and literary texts, dialogue and discussion, written communication, syntax and morphology, teaching methodologies and field trips.
The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers conducts its courses in a language lab equipped with computers with complete multimedia, audio-tapes, slides and films. The students are encouraged to participate in University activities to help them improve their language skills. The program also encourages students to visit interesting places in Qatar and acquaint themselves with Arab life style and traditions.

The program gives advanced students the opportunity to attend lectures in the departments of Arabic and History and the College of Shari 'a. It encourages all its students to use the library, the Educational Technology library and the University's technological facilities.

Candidates

The Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers attracts five types of candidate:

Non-Arab teachers or Duat working in the field of Arabic and Islamic studies in their respective countries and wish to further develop their language and Islamic studies
Non-Arab students who have received study grants and wish to join a college at the University of Qatar
Members of the Western Diplomatic Corp wishing to improve their Arabic communicative skills
Research workers of the Expatriate community in Qatar wishing to learn Arabic for social and communicative purposes
Foreign instructors at the University wishing to learning Arabic to communicate with their Arab colleagues and students
Interest centered on the Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers in 2004. The program received delegations from Georgetown University , Duke University , the American University in Cairo , and the American and French Embassies in Qatar . The program has also been flooded with letters from renowned universities and educational organizations concerned with teaching Arabic to non-native speakers and Islamic culture.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants must have a Baccalaureate (minimum requirement) or be university/institute graduates
Preference is given to applicants nominated by an official body (ministry, embassy, religious society or an educational establishment)
Applicants must be under forty years
Candidates are chosen relative to the number of applicants from each country
Preference is given to countries that have cultural agreements with Qatar in general and the University of Qatar in particular
Applicants from countries which have not received assistance from the University of Qatar come second
Applications shall be processed on ascending order basis according to the applicant's grades and teaching experience
It is preferable that the candidate had worked in the service of Islam and the Arabic language or has recently come into contact with Islam
Women candidate may be selected on the basis of 1:2 (if possible)
Placement Test
Placement Test

Prospective students are required to take a placement test to determine their level: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. The test is usually given at the beginning of the Academic Year.

Academic Calendar

Courses start in September each year. They run for two semesters the duration of each is approximately four months. The student may join the program for one semester or take three semesters. The student will be awarded a certificate after successfully completing the program requirements.

Transport and Accommodation

Students admitted to the program will be provided with a returned airplane ticket, furnished University accommodation and transport facilities (to and from their place of accommodation and campus). The University will also give the student a monthly allowance of QR500.

Prospective students are welcome to join the program. Applications for consideration must be submitted to:

Department of Arabic
Arabic Program for Non-native Speakers
College of Arts and Sciences
PO Box 2713
University of Qatar
Doha
State of Qatar

Phone : + (974 ) 4853219 || ( + 974 ) 4856421 / 4852296 (Secretary)
Fax : + (974) 4852278
Email : arabicprogram/-a-t-/qu.edu.qa

The link:
http://artscience.qu...

Thanks Aisha, I am sure that's a good program... unfortunately:
a) I am looking for something to start fairly soon, not wait until September, and
b) I will also be working fulltime, so I expect 12 hours weekly contact time, plus associated homework, to be a bit heavy a workoad...

But I will look into it further anyway. Thanks for the info! :)

Cheers

Easy, thank you for the info. As it happens, just today I made arrangements for study for the next few months, but I do appreciate the offer.

Cheers

Berlitz language school have a beginners course starting this week. Think it is QR2200. They have a website. Search Berlitz qatar

Alternatively find an arab speaker from Sudan or Oman or something and pay him/her to visit your house twice a week and speak arabic.

Reckon that would cost about QR150 a week for 2 hours of private lessons.

Loki and Layla,
I would be glad to dedicate a few hours every week to help you out with the first steps.
PLease drop me an e-mail at: dentical75/-a-t-/yahoo.com and I will get in touch with you.

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http://arabic.speak7...

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http://madinaharabic.......

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http://areg.amaksoud...

Hi,

http://arabesques.to...

email me on Eraqy2000/-a-t-/hotmail.com
if u r really intersted
I'm coming from the lost Paradise