 What
age group is this course targeted for?
We have purposely not specified a specific age group because many of
our customers purchase the course for children who are quite young and
can't use the whole book yet, but choose to have the children gain exposure
to the language via tape only through the dozens of stories in the second
half of the course. The children then have a complete course ready for
them when they are ready to read and write. To sum it up: Parents are more
the variable than the course is. However reviews on the Arabic program
have stated that a bright 2rd grader can independently work the course.
How
is this course different from others?
Our course is developed by linguists, not marketing strategists.
Many commercial language companies promise a super shortcut. They put together
a selection of useful words, phrases, and dialogues that simulate situations
a tourist might face. They have you listen to natives deliver the lines
and repeat what they say. And that's it. However, such little scraps aren't
enough to get to the core of a language, to develop a strong sense of how
it works and feels, and to build the habits, skills, and strategies that
make efficient learning possible. This Arabic language course gives
you real language learning---the kind where you actually internalize the
language, and begin to use it as your own. And with the capability you
will have after completing the course, you can readily acquire the special
language you need for Quran, Islamic Studies, Conversation, or other purposes.
Does
this course satisfy University's two year language requirement?
Yes. We recognize that homeschoolers everywhere are facing that problem
of teaching a foreign language in their home. Our courses target this problem,
in fact Book 1 and Book 2 are equivalent to what you can expect to learn
in a 3-4 year high school time period.
How
much time must we put into this each day and how long will it take us to
finish?
Ideally, we suggest 20-30 minutes every day. Daily is the most important.
Working the "ideal" schedule should take a high schooler 2-3 semesters,
and a 5th grader 4-5 semesters to finish both programs.
How
fluent can you expect to be by the end of Book 1 and Book 2?
The main thrust of these courses is to create a student who is competent
and confident in conversation. We teach grammar and verb conjugation through
various methods without placing emphasis on it. By the time you finish
the course you will have gained competency in reading, speaking, understanding
and writing at a second year college level. In addition, linguists say
that fluency in a language occurs when you know about 8,000 words in that
language. Our courses expose you to 3,000-4,000 words . Any educated Arab
will understand you and you will also be fully capable of beginning a more
intuitive study of Quran if that is your emphasis.
Do
you have to know the language in order to teach it?
No. We designed the course to be simple enough for students to use
independently . We also recently developed a highly-requested teachers'
guide to help parents measure their students' progress.
Are
there native speakers on the tapes?
Yes. In fact we use a Sheik native to Saudia in each course to
make listening more interesting and real. He is clear and precise.
What
other programs do you have to learn a dialect instead of the classical
languages are you coming out with?
Presently we have a few visit our book store for details by clicking
on Secular Homeschool and you will see an excellent program for Modern
Standard Arabic and you may seearch our affiliation with Spree.com to look
For Hugo Language Courses that teach Modern Levantine plus more!
What
other products are you coming out with?
More CD-Roms and supplemental videos and books. We're constantly looking
for customer feedback so we can develop products people want and need.
What
do you suggest we do when we finish the course?
Idealistically? Reward your child by taking a trip to the country, or if
they're hitting the terrible teenage years, send them on a overseas to
study..
Why
learn the Arabic language?
Improve your ability to gain entrance into the university of your choice.
Most universities require two years of high school foreign language. This
is a challenge homeschoolers everywhere are beginning to face, and these
course will fill that requirement. Also, studying a foreign language has
been proven to significantly raise SAT verbal scores. When we learn a language,
we expose ourselves to a whole new culture and a whole new way of thinking.
Language is the only way we have of communicating with the world around
us. As well you will be on your way towards futher indepth study
of the Quran or "Qawaid" (Arabic Grammer). This is covered in Book
3 or email us with questions regarding
futher studies.
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