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Colloquial Moroccan Arabic Rabat
Arabic course : Description & Objectives
Language course objectives:
Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (CMA), also known as "darija," is the spoken dialect of Morocco. CMA is grammatically simpler and has a less voluminous vocabulary than Modern Standard Arabic. While most CMA words find their root in MSA, many CMA words are borrowed from Spanish, French, and Berber.
CMA courses at the Arabic language school in Rabat are taught according to an immersive methodology. CMA courses can be taken in conjunction with MSA courses at the Arabic school, but it is important for students to approach the two courses as two separate languages, so as not to interfere with the correct understanding of either language. Each CMA Level can be completed in 4 weeks, and has a minimum of 80 contact hours.
As with MSA courses, students may choose to study CMA for any length of time (minimum two weeks), beginning a course at their level and then continuing as long as they wish.
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Programme Outline
The Colloquial Moroccan Arabic program consists of three levels which are each divided into two courses.
Beginning Level - (160 hours)
Course CMA B-I (80 hours)
Course CMA B-II (80 hours)
Intermediate Level - (160 hours)
Course CMA N-I (80 hours)
Course CMA N-II (80 hours)
Advanced Level - (160 hours)
Course CMA A-I (80 hours)
Course CMA A-II (80 hours)
All textbooks and study materials are available for purchase or are provided on loan (with deposit).
Students must prove eligibility for their requested course by successfully passing the course’s placement test.
Beginner Level
Colloquial Moroccan Arabic is the language most commonly spoken in Morocco. This course focuses on Spoken rather than Standard Written Arabic and will target Oral / Aural skills, speaking and listening. At this level, knowledge of Arabic orthography is not required and all texts contain phonetic transcriptions. By the end of the course, students will be able to master a number of social and communicative functions. (90 hours.)
Functions students will master include:
Introducing oneself, getting information about others
Identifying and describing people, objects and places and Giving and receiving directions
Narrating daily and habitual actions
Making appointments and reservations
Dealing with invitations and offers
Reading maps
Primary textbooks:
A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic. By Richard S. Harrell and Mohammed Abu Taleb. Georgetown University Press.
Moroccan Arabic, by Peace Corps.
Intermediate Level
The course is a continuation of the CMA beginning level. It covers grammatical structures with a greater focus on vocabulary mastery. It also provides intensive oral drills supplemented by vocabulary exercises and a wide variety of real life situations. By the end of the course, learners are expected to reach an intermediate – high level based on the ACTFL proficiency scale. They will be able to perform various complex functions that are extensively employed in the Moroccan conversational situation. (90 hours.)
Primary textbooks:
A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic. By Richard S. Harrell and Mohammed Abu Taleb.
Georgetown University Press.
Moroccan Arabic, by Peace Corps.
Advanced Level
This course has a two fold purpose: it provides students with a window on the social, intellectual and physical aspects of the Moroccan culture. Also, it presents an opportunity for learners to get insight into the diversity of the Moroccan linguistic situation while studying the major characteristics of CMA. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the cultural connotations of some Moroccan proverbs and maxims, and understand Moroccan traditions and rituals. They will also be able to converse and write about a wide of variety of topics. The ability to read and write in Modern Standard Arabic is a pre-requisite for this course. (90 hours.)
Primary textbooks:
A Basic Course in Moroccan Arabic. By Richard S. Harrell and Mohammed Abu Taleb.
Georgetown University Press.
Moroccan Arabic, by Peace Corps.
Link to > Arabic Course Methodology > Rabat Arabic School details