Find in Library
Search millions of books, articles, and more
Indexed Open Access Databases
Methodological Aspects of Development of Linguistic and Regional Studies Courses - Evidence from the Arab Studies Course (Arab Countries)
oleh: A. Stepanova
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | Российской академии наук, Калмыцкий научный центр 2018-04-01 |
Deskripsi
The paper presents analysis of a new kind of educational courses based on multidisciplinary approach. The course synthesizes the methodologies and advances of regional studies and regional geography, cultural and cross-cultural studies and communication, oriental studies, civilization studies, second language acquisition and second language teaching. The course is a part of a wider language program elaborated and implemented at NRU HSE (Saint Petersburg) and bases essentially on the inclusive strategies of Arab countries study, primarily language learning techniques (Arabic). It requires preliminary commandment of elementary course of Arabic. This study aims to analyze a year’s experience of constructing the Arab countries studies course and its teaching process, and to evaluate the merits and demerits of its aspects, taking into account the peculiarities of the academic activity, language skills, basic dictionary, and comparative analysis of several similar courses. The importance of the formation of linguacultural studies competence of Arabists is linked to several factors. The most important of them is that there appeared certain common traits amongst Arab peoples, the knowledge of which may facilitate mutual understanding between different cultures. Also we must take into account the fact that each Arab country is a unique socio-cultural unit, which bears the imprint of the ethnic specificity and individual features of geography and historical development. Formation of the linguacultural studies competence of Arabists is the way to educate them in the true tolerance, because background in cultural and ethnic spheres plays a crucial role in communication. In order to become interculturally effective one need to understand the concept with all its components. However, few courses have this culture-based teaching component of Arabic, so the status of Arabic is underestimated or ignored. These issues create a kind of a challenge for the teachers. In view of this background and taking into account positive and negative impacts, we consider the central question that motivates this paper: whether it is worth combining the teaching of these aspects and at the same time increasing the language level, to be precise - Arab countries and Arabic language, to highlight the most important issues with training listening, reading and speaking skills, and to explore the ways to implement this course in the program of the second year students with the beginner level of Arabic language.