São Paulo – A course in Arabic will open this month in Rio de Janeiro for undergraduate International Relations students at University Cândido Mendes. The course is offered by the Centre for Applied Foreign Languages (Clea) of the University Research Institute of Rio de Janeiro (Iuperj), in charge of the postgraduate master’s and Phd courses at the university, and the graduate courses in Human Sciences. The International Relations course is taught at the Institute’s facilities.
According to the Iuperj’s Extension and International Cooperation coordinator Ana Paula Del Pretti, the Arabic course is intended to offer language learning to International Relations students. However, since it is an extension course, students from other areas and even from outside the university are eligible. There are no prerequisites. The Centre for Applied Foreign Languages already offers English and Spanish courses. According to Del Pretti, in the second half, Mandarin will also be taught.
The coordinator explains that language students often sit two modules, and then they are invited for immersion or exchange programs in areas where the languages at hand are spoken. This year, Del Pretti is attending a global meeting of universities to discuss an eventual cooperation with China and an Arab country. Each module lasts one semester. This will be the first Arabic module, and cooperation will hinge on demand.
Del Pretti explains that this is not simply a short language course, but rather an immersive experience into Arab culture. The so-called standard Arabic will be taught, which is used in oral communication and in modern formal writing. The topics include an introduction to the language, the connections between letters, long and short vowels, special letters, diacritics, accents and pronunciation, formation of feminine gender, definite article, pronouns, greetings, short dialogues, adjectives, conversational exercises, the Arab countries, and other subjects.
The professor is Marcos Daud, the holder of a degree in Language (Portuguese-Arabic) from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Daud has developed an undergraduate research project on the History of Portuguese Language, served as an Arabic Language assistant at the UFRJ, taught Portuguese and Portuguese writing, and is currently doing research on production of Arabic learning material for Brazilian students. He is a an instructional designer of distance-learning courses at company EPIC Brasil.
The course begins on April 26th and costs R$ 300 (US$ 131), in up to three instalments of R$ 100 each (US$ 44). Classes take place on Saturdays from 9 am to 12 pm at the Iuperj headquarters and total course duration is 30 hours. For additional information call (+55 21) 2233 9294 or (+55 21) 2253 1041. Online pre-enrolment is required and is available at www.iuperj.br. To enrol go to http://www.iuperj.br/index.php/extensao/cursos-de-extensao/55-extensao/cursos/303-arabe-i (links are in Portuguese)
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
