V-Arabic » Education

Bilingual English/Arabic BBC Radio Podcast : Classroom Size – عدد التلاميذ فى الفصول الدراسية

MD — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 17:19:32 +0000

BBC Arabic (Learning English) has a dedicated bilingual radio programme aimed at teaching English to native Arab speakers. As an Arabic learner yourself, you may benefit hugely from listening to this interactive programme where the host (an Arabic speaker) interviews a guest (an English speaker) in English about a particular news item. The interview is then interpreted in Arabic immediately by the host.

اليوم فى بي بي سي أكسترا إنجليش دوج يتحدث إلى رشا عن عدد الطلاب فى الفصول الدراسية فى المدارس البريطانية

Today Doug and Rasha are talking about class sizes.
Here in Britain state schools have a class size of 30 students. But is that too many?
Many teachers say that it is, but not everyone agrees. In some schools with large classses the teacher is helped by a classroom assistant. In this way individual students get more attention.
We asked people what they thought the ideal class size is.
Here are some of their comments:
- I don’t think one person can look after 30 children properly and give them the right amount of attention.
- I think class sizes should be smaller, probably about 15 students.
- I would say that 30 is too big.

How big are the class sizes where you live?

ما حجم الفصل الدراسى أينما تعيش؟ ماهو متوسط عدد التلاميذ فى تلك الفصول؟

Listen to the programme :

Key Vocabulary

class sizes : عدد الطلاب فى الفصل
a classroom assistant : مساعد تدريس فى الفصل
attention : إنتباه
the ideal class size : الحجم المثالى للفصل الدراسي

Source of Realia

BBC Arabic – Learning English – Classroom size

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Did it help you improve your understanding of Arabic?

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To leave a comment about V-Arabic realia resources, go to FEEDBACK & SUGGESTIONS

Bilingual English-Arabic BBC Radio Programme : Importance of the English Language أهمية اللغة الإنجليزية

MD — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:34:54 +0000

In this podcast, Sam and Doug are talking about the role of English as a global language.

The 21st of February is UN International Mother Language Day, a day which promotes linguistic diversity and multilingualism. Being multilingual means that you are able to speak different languages.

Many jobs require people to be multilingual. Some politicians are multilingual; click on the link below to hear Fidel Castro, who has just retired as leader of Cuba, making a speech in English in 1959.

Today we are asking; “given the status of English as an international language, should world leaders all speak English”?

We asked Londoners what they thought, here are some of their responses:

“If they choose not to that should be respected.” “Not speaking the same language is not necessarily a major barrier to communication.” It would make negotiations easier.”

What do you think? Should all world leaders speak English?

هل يجب علي كل زعماء العالم التحدث باللغة الإنجليزية؟

Listen to the programme :

Key Vocabulary

global language : لغة عالمية
International Mother Language Day : اليوم الدولي للغة الأم
linguistic diversity :التنوع اللغوي
multilingualism : تعدد اللغات
multilingual : يتحدث أكثر من لغة
retired : تقاعد
making a speech : يلقي كلمة
status : وضع – حال
barrier to communication : عائق أمام التواصل
negotiations : مفاوضات

Source of Realia

BBC Arabic – Learning English – Importance of the English Language

Your Feedback and Comments

How did you find this activity?
Did it help you improve your understanding of Arabic?

If you have enjoyed reading this post, we welcome your comments, ideas and suggestions for improvements.

To leave a comment about V-Arabic realia resources, go to FEEDBACK & SUGGESTIONS

Educational Children’s TV Programmes : Positions in Arabic

MD — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:43:31 +0000

The following 2 short videos will help you to review the key words related to positions. (e.g. above, under, around, etc…)

Video Realia 1:

Key Vocabulary:

حول (hawla) : around.
فوقَ (fawqa) : above/on top off.
تحت (tahta) : under.
خلالَ (khilala) : through.

Adjectives:

قريب (qareeb) : near
بَعِيد (ba’eed) : far.

Video Realia 2 :

Key Vocabulary:

الى (ala) : at, over, on.
في (fi) : in.
تحت (taht) : under.زورق (zouraq): boat.
سمكة (samaka): fish.

Source of Realia:

Getarabic.blogspot.com
Youtube.com

Music Video Realia : Arabic Alphabet – “A is for Allah” by Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)

MD — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:51:52 +0000

A is for Allah is the name of a Muslim-themed double album for children by Yusuf Islam (formerly known as Cat Stevens) released on July 11, 2000 through Resurgence UK Records.The musician used the song as a vehicle to teach his daughter, Hasanah, the 28-letter Arabic alphabet. This kind of Islamic music is also known as nasheed.The album had been in the works since 1994, although the title track dates back to 1980, when it was written after the birth of his first child. (Wikiped

Song Lyrics:

A’ is for Allah, nothing but Allah;
Ba is the beginning of Bismillah;
Ta is for Taqwa, bewaring of Allah;
and Tha is for Thawab, a reward;
Ja is for Janna, the Garden of Paradise;
Ha is for Hajj, the blessed pilgrimage;
Kha is for Khaatem, the seal of the prophethood given to the Prophet, Muhammed (SAW);
Da is for Deen, Al-Islam, religion with Allah since time began;
Dha is for dhikr, remembering Allah;
and Ra is for the month of Ramadhan, ohh Ramadhan;
Za is for Zakat to pure our greed, when we give our money to those in need;
Sa is for Salamu alaikum, peace be with you wa’alaikum assalam;
Sha is for shams, the shining sun, which Allah placed for everyone;
and Sua is for salat, for when we pray facing him, everyday, facing him, till we meet our
lord;
Allah there’s only one God and Muhammed is his Messenger. Allah, La ilaha illa’allah;
Dua is for duha, the morning light, the sun has turned from red to white;
Tua is for tareeq, the path to walk upon;
and Dhua is for dhil, a shadow;
and Aa is for ilm, the thing to know, to make our knowledge grow, in Islam;
Gha is for ghaib, a world unseen and that we know is not a dream;
Fa is for, the Opening, Al-Fatiha;
and Qua for the Qur’an, the book of God;
and Ka is for kalima, a word we’re taught to teach us what is good and what is not;
and La is for the beginning of La ilaha illa’allah;
Ma is for the Messenger Muhammed-ur-Rasoolillah. La ilaha illa’allah, Muhammed-ur-
Rasulilllah;
Allah, there’s only one God and Muhammed is his Messenger. Allah, la ilaha illa’allah;
Na is for nawm, the sleep God gave to give us rest after the day;
Ha is for the Hijra, the journey that, the Prophet made;
and Wa for wudu before we pray to help us wash our sins away;

Source of Realia :

Youtube

Wikipedia

Music Video Realia : “A Whole New World” in Egyptian Arabic from the movie Alaadin – علاء الدين

MD — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:44:52 +0000

“A Whole New World” was the featured pop single from the soundtrack to the 1992 Disney movie Aladdin.

The song is a ballad between the primary characters Aladdin and Jasmine about the new world they’re going to discover together.

English Lyrics

Brad Kane – A Whole New World Lyrics

I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now
When did you last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride

A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we’re only dreaming

A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I’m way up here
It’s crystal clear
That now I’m in a whole new world with you

Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feelings
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky

A whole new world
(Don’t you dare close your eyes)
A hundred thousand things to see
(Hold your breath – it gets better)
I’m like a shooting star
I’ve come so far
I can’t back to where I used to be

A whole new world
(Every turn a surprise)
With horizons to pursue
(Every moment in red-letter)
I’ll chase them anywhere
There’s time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you

A whole new world
That’s where we’ll be
A thrilling chase
A wonderous place
For you and me

Acknowledgment

Thank you Laura and Lucy (CASAW, Uni. of Edinburgh) for your suggestion to put this video on v-Arabic.

Source of Realia

YouTube.com

Interactive Virtual Online Arabic Newspaper: جريدة النهار

MD — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:26:24 +0000

Annahar (جريدة النهار), a leading Arabic-language daily newspaper from Lebanon, offers its readers a free virtual daily newspaper that you can read online using flash technology.So far, I found this the most authentic and life-like Arabic realia available online for Arabic learners and teachers as well as for native Arabs worldwide.This virtual tool will not only help you improve and perfect your reading skills, it will also keep you abreast of the latest current affairs in the Arab world in particular and international affairs in general.The newspaper content provides fresh and up-to-the-minute news and information for its readers.

How does it work?

The paper appears on a virtual desk which has the following e-tools to help you navigate, highlight and zoom in/out to the newspaper content:

e-Pencil – to highlight and annotate sections of the newspaper that interest you

e-Eraser – to remove the markings you have made with the e-pencil

e-Magnifying Glass – to quickly zoom in when the paper is held at a distance

e-Notebook – which lists all the page numbers, this is useful to navigate your way through the paper or by bypass sections you are not interested in. An abstract of the main news articles appear on the first page with a page number at the end of the article for follow up.

Zoom in/Zoom out buttons - once you have zoomed in to the finer text you can automatically use the hand function to navigate your way around the page.

Screenshot of the the virtual desk which has today’s newspaper (20th Feb 08) and other e-tools

Screenshot of the newspaper zoomed in with the hand function/button

The Newspaper Sections

Find out more:

An-Nahar النهار
An-Nahar النهار - Wikipedia

Bilingual Children Story e-Book_سوا سوا / Sawa Sawa

MD — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:59:04 +0000

Childrenslibrary.org

Author - Rose Shomali Mulseh

Summary

Faris is happy participating in housework, until peers in the neighborhood tell him this is women’s work. They also laugh at him because he plays with his female cousins. Faris decides to refuse to continue to work in the house and tries to order his mother to prepare his food, but he later notices that his father participates in housework. Finally, Faris realizes that he must do what he thinks is right and ignores his friends comments as he prepares a birthday cake at the end of the story.

فارس يشارك بسعادة في الأعمال المنزلية حتى يخبره أقرانه في الحي أن هذا من أعمال النساء. و يسخرون منه لأنه يلعب مع بنات أعمامه. يقرر فارس رفض الاستمرار في العمل في المنزل و يحاول أن يأمر والدته بتحضير طعامه و لكنه يلاحظ بعد مدة أن والده يشارك في أعمال المنزل. و في النهاية يدرك فارس أنه يجب أن يفعل ما يعتقد انه الصواب و يتجاهل تعليقات أصدقائه بينما هو يحضر كعكة عيد ميلاد في نهاية القصة.

Publication Date
2002

Languages
Arabic, English العربية, الانجليزية

Contributor

The Tamer Institute for Community Education, Ramallah – Palestine

معهد تامر للتربية المجتمعية _ رام الله – فلسطين

Read the story

Find out more

International Children’s Digital Library

Diploma Certificate from the Palestinian Law Council (1948)

MD — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:04:27 +0000

Note these key Arabic words :

Government : حكومة

Council : مجلس

Subjects : مواضيع

Internal : داخلي

Law (as an academic subject) : الحقوق

Lectures : محاضرات

Exams : امتحانات

Diploma : دبلوم

Unfortunately, the list of subjects that have been studied by the diploma holder is very small to read. I will copy them (with the translation) into this post in the near future.

Source of realia

معهد الحقوق في القدس – Wikipedia Arabic

Awareness Poster – Education for our future generations

MD — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:18:35 +0000

What messages do these posters convey to the public?

Key Vocabulary:

help; assist; aid ساعد; عاون; يساعِد
innocent; guiltless; clean-handed بريء
to dream; dreaming حلم
force; strength قوة
injustice ظلم

Exhibition Poster – Education

MD — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:23:01 +0000

Explore this (Exhibition Poster) realia

Find out the following information:

1. Title of the exhibition
2. Date and location
3. Contributors to the exhibition (listed in the two columns)

Hint: to enlarge the photo: write click on the image > Click on “view image” > Open it > Zoom in by clicking Crtl + (+) or Crtl+ scroll mouse wheel