About the Center
The Arabic Language Center (ALC) is an outstanding department of the Language Institute at the University of Damascus that specializes in teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages (TASOL). Since the ALC’s founding in 1995, hundreds of students of various nationalities and social, cultural, and academic backgrounds have studied Arabic at the Center. The ALC’s international reputation is a result of the continuous sincere efforts of its highly qualified administration and the experienced teaching staff.
Methodology
Our academic curricula are characterized by the comprehensive development of the four language skills: listening, speaking, writing, and reading. The ALC’s instruction of Arabic is performed in a manner that gradually develops student ability in each of these skills.
In order to best meet the learning needs of its students, the ALC continuously conducts extensive research in the field of modern pedagogy and curriculum design. In fact, the ALC has developed a number of books and materials from its research. The ALC’s teaching staff strives to make the best teaching materials possible using the newest methods from the field of teaching Arabic as a second or foreign language. The ALC uses dynamic activities to help students as they interact with native Arabic speakers.
The ALC’s curriculum includes texts that focus on the cultural and social aspects of learning Arabic. This cultural and social focus is what makes learning Arabic in Syria beneficial. In addition to this, we use special books and curricula for teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages. For example, one of the books the ALC uses is Al-Kitaab Alasaasi [The Basic Book]. This outstanding book is issued by the Arab Organization of Education, Culture, and Sciences, which is a branch of the Arab League.
The ALC is well known for its exclusive use of Arabic in its classrooms. All instruction and interaction between students and teachers is done in Arabic. On top of that, all the materials are in Arabic. The ALC’s experience has shown that the exclusive usage of Arabic helps students to become immersed in the language and use it more effectively. Some students of Arabic have experienced difficulties in higher-level classes when the instruction has been in their native languages. For this reason, the ALC uses Arabic as the only language of instruction. In addition, the ALC admits students from differing language backgrounds, thus demanding that all communication and instruction be in Arabic. This policy enhances the cooperative and collaborative atmosphere among the students and makes the experience of learning Arabic in Syria beneficial at any level of proficiency. The ALC provides students with a memorable and unforgettable experience.
Staff
The ALC has 18 qualified teachers who are specialists in the field of teaching Arabic as a second and foreign language to speakers of other languages. All of the teachers at the ALC regularly participate in training courses as well as frequent workshops led by international experts in the field of teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages. Such courses and workshops are often conducted in cooperation with renowned American institutes and universities, like Ohio State University, in order to stay up to date with modern pedagogical methodology in the field of language teaching. The ALC administration is working to increase the number of native Syrian graduates who are specialists in the field of teaching Arabic to speakers of other languages. This increase in staff will help meet the needs of the ever-growing number of foreign students who desire to study Arabic at the ALC.
Goals
We are currently developing the academic opportunities at the Language Institute and working towards becoming a department of languages and translation. The goals of this department are:
To become a specialized academic department for language teaching and pedagogical research.
To offer master’s and Ph.D. degrees in the field of modern language teaching.
To improve the linguistic skill of candidates for future work in universities and other governmental and public organizations.
To become a research academy that presents constructive research in language learning and teaching, as well as in other fields such as social, political, economic, anthropological, cultural etc.
To present and research the role of cultural aspects in language learning and teaching.
Location
The ALC is one of the main departments of the Languages Institute at the University of Damascus. The ALC is near the departments of literature, dentistry, medicine, and pharmacy, in the Campus of Humanities (known as “Al Adaab”) on Fayez Mansour Street, Al Mazzeh Highway in the western part of Damascus. You can reach the ALC easily using public or private transportation (micro-buses or taxis) from anywhere in Damascus.
The ALC’s location, near the above-mentioned departments, provides students with a great opportunity to learn about Syrian social life through communicating and interacting with their Syrian and non-Syrian classmates from other departments of Language Institute and university. Moreover, students use Arabic to communicate, which adds another benefit to studying at the ALC.
Technology
The ALC is equipped with modern technology. For example, the ALC has:
Two state of the art language labs.
An internet lab with 20 modern computers. Students are allowed to use this lab during allotted hours. The lab is also used to teach Arabic via specialized computer programs.
An audio/visual lab that has 20 separate viewing stations. The lab has a video library containing carefully selected videos to assist students in their studies. Students are welcome to use the video lab during its working hours.
A library that offers a wide variety of books pertaining to many fields and subjects, such as social studies, history, and literature. The library also offers a collection of simplified stories, dictionaries, periodicals and daily newspapers in English and Arabic. Students have access to the library during its working hours.
:For information about our programs and registration, please visit the website of ALC
:or email us at
inquiries@arabicindamascus.edu.sy
Special Programs & Cultural and Scientific Cooperation
Special Programs
London University Program of Eastern and African Studies SOAS. The United Kingdom.
Durham University Program. The United Kingdom
Deakin University Program. Australia.
Rein University Program. France.
University of Southern Denmark. Denmark
Student Exchange and Cultural Cooperation Agreements
Ohio State University – The United States of America.
The University of Damascus maintains close and continuous cooperation with Ohio State University in many programs and fields. The most important product of this cooperation is the offering of workshops for teachers of Arabic. Dr. Mahdi Alosh, a professor of Arabic at Ohio State University, puts forth great effort in the organization and supervision of these workshops. These workshops began in 2002 and have since continued to provide beneficial international experience from the field of teaching Arabic as a second language.
In addition to the training workshops, the ALC also welcomes students from Ohio University each year. Many of these students participate in the Damascus Summer Arabic Program (DSAP).
Lastly, the ALC also works in cooperation with Ohio State University in the design and development of methodologies in the field of teaching Arabic as a second language that meet the different needs of non-native speakers of the language. For example, Syrian colloquial language is one of these projects (this is also available on the internet or in comprehensive books).
Expected in Summer 2006
University of Maryland
Georgetown University
:Other universities that have student exchange agreements with the Ministry of Higher Education and the University of Damascus
Osaka University – Japan
Tokyo University – Japan
Albert Lodfeg Freiberg University – Germany
Leipzig University – Germany
Copenhagen University – Denmark
Cheliabensk Public University – Russia
Contact Us
Dr. Wael Barakat
Director
Language Institute
Damascus University
Mezzeh Highway “Fayez Mansour st.” – Campus of Humanities
Phone: +963-(11)-211-9850
Fax: +963-(11)-212-0164
Email: wael-bar@scs-net.org
Prof. Ghassan Al Sayed
Director
Arabic Language Center – Language Institute
Damascus University
Mezzeh Highway “Fayez Mansour st.” – Campus of Humanities
Phone: +963-(11)-213-0237
Fax: +963-(11)-33925806
Rahaf Ajouka
Office of Registration & Students’ Affairs
Arabic Language Center – Language Institute
Damascus University
Mezzeh Highway “Fayez Mansour st.” – Campus of Humanities
Phone: +963-(11)-33925843
Fax: +963-(11)-212-0164
Email: inquiries@arabicindamascus.edu.sy