INTRO BY DR. RAMZI SALTI (STANFORD)
Having taught Arabic at Stanford for the past two decades, I have become all too familiar with the need to supplement students' language skills/proficiency by continuously exposing them to various cultural productions from the Arab world in a way that will entertain Arabic learners while further informing their language studies. It is my firm belief that teaching culture as an integral part of any language course--especially when it comes to Arabic--leads to a remarkable increase in language proficiency and is truly essential for any student who truly wishes to master the language.
Towards that end, I have carefully compiled this list of available online resources that aims at enhancing classroom learning by providing a much needed guide to various websites, programs and apps that students can utilize, at their own pace, in order to retain if not increase their language proficiency.
CLASSICAL ARABIC LANGUAGE SITES AND RESOURCES
- Aswaat Arabiyya أصوات عربية "Arabic Voices," is a web site designed for learners and teachers of Arabic seeking materials for listening comprehension. It provides listening materials and accompanying activities/exercises that are intended for the various levels of proficiency from Novice to Superior. These listening materials have been selected from television stations throughout the Arab world and they treat a wide variety of topics and listening genres. Click here to explore. Check out the site at https://www.laits.utexas.edu/aswaat/index.php
- Al-Jazeera Learning Arabic site is a free open educational source that offers a variety of materials in different forms including articles, literary texts, grammatical rules "learning Arabic" videos at all levels. The site are enhanced by advanced options, where the learner can show or hide texts of audio material, show or hide the tashkeel/vocalization of texts, and view immediate results of the exercises. Site also includes various electronic services such as “The Dictionary"" service to check up the meaning of words, “The Tashkeel/Vocalization" service, and a “Placement test” service which helps the learner rate their own proficiency level. See https://learning.aljazeera.net/
- Play Jeopardy in Arabic Online: Test yourself or compete with other players via Jeopardy Labs. This link includes dozens of Jeopardy games in Arabic at all levels. You can also create your own game.
- Ramzi Salti Hosts Various Arabic Speakers: Click here for exclusive Unlisted Playlist of Videos ft various classical Arabic speakers at different proficiency levels.
PLAYLIST: ARABIC FILMS (with English subtitles)
ARABIC WEBSERIES (Colloquial, with English Subtitles)
2. MAMNOU3! - Season 1: A Lebanese web-series about the day-to-day inner workings of the country's censorship bureau. With English subtitles. Click HERE.
3. Mohannad Abu Rizk's Webseries "Around the World أسئلة حول العالم" featuring thematic questions to everyday Arabic speakers in the streets. With English subtitles. Click HERE.
4. Mosaiic Series "Tababa طبابة": Short films from Jordan that aim at grappling various social issues. With English subtitles. Click here.
WEBSERIES IN ARABIC (Colloquial, No English subtitles)
1. The Rania Show: A satirical Comedy sketch show which highlights the life of five very different Arab female characters living in Jordan--all played by Rania Kurdi. Originally aired on Roya TV. Click HERE for playlist of all episodes.
2. Rania Kurdi's Ma3ZOOM comedy series: Comedy sketches in Arabic featuring Rania's hilarious characters as they attempt to learn various skills on with online instructors on Zoom. Features guest appearance (5 episodes) by Ramzi Salti which you can watch watch HERE.
PODCASTS IN ARABIC
بودكاست بإيجابية مع رانيا: في بودكاست «بإيجابية مع رانيا»، تستضيف خلال شهر رمضان الفنانة ومدربّة المهارات الحياتية رانيا كردي أصحاب مبادرات ومؤسسات ملهمة من الوطن العربي استطاعوا استخدام خدمات موقع التواصل الاجتماعي فيسبوك لعمل الخير. أنتجت «صوت» بودكاست «بإيجابية مع رانيا» بالشراكة مع «فيسبوك الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا».
صوت بودكاست هي منصة بودكاست تعمل على إنتاج وتوزيع برامج صوتية عالية الجودة باللغة العربية. ونلتزم بإنتاج محتوى صوتي باللغة العربية سعيًا لإيجاد بيئة حوار تناقش المواضيع المهمة والحساسة للمتابع العربي حول العالم، بالإضافة إلى خلق بيئة حوار تناقش مبادئ العدالة والتعددية وحقوق الإنسان عبر الإنتاج الصوتي. انطلقت صوت عام ٢٠١٦، مقرّها العاصمة الأردنية، عمّان، أنشأها حازم وطارق زريقات ورمزي تسدل لتكون شبكة بودكاست (برامج إذاعية حسب الطلب).
يلا نحكي بودكاست #yalla_ne7ki بودكاست بالعربي .. آمال القادري تتناول مواضيع عديدة من حياتنا اليومية.. ومحاورة لاشخاص كان لهم تجارب مميزة وربما مفيدة لآنه جميعنا نمر بقصص مشابهة ولكن بمواقف مغايرة..
PODCASTS IN ENGLISH FROM/ABOUT THE ARAB WORLD
- Dr. Ramzi Salti's Arabology is a radio program that is hosted in English by Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti, showcasing music and other cultural productions from the Arab world. 'Arabology' airs on KZSU 90.1 FM and all podcasts are housed here on Soundcloud.
- The MARSM Music Elevator is an informative, entertaining and musical podcast in English, featuring some of the finest independent artists and musicians from the Arabic-speaking world. Click here.
- Afikra is a global organization that aims to promote the diversity and richness of Arab culture and history. Its archive ft an impressive series of YouTube presentations and talks, in English, about various topics (also categorized by theme). Main site: https://www.afikra.com/
ARABIC TV (Live)
- Al-Jazeera Live (Arabic): https://www.aljazeera.net/live
- Al-Arabiyya Live (Arabic): https://www.youtube.com/c/alarabiya/live
- Roya TV Live (Jordan; Arabic): https://roya.tv/live-stream
- Al-Mamlakah Live (Jordan; Arabic): https://www.almamlakatv.com/live-video
ARABIC ALPHABET
- Arabic Alphabet and Calligraphy Presentation by Dr. Fayeq Oweis: 80-Page presentation (PDF) on Arabic calligraphy and alphabet includes tables, tracing exercises and more.
- Write Arabic without an Arabic Keyboard (Yamli): Includes text editor and web search engine.
