This is a collection of one page stories brought together in one document available for free download. Each page/story corresponds with a day of the week, although the stories themselves have no connection with one another. The stories include moral lessons. Each story is fully voweled.
Al-Bab is a portal website designed to introduce non-Arabs to Arab culture by providing links to news sources, country profiles, articles, and a blog on Middle East current events. There are also specific links related to learning Arabic: dictionaries, language classes, textbooks, and other information pertaining to the study of Arabic. A free e-book, The Birth of Modern Yemen, is available for download.
Al Wzzan is a website aimed at analyzing Arabic poetry. Users can type any verse into the search field, and the website will identify it's meter, or "bahar." Arabic poetry traditionally falls within one of fifteen different meters. The site also provides sample stanzas of poetry to demonstrate how the programs works.
This book is intended for those who have already learned to read Arabic but are still struggling with the basics of Arabic grammar. The book moves from the very simple to the very complex, and includes examples and exercises in each chapter to reinforce learning. The key to the exercises is found in the back of the book. The book is difficult to find, as it was published at the Defense Language Institute. A free non-searchable PDF version is available through this site, and a searchable PDF is also available for purchase.
Arab Culture through Literature and Film is a five unit high school curriculum that provides students with knowledge and tools toanalyze and understand the Arab world. The materials utilize a student-centered pedagogical approach that promotes critical thinking and respect and encourages engaged global citizenship. Through this curriculum, students will recognize shared themes across the region and gain a sense of the rich diversity inherent to the multidimensional cultures of the Arab world. Students will study life and culture in the Arab world and engage with primary sources including films, short stories, and poems. Exposing students to Arab voices and putting human faces on the Arab world will increase understanding and tolerance in the American classroom.
This blog is an initiative to celebrate and recognize Arab women writers, promote awareness of the breadth of their contributions to Arab and world culture, and create a focal point for information related to Arab women writers and their work. Information on books, generations of authors, a suggested reading list, references, upcoming events, and more is all available via the website. Books discussed have all been translated into English.
Arabalicious is a website full of resources for teachers of Arabic, run by Taoufiq Cherkaoui. The website includes PowerPoints available for download on concepts such as telling time, fruits and vegetables, culture, and basic greetings, to name a few. Worksheets to go along with the PowerPoints are also available for free download. The website further includes pictures that are available with the author's permission and some postings on available jobs for Arabic instructors as per 2012.
What started out as a gallery to display the calligraphy of two artists is today a website devoted to the art of Arabic calligraphy. It includes a wall where other artists can post their own Arabic calligraphy, basic information on the Arabic language, a blog about calligraphy, and more. Users can post comments on the website.
This webpage provides elementary information on aspects of Arab culture and history, including religion, politics, naming conventions, and Persian influence on Arab culture and language. The information seems to have been authored by the site's administrator, and contains no references or citations.
This blog is from an American woman living and working in Saudi Arabia. It includes information about living and working in Saudi Arabia as well as her travels elsewhere in the Middle East. This particular section of the blog includes lessons on Arabic, which are all transliterated. Conversations that are transliterated and translated, vocabulary lists, and cultural information are all included. The lessons include one on bread, one on time and the concept of time, and one on New Year's Resolutions.
This blog offers translations of Arabic songs into English. Arabic transcriptions of the song lyrics are also provided, as are the transliterated lyrics. Where possible, the song has been added to the website as well so that users can listen to the song as well as read along. Users can request new songs to be translated, submit their own translations, and leave comments. Users can also search the site or click on a singer's name to be given a list of their songs that have been translated on the site.
The Bedouins of ancient Arabia and Persia made poetry a conversational art form. Several poetic forms developed from the participatory nature of tribal poetry. Today in most Arabic cultures, you may still experience public storytelling and spontaneous poetry challenges in the streets. The art of turning a rhyme into sly verbal sparring is considered a mark of intelligence and a badge of honor. Students will learn about the origins and structure of Arabic Poetry.
This page offers 186 different children's stories written in Arabic. Topics range from scientific matters such as how to build a telescope to literature and folktales, including Indian folktales. Stories must be viewed using Java and users must click on the link to view the resource and its title. Many contain images and other illustrations. The intended age level of the reader varies from story to story.
This is a blog that links to videos, music, and other information about studying and learning Arabic. The blog provides comments on information provided. For instance, there is a link to an episode of The Simpsons in Arabic while providing sentences and translations of some of the more complicated phrasing.
This group of free videos uploaded to YouTube by Dar Al Syraj offers myriad opportunities for young children to learn the Arabic language. There are multiple videos on the alphabet and the letters, including writing, singing, and pronouncing the various letters, as well as videos on basic vocabulary such as animals and days of the week. Most of the 40 uploaded videos are no more than a couple of minutes in length. Some of the videos include transliterated words and lyrics along with the songs.
The Art of Arabic Calligraphy is a collection of four articles by Mamoun Sakkal, a professional calligrapher. The site explains the history of the Arabic alphabet, the history of Arabic calligraphy, and presents articles on the two largest schools of Arabic calligraphy, Kufic and cursive. Articles are informative and succinct and are accompanied by helpful charts and illustrations. The first section demonstrates all the connected and unconnected forms of the Arabic letters in the most basic script.
This site from the BBC hosts a brief primer on the Arabic language. It discusses such topics as where the language is spoke, where it came from, and tips on etiquette. The guide also includes interesting examples of the Arabic language, such as tongue twisters, jokes, and famous quotations.
Calligraphy Qallam offers visitors information about the Arabic alphabet, various styles of scripts, and the process and history of calligraphy. It offers tutorial videos which demonstrate the various shapes of the Arabic characters both within one script and between different scripts. There is also a "script quiz" which allows visitors to test their ability to recognize different calligraphic scripts. The site also includes a blog and a forum where topics surrounding calligraphy are discussed.
Critical Language Service offers playlists with video lessons that explain the material in Alif Baa, Al-Kitaab 1 (through lesson 11), and a series on Egyptian vocabulary. Videos designed for the Alif Baa series focus on stories to illustrate new vocabulary while the series designed for Al-Kitaab explains grammatical concepts introduced in the books, and demonstrate proper pronunciation. They also offer a playlist of 60 cartoon episodes in Arabic.
CultureTalk - Arab World features a very extensive selection of filmed interviews with people from different countries in the Arabic speaking world. While some interviews are in English, the vast majority are in Arabic. Translations and usually transcripts are provided for all non-English video clips. Topics include family, food, education, religious and cultural customs, work, art, sport, travel, etc. The regions covered are the Levant, North Africa, Egypt, and Mauritania, with an Iraqi section on the way.