LMY0107 - Beginning Colloquial Levantine Arabic for Youth
Course Description
Embark on an engaging journey through the spoken Arabic of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine in this beginner-level course designed for children and teens aged 8–12 and 13–17. Students will develop essential conversational skills as they learn everyday vocabulary, useful expressions, and foundational grammar. See below for the required textbook.
The curriculum emphasizes oral communication in real-life contexts, fostering confidence and fluency in spoken Arabic. Rich cultural components, including art, music, and literature, bring language learning to life and introduce important traditions from across the Levant.
Ideal for newcomers or those with basic knowledge, this course supports a warm and inclusive environment that honors language, identity, and cultural exploration.
Notes
Required Textbook:
Arabiyyat al-Naas (Part One) / An Introductory Course in Arabic
2nd Edition
Paperback: 9781138492868
Hardback: 9781138492844
eBook: 9780429434402
Issa Boulos is an international award-winning composer, lyricist and songwriter. His works have been performed by various groups and orchestras around the world. He studied piano, ‘ud and voice at an early age and later pursued music composition with Gustavo Leone, Athanasios Zervas, and William Russo at Columbia College Chicago and with Robert Lombardo and Ilya Levinson at Roosevelt University. He earned his Ph.D. in Ethnomusicology from Leiden University. Throughout his career, Issa has injected new life into his music by incorporating traditional instruments in innovative ways. He has composed music for full orchestra, chamber, mixed ensembles, and written hundreds of songs including several hits. Among his commissions are four pieces for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, composition/performance for the Silk Road Ensemble, and original scores for award-winning documentaries, plays, feature films and musicals. Through these efforts, Issa has gained recognition in the United States, the Middle East, and Europe. He has served as a lecturer at the University of Chicago for nearly a decade and co-founded the Qatar Music Academy and acted as its Head of Music since its inception in 2010. Mr. Boulos serves as Coordinator of the Harper Community Music and Arts Center.