Designed to be used simultaneously with Jusuur 1: Beginning Communicative Arabic, the Jusuur 1 Arabic Alphabet Workbook teaches students the letters, short vowels, and diacritics found in Arabic. As students learn new letters in the alphabet workbook, they strengthen their literacy skills through the reading and writing exercises in Jusuur 1.
A distinguishing feature of the Jusuur 1 Arabic Alphabet Workbook is that it introduces letters approximately in the order of letter frequency rather than in the traditional alphabetical order. This method, tested extensively in the classroom, enables students to begin to read and write meaningful phrases they are learning in Jusuur 1: Beginning Communicative Arabic as early as possible. Each letter section includes an introduction to the letter and its shapes and sound; space for writing practice; and activities to practice reading and dictation.
Features of the alphabet workbook include:
-Authentic examples of language drawn from poetry, billboards, signs, and other sources to help students learn to identify letters
-Samples of real Arabic handwriting, and guidance on recognizing and writing letters that look different when printed versus handwritten
Resources available on JusuurTextbook.com:
-Audio files for dictation and listening exercises
-Extensive instructor’s resources, including pedagogical notes, answers to activities, and recommendations for lesson and unit planning
By the end of the Jusuur 1 Arabic Alphabet Workbook, students will have learned all of the letters and sounds of the Arabic alphabet. Used in conjunction with Jusuur 1: Beginning Communicative Arabic, this workbook will give students a firm foundation in Arabic literacy to continue their studies.
About the Author
Sarah Standish was the founding teacher of the first high school Arabic program in the state of Oregon and also served as Deputy Director at OneWorld Now! in Seattle, WA. She is the author of Culture Smart! Syria.
Richard Cozzens is a Preceptor in Arabic at Harvard University and has served as the director of the STARTALK Arabic Summer Academy in Boston, MA. He has taught Arabic to high school and university students since 2008.
Rana Abdul-Aziz is a Senior Lecturer and the Arabic Language Coordinator at Tufts University. She has been teaching Arabic at various institutions and training new Arabic teachers for more than 15 years.
