Years 3-4 Arabic Syllabus
Years 3-4 Syllabus
Years 3-4 Band Level Description
In Years 3 and 4, Arabic language learning builds on each student’s prior learning and experiences with language. Students continue to communicate and work in collaboration with peers and teachers through purposeful and creative play in structured activities involving listening, speaking, viewing and some writing. They use Arabic to interact with peers and teachers and plan activities in familiar settings that reflect their interests and capabilities. Background-language learners may also bring their experience of interacting in Arabic in their local community to the classroom. In informal settings, students use local and digital resources to explore Arabic-speaking communities in Australia and diverse locations across the world. They may continue to need support through modelling, scaffolding, repetition and the use of targeted resources.
Students develop active listening skills and use gestures, words and modelled expressions, imitating Arabic language sounds, pronunciation and intonation. Background-language learners may bring knowledge of words and expressions to the classroom. Students use their literacy capabilities in English and/or Arabic to recognise differences between using the Roman alphabet in English and the Arabic alphabet. They recognise that Arabic letters change in appearance depending on their position in the word. They locate information, respond to, and create informative and imaginative texts. They access authentic and purpose-developed Arabic language texts such as picture books, traditional and contemporary stories and songs, digital and animated games, timetables, recipes and advertisements. They recognise that languages influence each other and that language and culture reflect practices and behaviours.
Years 3-4 Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 4, students use Arabic language to initiate structured interactions to share information related to the classroom and their personal worlds. They use modelled language to participate in spoken and written activities that involve planning. They locate and respond to key items of information in texts using strategies to help interpret and convey meaning in familiar contexts. They use modelled language and basic syntax to create texts, using letter conventions as appropriate.
Students imitate sound combinations and rhythms of spoken Arabic. They demonstrate understanding that Arabic has non-verbal, spoken and written language conventions and rules to create and make meaning. They recognise that some terms have cultural meanings. They identify patterns in Arabic and make comparisons between Arabic and English. They understand that the Arabic language is connected with culture, and identify how this is reflected in their own language(s) and culture(s).
Years 3-4 Content Descriptions
Interacting in Arabic
initiate exchanges and respond to modelled questions about self, others, and classroom environment, using formulaic expressions
- selecting and using formal or informal greetings, for real or simulated situations depending on the time of day, context and relationship to the other person, for example,
مرحبًا خالة ليلى، صباح الخير أستاذ عادل، كيف حالك يا صديقي؟ تصبحون على خير. - using appropriate body language, gestures and non-verbal communication in response to others, for example,
الإيماء بالرأس للموافقة، رفع اليد للسلام، حركات الأصابع واليد للإظهار النفي أو التوقف، السلام باليد، التعانق بين الأصدقاء - giving and following a range of classroom instructions and guidance, for example,
توقف عن الكلام، انظر إلي، استمع لي، اغلق الباب، افتح الكتاب على الصفحة... - attracting attention and requesting help or favours in classroom situations, for example,
لدي فكرة رائعة! ماذا لو، هل ممكن ان تساعدني في ... - asking and responding to questions about information relating to self, peers, friends, family members and personal items, for example,
كم عمرك؟ أنا عمري ثماني سنوات، ما هي هوايتك؟ هوايتي المفضلة كرة القدم، كم عدد أخوتك؟، من هي صديقتك المفضلة؟، من أين أنت؟ أنا من العراق، تشرفت بك، مع السلامة، إلى اللقاء - sharing information about daily routines and favourite activities at home and school, for example,
أستيقظ باكراً، أفرشي أسناني، ألعب بالكرة، لدي ألعاب كثيرة، أشاهد الأفلام، أذهب إلى المدرسة بالحافلة - practising how to initiate conversations, using modelled words, phrases, spontaneous interjections and exclamations, to react and show interest, for example,
حقاً، حسنًا، ممتاز، إنها فكرة جيدة، إنها فكرة - exchanging simple correspondence such as print or digital messages, notes, invitations or special occasion cards, using modelled language, for example,
أنت مدعو لحفل عيد ميلادي، عيد ميلاد سعيد ليلى
participate in activities that involve planning with others, using a range of familiar phrases and modelled structures
- participating with peers in simple action songs, raps and games that include alternating repetitive phrases in Arabic and English, for example, rock, paper, scissors, ، ورق مقص حجر ،
- praising and encouraging peers, using formulaic phrases with gestures to offer suggestions and advice, for example,
عمل رائع، لا تستسلم، أداؤك ممتاز - planning and performing items for an audience such as language or cultural demonstrations, role plays or dances at school assembly, for another class or parents, and negotiating and delegating roles and responsibilities, for example,
أنا سأكتب وأنت تتحدث، أنا سأكون القط وأنت ستكون الفأر، أنا سأكون الحكم - working in pairs to assist the teacher with classroom tasks and responsibilities, for example, roll call, distributing or collecting work, demonstrating tasks or giving instructions using imperatives such as
عادل وزع الكتب من فضلك، تفضل هذا كتابك، اجمع الكتب، ضعها على الرف واجلس مكانك - collaborating with peers to plan for and complete tasks, such as designing a poster or invitation for a significant event such as book week or a class party, and deciding what items to wear or bring, for example,
أنا سأحضر العصير، أنا سأحضر الفاكهة ، ماذا ستحضر معك يا عادل؟ - participating in scripted role-plays, such as buying goods from a shop, self-introductions or ordering food, using props to engage in conversation, for example, هل عندك حليب؟
Mediating meaning in and between languages
locate and respond to key information related to familiar content obtained from spoken, written and multimodal texts
- responding to a story, song, cartoon, comic or simple narrative by retelling, re-enacting the main events or taking on the role of a character, using props, movement and dance
- interviewing peers, using modelled questions regarding their routines, likes, interests or pets, and presenting the results in charts, Venn diagrams, graphs, graphic representations or reports, for example,
هل تحب التفاح أم الكيوي؟
ما هي فاكهتك المفضلة؟
فادي يحب التفاح ، ليلى تحب الخوخ - reading profiles and stories in print and digital form about people, animals and imagined characters, and creating a display or poster with character names, short descriptions and pictures, for example,
هذا حيوان الكنغر، يقفز على أرجله الخلفية، لونه ...
جحا، حمار جحا، أمير بغداد، حارس الأمير، جحا يصطاد السمك - learning that First Nations Australian languages change according to connections and relationships between people, and giving examples of how this occurs in Arabic
- identifying and recording keywords obtained from short spoken texts with some unfamiliar language, such as keywords for some items on a recorded shopping list, ingredients for a recipe, or a phone message, for example,
غاب الطالب يوم ...رقم الجوال هو ...، اسم العميل ... - sequencing written, spoken or visual information in logical order, such as placing pictures in a sequence of events, numbering jumbled sentences or filling gaps in sentences, for example,
استقيظ عادل مبكراً، تناول فطوره وذهب إلى المدرسة، بعد ذلك ...، بعد الظهر عاد عادل إلى البيت درس دروسه وساعد أمه ولعب قليلاً، في المساء تناول عادل العشاء و فرشى أسنانه ثم ذهب إلى السرير لينام. - listening to or viewing short texts such as weather reports or event timetables, deciding what day to invite a friend to go to the park or attend the event, and writing a short invitation message, for example,
وم السبت سيكون مشمساً، لم لا نذهب لزيارة حديقة الحيوان
الطقس رائع يوم الأحد، فلنذهب للعب كرة القدم. - listening to, reading and viewing stories in various formats, such as fables, folktales and stories by contemporary Arabic authors, and discussing and responding to questions about characters, culture, settings, themes and events, for example,
جحا وحماره، لماذا حمل جحا الحمارعلى ظهره؟ حمل جحا الحمار على ظهره لأنه...، ماذا تعلمت من هذه القصة؟ - obtaining information from various sources and deciding which facts to include in a text about the school or community, such as a labelled school or neighbourhood map, timetable or canteen menu, that would be useful for Arabic-speaking visitors, for example,
مرحبًا بكم في مدرستنا
تفتح المدرسة من الساعة الثامنة صباحًا إلى الرابعة بعد الظهر
يوجد في المدرسة ...
develop strategies to comprehend and adjust Arabic language in familiar contexts to convey cultural meaning
identifying some words that change meaning according to the context and Arabic-speaking region, for example, لبن/ حليب، شِعر/ شَعر، جَد/ جِد، طماطم/ بندورة، بطاطس/ بطاطا
interpreting signs or phrases in familiar contexts, such as street signs, addresses and food labels, noting that some signs and symbols may be universal, for example, striped pedestrian crossings, do not enter, or symbols for danger يممر المشاة، قف، تحرك، تمهل، محظور، ممنوع التصوير
- translating short, simple texts from Arabic into English, and vice versa, using cues such as layout, headings and familiar vocabulary to interpret meaning
producing a bilingual word list or digital picture dictionary by identifying known Arabic words or expressions and relating them to English equivalents and vice versa, recognising that direct translation is not always possible, for example, نورت البيت، ما شاء الله، البقاء لله/ البقية في حياتك، العقل السليم في الجسم السليم، الصديق وقت الضيق
selecting vocabulary from print dictionaries or online translators that best conveys the intended meaning when describing and talking about familiar topics such as طويل، قصير، صغير، كبير، جميل، قبيح، واسع، ضيق
creating resources (grammar pattern charts, digital picture dictionary, vocabulary mind map with connected words, board game to practice language, etc.), for themselves and the class, to reinforce learning and exposure to language concepts, for example, أكل/ يأكل/كُل، شَربت/ تشرب/اشربي، لعب/ يلعب/العب هو، هي، هما، هنهذ ا، هذه، هذان، هاتان، هؤلاء
comparing Arabic expressions used in everyday interactions, such as greetings with equivalent English expressions, and identifying similarities/differences and words/expressions that do not translate easily, for example, مرحبا، صباح الخير/ صباح النور كيف حالك؟ الحمد لله، نشكر الرب، أنا تمام
Creating text in Arabic
create and present informative and imaginative spoken, written and multimodal texts using modelled conventions of letter positions in simple sentences, and formulaic expressions
- writing full sentences with modelled letter and word positions, initial, medial and final, for example,
ذهب عادل إلى المدرسة، ليلى تشرب العصير - presenting spoken and written information about interests and activities relating to themselves and peers, describing actions, responses and feelings, for example,
ألعب كرة القدم بمهارة، أذاكر مع صديقي عادل، أحب ممارسة الجري مع ليلى وعادل
عندما أمارس الرياضة أشعر بالفرح، بالحزن، بالملل، بالنشاط، بالسعادة - creating a class world map and languages profile that identifies Arabic-speaking countries and communities, and all languages represented in the classroom, for example,
الدارجة تونسي / ليبي / مصري - creating simple descriptions in Arabic and matching them to appropriate First Nations Country/Place locations in their local area or elsewhere in Australia
- creating a class book, visual or digital display relating to a school event or excursion such as going to the zoo or museum, for example,
رحلة إلى حديقة الحيوان، شاهدنا القرد وهو نائم، شاهدنا الأسد يأكل اللحم، كانت هناك زرافة ذات رقبة طويلة، وفيل ذات خرطوم طويل
شاهدنا سلحفاة تمشي ببطئ، وأرنب يجري بسرعة - creating print or digital texts to introduce family members and friends, and describing relationships and personal information relating to their cultural backgrounds and experiences, using simple descriptive language and supporting resources, for example,
هذا أخي سمير وعمره ٢٥ سنة، متزوج ولديه طفل واحد، هذه أختي ليلى، آنسة، تدرس بالجامعة، أما تلك الصورة فهي لخالتي نورا وصلت من لبنان الأسبوع الماضي لزيارة أمي. - role-playing scenes and characters in imaginative texts, using movement and actions to reinforce meaning, and experimenting with voice and gestures to animate characters such as Joha, Aladdin and Sinbad, for example,
المارد : شبيك لبيك ...
علاء الدين: من أنت؟
المارد: ماذا تريد أن أفعل لك لأشكرك لإخراجي من المصباح؟ - presenting factual information about events, places and topics of possible interest to children of their own age in Arabic-speaking countries, for example, menus, recipes, invitations, instructions, artefacts, brochures or maps
- modifying texts with their own creative input, for example, substituting words or characters with an animal or Arabic food in a well-known song, procedure or story such as اليرقةُ الجائعةُ جداً باللغة العربية
Understanding systems of language
recognise and use modelled combinations of sounds, pronunciation and intonation patterns of Arabic to form words and phrases
- understanding that Modern Standard Arabic has 28 consonant phonemes and 6 vowel phonemes
discriminating between the long and short sounds when forming words, for example, كَتَبَ / كتاب ، سعة / ساعة، فَرَشَ / فراشة
noticing that vocalisation such as، ــْ ــَ ، ــُ ، ــِ may change the meaning of a word depending on where it is placed, for example, كَتَبَ / كُتُب، شَعَرَ/ شِعْر/ شَعْر
- developing pronunciation when speaking and reading texts aloud, applying appropriate pauses
noticing how differences in intonation and tone are used to adjust meaning in spoken text, and how the purpose of interaction, such as to instruct or invite, changes the emphasis on words and expressions being used, for example, قُل/ كُل الطعام، خبر سار/ صار، سوس / صوص
distinguishing between statements and questions, using intonation and tone, for example, عيد ميلادك اليوم؟، عيد ميلادك اليوم.لديك قلم أحمر؟، لديك قلم أحمر.
understanding that colloquial Arabic and Arabic dialects may sound different from spoken Modern Standard Arabic used in the classroom, for example, بحب آكل البَندورة / القوطه، بالفصحى ( أحب ان أكل الطماطم / البندورة).بيؤل / يجول، بالفصحى ( يقول).اشمعنى / ليه / علاش / ليش، بالفصحى ( لماذا؟ )ازيك / إشلونك / كيفك / شاكو ماكو/ كيف داير، بالفصحى ( كيف حالك ).بكام / بقد ايش / شحال، بالفصحى ( بكم ).
- using prior knowledge of familiar sounds and contexts to predict spelling of new words, for example, predicting how to spell شادي، هادي، وادي having learnt how to spell فادي
recognise some letter positions and language conventions, grammatical structures and basic syntax in familiar texts and contexts
recognising that letters change shape depending on their place in the word, for example, حرف الكاف، كتب / مكتب/ سمك حرف العين، عين/ شعر/ مع
- recognising letter position in words, such as the beginning, middle and end
experimenting with Arabic words and vowels to construct and deconstruct syllable blocks, for example, مكـ/تب، غُر/فة، مد/ ر/سة، شَ/ج/ رة، كُر/سي
- applying basic punctuation marks, including question marks, commas, and full stops
- counting and writing Arabic numerals 1–100 and telling simple time to the hour, for example, الساعة الواحدة
using subject+verb+object word order in simple sentences relating to home and school environments, recognising the use of the definite article and its impact on the meaning of the sentence, for example, إشترى عادل كتابًا وقلمًا ودفتراً، أشترت ليلى الكتاب الورقي والقلم الأحمر والدفتر الذهبيليلى نظفت غرفةً واسعةً وشاهدت فيلماً، ليلى نظفت الغرفة الواسعة وشاهدت الفيلم
understanding and applying singular nouns and regular plural noun endings in masculine and feminine forms, for example, معلم/ معلمون/ معلمين، معلمة / معلمات طالب / طلاب، طالبة / طالبات
using singular, second-person and plural-possessive pronouns to describe relationship or ownership, for example, هذا كتابك يا عادل، هذه حقيبتك يا ليلى، أين كتبكم يا طلاب؟، ضعوا أقلامكم على الطاولة، هذا الكتاب له وهذا القلم لها
using adjectives in singular and plural forms to describe appearance, feelings and personalities, for example, الفيلة كبيرة الحجم، هي نحيفة الجسم، أبي طويل القامة، الطلاب سعداء بمعلمهم الجديد، الطفلة مرحة، ليلى ودود ة وصبورة.
using simple modelled past tense verbs, to talk about past events or activities, for example, حضرت عيد ميلاد صديقي عادل أمس، ذهبت إلى حديقة الحيوان مع المدرسة، نمت مبكراً البارحة، استيقظت مبكراً اليوم
beginning to use simple conjunctions such as
،أو هل تحب الكلب او القطة؟، أحب الكلب والقطة و expressing negation in simple sentences, for example, لا أحب مادة العلوم، لا أحب الاستيقاظ مبكرًا
using some adverbs of place and time to provide more information, for example, شاهدت المباراة اليوم في الملعب، استيقظت باكراً ولكن وصلت المدرسة متأخراً، وضعت الكتاب فوق الدفتر
using simple prepositions to show direction, time, location, for example, الكتاب على الطاولة، القلم تحت المكتب، الدفتر في الحقيبة، أنام في الساعة الثامنة، أذهب إلى المدرسة بالحافلة
understanding and using simple question words in interactions, for example, هل ذهب إلى الحديقة البارحة ؟، من أين أنت ؟، لماذا تأخرت؟، كيف حالك ؟، ماذا أكلت اليوم؟
recognise familiar Arabic language features and compare with those of English, in known contexts
- recognising some Arabic consonants do not exist in English and vice versa, and why some Arabic speakers may find it difficult to pronounce the ‘v’ sound and use ‘f’ instead
identifying some differences in sentence construction and syntax between Arabic and English, such as nominal and verbal sentences, for example, ‘the apple the red’ التفاحة الحمراء
- comparing similar texts, such as a children’s story in Arabic and English, and noticing how they are the same or different, for example, themes, writing, front covers, text direction and page order
- identifying similarities and differences between Arabic and English pronunciation, and adapting learnt spelling strategies from one language to the other
- finding examples of Arabic words used in English and vice versa, discussing why these words may be used, for example, falafel, hummus, kebab, candy, sofa, موبايل، تليفزيون، كمبيوتر، تليفون
- recognising some differences, such as shape, letter direction and punctuation, between handwritten and typed Arabic and English fonts
- comparing the use of formal and informal language in Arabic- and English-speaking contexts such as greetings, titles and etiquette, for example, Mr and Mrs and حضرة السيد/ السيدة،عم، حضرتك، أستاذة
Understanding the interrelationship of language and culture
identify connections between Arabic language and cultural practices
- exploring the meaning of culture and identity, using a diagram to show the visible elements such as ways of celebrating, dress, traditions, symbols, manners, routines and behaviours, and the invisible elements such as spoken, preferences and values
reflecting on how they communicate with family and friends compared with unfamiliar people in the community, noticing differences in word choice, language use and communicative behaviour, for example, عم/ سيد/ أستاذ/ خال ، عادلعمة / سيدة / أستاذة / خالة، ليلى
- understanding that Arabic as a language has a standard form called اللغة العربية الفصحى, which is mainly used in writing, and can be used as a common language to interact with others across different communities and cultures
- exploring representations of information used in cultural expressions of First Nations Australians, and making connections with those of Arabic language and culture(s), for example, the different regional words used by First Nations groups to identify themselves such as Zenadth Kes, Koori, Koorie, Noongar and Nunga, and comparing this with Arabic-speaking cultural groups
examining aspects of Arabic culture in familiar contexts, for example, identifying language use and behaviours at different celebrations and occasions such as كل عام وأنتم بخير، عيدكم مبارك، عيد فصح مجيد، البقاء لله، إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون، رمضان مبارك، مبارك/ مبروك، عيد ميلاد سعيد
- reflecting on and explaining to others the significance of some common Arabic cultural practices and expressions, such as offering visitors food and drink, and serving sweets during special occasions, or coffee in times of mourning
- researching food culture, etiquette and customs in different Arabic-speaking countries and regional foods available in the local community, for example, دولما، ورق عنب
comparing the importance of music and traditional dance in different Arabic-speaking communities, as expressions of cultural identity and emotions, for example, الدبكة اللبنانية، الجوبية العراقية، الرقص الشعبي، الرقص الفلكلوري