Research Project on Arabic as a Second Language – Term Paper

Dear Student,

I invite you to participate in an important research project that focuses on the on the role of Intercultural Communicative Competence for learners of Arabic as second language. To participate in this survey you must fulfill these criteria’s:

You must be studying at the DLFILC

You must be enrolled in the Arabic language program

English must be your first language

We will need a maximum of 20 minutes to complete the questionnaire and you will be asked to complete a similar questionnaire at the end of the semester. In addition, you are also invited to participate in interviews. We guarantee that your responses will remain confidential. You will not be compensated in monetary terms, but we assure participants that they will be treated respectfully. Your participation is voluntarily and if you do not feel comfortable answering any question in the survey, you may skip it. Your responses, effort, and time are appreciated.

For further information contact 

Name: John Joseph Kawamleh

Email id: [email protected]

By agreeing you agree to abide by all of the above clauses. Do you agree to these terms?                                      

  Yes                     No

Research Project Questionnaire

1: Age Group                        16-18                  19-21               22-25                 Over 25

2:  Gender                             Male                          Female

3: Do you consider yourself to be of Arab heritage?                        Yes                     No

Section 1

The following questions are about your exposure to Arab culture BEFORE enrolling in Arabic at the DLIFLC.

4: What fictional personas or characters from the Arab world were you exposed to? Please list AT LEAST 2 and describe each character in one word (example: villian, hero, etc)

Character # 1 

 Describe:       

Character # 2   

Describe:         

5: What kind of underlying messages and ideas did these characters or personas convey about the Arab world?   

Always Positive            Sometimes Positive, Sometimes Negative            Always Negative

6: How often do you interact with people of Arab origin?

      Always             Often            Sometimes            Rarely                    Never

7: If you previously interacted with people of Arab origin, what kind of relationships did you have with them? You may choose more than one.

Friend             Coworker           Neighbor            Family Member         Other

8: Have you ever visited or lived in an Arab country?         Yes             No

9: If you answered YES to the previous question, please indicate for how long in total     

  < 2 weeks       2-4 weeks       1- 2 Months       2 -6 Months         > 6 Months

10: How aware were you about the Arab world?

Extremely            Moderately           Somewhat            Slightly                    Not at all

11: What are some Arabic words you were familiar with before taking Arabic at the DLIFLC? Please list 3 words and specify how you learned about them.

Word # 1                            

 I learned this word through:       

Word # 2                            

 I learned this word through:       

Word # 3                           

 I learned this word through:       

12: What were some cultural ideas and practices unique to the Arab world that you were aware of before enrollment in Arabic at the DLIFLC Please describe two practices or ideas and specify how you learned about them.

Description of Practice Idea # 1                            

 I learned about it through:         

 Description of Practice Idea # 2                           

I learned about it through:           

13: What was your main source of exposure to the Arab world?

*Please rank each item by writing a number from 1 through 5 in the boxes below. You may only use each number once. 1 = least exposure 5 = most exposure.

Family and Friends                      

News channel                           

University/School                      

Newspaper (Print and Electronic)                           

Film and TV Shows                     

14: How would you describe your overall perception of Arab culture?

      Positive            Negative            Neutral

Arabic as a Second Language

Section 2

Mark the appropriate choice

Inaccurate I don’t knowAccurate

15: “The Arab world has the highest concentration of Muslims in the world.” This statement is:

16: “A wide array of religious groups and denominations exists in the Arab world.” This statement is:

17: “Iran is an Arab country.” This statement is:

18: “Historically, Arab-Islamic civilization has had little to no influence on other civilizations.” This statement is:

19: “Every native speaker of Arabic grows up speaking Modern Standard Arabic at home.” This statement is:

20: “All women in the Arab World wear the “hijab” or headscarf.” This statement is:

21: “Arab women do not work outside of the home and, therefore, are homemakers.” This statement is:

22: “All Arab countries have similar economies due to the distribution of natural resources, such as petroleum and natural gas reserves.” This statement is:

Section 3

Mark your opinion based on the statements below

Strongly 

Disagree Disagree I don’t Know Agree Strongly Agree

23: In Arab culture, it is unacceptable for two people to have an intimate physical relationship outside of marriage.

24: Arab societies are more individualistic than American society (i.e. the individual is valued more than the collective).

25: Hospitality is an important value in Arab culture.

26: The use of the word of “Allah” in some phrases in the Arabic language has a strong Islamic connotation.

Section 4

Please rate the degree of similarity for the following given statements 1: not similar at all, 5: almost identical 

27: In your opinion, how similar is family life in America and the Arab world? 1 2 3 4 5

28: In your opinion, how similar is behavior in public places in American culture and Arab culture? 1 2 3 4 5

30: In your opinion, how similar are male-female relationships in American culture and Arab culture? 1 2 3 4 5

31: In your opinion, how similar is similar is the status of women in American society and Arab societies? 1 2 3 4 5

32: What are you expecting to learn about Arab culture in your Arabic class this year? Please briefly describe at least 2 things that you hope to learn more about and the reasons behind them