The Egyptian Cultural Centre and Educational Bureau is proud to offer an expanding programme of courses in Egyptian Arabic Language and Culture. We currently offer a full range of courses in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic and will soon be offering courses in Modern Standard Arabic and Arabic Culture. Our highly skilled, professional and experienced teachers provide thorough training targeted at students specific needs.

We welcome applications from professional and business clients as well as individuals with a career or leisure interest in Arabic. Whether you are planning to travel to Egypt on holiday, require knowledge of Arabic for business, or simply have an interest in learning about Arabic Culture we have a suitable course for you.

Egyptian Arabic

Egyptian Colloquial Arabic is the most vibrant and universally understood of the many spoken dialects of Arabic in the world today. Egypt is the centre of popular Arab culture, and exporting. Thanks to the combined effect of Egyptian movies and media, Egyptian professionals working in key positions throughout the Arab world, contemporary politics, and the role of al-Azhar university (located in Cairo) in setting and influencing current interpretations of Islam throughout the entire Muslim world, Egyptian Arabic is a key dialect to learn.

Egyptian Arabic Language Programme

The courses are based on a functional approach and the main emphasis throughout is on communication. We cover topics relevant to everyday life and travel, teaching the essential skills of language in an interesting and effective manner. We aim to ensure that learners can speak and understand as much of the language as possible in the time available, and to make the course lively and enjoyable.

Level 1 - Beginners

At this level no previous knowledge of the language is required.

• You will focus on simple language and basic cultural aspects.
  
• You will be helped to communicate in spoken Egyptian in a limited range of commonly encountered situations.
  
• You will begin to be able to recognize and write Arabic characters.
  
• First contact: greetings, introductions, talking about someones origin.
  
• Asking how someone is, introducing friends, asking and giving personal information,thanking.
  
• Ordering food and drink in a caf or restaurant, asking for the bill.
  
• Describing occupations, talking about where you work
  
• Describing your family
  
• How to say Da and Dee (this and that) using masculine and feminine
  
• How to use the correct pronoun and the noun. Present tense verbs.

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Level 2 Elementary

To enter this level the student should be able to understand simple vocabulary and survive in simple situations, or be continuing from our beginners course.

• You will develop your ability to ask for and give basic information in spoken Arabic.
  
• You will be able to start writing words and joining characters in written Arabic.
  
• You will be exposed to native speaker accents and will focus on their pronunciation and learn to pronounce the distinctive sounds of Arabic.
  
• Learners will be encouraged to use their limited language with confidence
  
• Going places and transportation
  
• Asking questions using some Arabic articles in everyday situations
  
• Describing your family and friends using possessive endings
  
• Talking about the weather and telling the time
  
• Beginning to read Arabic words and simple sentences
  
• Imperfect tense and adjectives
  

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Level 3 Intermediate

To enter this level, students should be able to understand questions and survive in basic situations. Students should be able to read and write using Arabic . Students should be becoming confident speaking Arabic in a range of common situations.

• You will develop your ability to ask for and give basic information in spoken Arabic.
  
• You will be able to complete some simple tasks in written Arabic.
  
• Learners will be encouraged to use their language with confidence.
  
• Talking and writing about people in the community and their jobs.
  
• Asking questions about all sorts of things
  
• Talking about your holiday in the past and future
  
• Describing places: around town, asking and explaining where things are.
  
• Countries and people: where are you from, nationalities, filling in forms?
  
• Counting things: how much/ how many, numbers.
  
• Modal verbs
  
• Likes and dislikes

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Level 4 Upper Intermediate

To enter this level students should be able to communicate their ideas in most everyday situations and common topics. They should be able to use a variety of expressions with reasonable accuracy. They should be able to deal confidently with authentic listening and reading material.

• You will learn to identify explicit short and longer-term aims and how to measure your success in achieving them.
  
• You will improve your study skills and your ability to make independent progress both in and out of class.
  
• You will increase your knowledge of and ability to use previously learnt and new language, with attention to fluency and accuracy as necessary.
  
• You will substantially improve your knowledge of lexis relating to topics you are interested in.
  
• You will develop strategies for dealing with a wide variety of informal, and some formal, situations using spoken Arabic.
  
• You will improve your own pronunciation by identifying personal pronunciation problems and developing strategies for dealing with them.
  
• You will extend the range and improve the accuracy of your written Arabic.
  
• You will develop your ability to discuss a range of topics relevant to everyday life and to travel, such as:
  
• Countries, cities, amenities, places of interest, nationality.
  
• Life at home: describing the house, rooms and furniture.
  
• Free time and social activities: going to the cinema, theatre, football match, planning and describing outings, hobbies, restaurants and food.
  
• Future plans, invitations, apologies, making appointments, booking flights and other tickets, filling in forms
  
• News: politics, world events, sport, etc.
  
• Writing short messages, postcards and letters.
  
• Real situations in Egyptian daily life
  
• roots and parts of Arabic words, verbs (past, present, and future), imperatives, conjugation of pronouns with verbs, negation, relative nouns, ordinal numbers, comparative and superlative adjectives, kinds of Arabic sentences, conditionals.
  

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Tailor-made Tuition

We are able to offer specially designed courses in Egyptian or Modern Standard Arabic for small groups or individuals, tailored to your needs and availability. These courses will be for a minimum of 15 hours in total. Please contact us if you wish to discuss a tailor-made course.

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Modern Standard Arabic

Modern Standard Arabic is the contemporary, literary Arabic that is written and spoken across the Arab World. It is used in the news media, scholarly research, diplomatic exchange, literature, international relations, and religious dialogue. Sometimes referred to in general terms as Classical Arabic, it is in pure form based on the Arabic of the Quraan, while incorporating contemporary terms and structures that reflect modern usage.Courses in Modern Standard Arabic will be offered as required. Please contact us if you wish to enrol for a course.

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Our Teachers

Our teachers are native speakers with formal training and extensive experience in language education. They teach to a very high standard, using the most up-to-date techniques, and will ensure that the course you take is appropriate to your individual needs and level.

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Course Materials

A textbook will be recommended for you to purchase either from a specialist bookshop, or directly from us. The teacher will also provide a range of printed and audiovisual materials in lessons.

Our books are currently

1. Anistuna A textbook in Beginners Arabic, Nahid Awn
   
2. Arabic of Egypt text and audio CD in Egyptian Arabic
   
3. Egyptian Arabic A Complete Course for Elementary, Intermediate and Higher
   

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Class Times

Classes are currently held on Monday evenings. Other days may be available on request.

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Term Dates

Each course comprises twelve two-hour sessions

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Fees

Our standard fee is 125 per course (24 hours in total)

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Where to find us

We are located in the heart of London at:

Egyptian Cultural Centre Building

4 Chesterfield Gardens

(Off Curzon Street) London W1J 5BG

5 minutes from Green Park Tube station

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How to Enrol

Contact Mrs Nashwa Essa on 0207 499 4614

or by email: Egypt.culture@btconnect.com

Alternatively, complete an enrolment form online at www.egyptculture.org.uk

For any enquiries about levels or for further details of the courses, please contact Mr Yousif Omar on 07813 685 073 or by email: yousif3011@yahoo.co.uk

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