Study Language

The University of Arizona offers courses in Arabic, Hebrew, Persian, and Turkish. CMES helps support these language courses and the CMES affiliated faculty who prepare language resources to further the study of these languages. Middle Eastern language courses sometimes are offered through the Critical Languages Program. Resources developed by CMES affiliated faculty, and links to other valuable resources for Middle Eastern language study include:

IMVBox Educational Opportunity

The Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Arizona is pleased to announce it is an Education Collaborator with IMVBox.com. The purpose of the collaboration is to give the opportunity to students to learn differently by watching Iranian movies online with English subtitles. Alongside their Persian classes, University of Arizona students will improve their command of the Persian language and sharpen their knowledge of Iranian cultures and cinema by watching Iranian movies on IMVBox.com. Students should contact the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (sbs-cmes@arizona.edu) to determine whether they are eligible for one of the limited subscriptions available through this agreement.

Boasting over 1,000 streaming films, IMVBox.com is the largest 'online cinematheque' and only legal platform for Iranian content. By showcasing a large selection of award-winning Iranian movies, including features, documentaries, shorts, and plays, IMVBox aims to present the diversity, depth, and richness of Iranian cinema. IMVBox's core mission is to "paint a true picture" of the Middle East.

Hybrid Turkish Course for Advanced Learners

  • The low number of registered students in advanced level courses of Turkish often force departments to either offer a loosely structured course or in many occasions, no class at all.
  • We are developing a hybrid course for advanced level learners of Turkish in the country
  • Based on academic calendars of institutions showing interest in the project, the length of the course is 12 weeks and consists of two 70-min synchronous meetings online and one 50-min face-to-face meeting on local campuses. 
  • The project is theoretically informed by modern approaches to second language learning in online settings and New London Group’s Multiliteracies Approach to language teaching and learning, which argues that students should be taught language and literacy skills in a combined way rather than discretely (e.g., speaking, reading)
  • Informed by guidelines of AATT, ACTFL, and Common European Framework of Reference for languages, we are developing descriptions for the level students are expected to reach by taking this course
  • There are two courses that are planned starting Fall 2015; Turkish 403 (First-semester Third-year Turkish) and Turkish 404 (Second-semester Third-year Turkish).
  • The themes of 12 units being developed for Turkish 403 include but are not limited to music, literature, education, environment, and gastronomy.  Authentic texts in the relevant themes are prepared with the help of the texts available on the Internet.
  • While the instructor in UA campus is leading the course, teaching assistants/tutors are mainly responsible for face-to-face meetings in their own campuses and take a more tailored approach.
  • The assignments that are developed are as authentic and meaningful as possible. For instance, following a discussion on arabesque music subculture in Turkey, students are expected to listen to an arabesque radio station and are encouraged to participate in the program by leaving a note to the DJs. 
  • Although activities such as taking vocabulary quizzes, participating in weekly discussions in course management system and synchronous meetings are graded, the main evaluation will be done through the assessment of two mid-terms and one final assignment. For mid-term assignments, two web-quests with alternative tasks for students to complete are developed.

Check back in January for more information...

Karamanlı Turkish, also known as Karamanlıca or Karamanlidika, is a dialect of Turkish written with the Greek alphabet and used by the Karamanlides Orthodox Christian community in Turkey during Ottoman times and in the diaspora after the population exchange with Greece. Saffo Papantonopoulou created these handouts to assist those wanting to read Karamanlı Turkish.

Kurdish 101

Take a credit or non-credit summer Kurdish course from instructor Mutlu Civiroglu with the University of Arizona's Critical Languages Program.

  • For credit: synchronous Zoom meetings every Thursday 2-4 PM (AZ time) from May 18 — June 29 (Seven Week - First, Summer Session).

CLP Kurdish

  • Non-credit: synchronous Zoom meetings every Thursday 2-4 PM (AZ time) from July 3 — August 18 (Seven Week - Second, Summer Session).
    • Cost: $360.00 per person
    • Seats are limited to 12 people. Please note, a minimum of 4 people must be enrolled to hold the class. 
    • To register for the non-credit course: please complete the non-credit Kurdish 101 registration form.

Kurdish 101 Non-Credit

Resources