Arabic & French
ACS offers robust language options that recognize the special relevance of Arabic and French in Lebanon and the importance of language as a means of forging deeper connections between peoples.
Arabic Program
The Arabic program curriculum is robust, comprehensive, and standards-based. By integrating elements of the Lebanese national program, the IB diploma, and the AERO (American Education Reaches Out) standards, ACS is able to meet the needs of both its native and non-native speakers.
ACS offers two Arabic programs: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Arabic as a Foreign Language (AFL). MSA is designed for the native and near-native speakers of the language in grades N-8. Students enrolled in this program will be ready to a) sit for the Lebanese Official Exams in grades 9 and 12 or b) take the IB Standard and Higher Level courses in grades 11-12. AFL is designed for non-native speakers and accommodates four levels of proficiency from grades 2-12. Students in this program may join IB B Standard Level Diploma courses in High School.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is MSA?
- What is AFL?
- What does the term ‘foreign’ in AFL indicate?
- How will my child be placed in one of the above Arabic programs?
- Is Arabic taught as a first language at ACS?
- How is the MSA curriculum designed?
- How is the AFL curriculum designed?
- How is my child placed in the MSA sections?
- What is the duration of the Arabic classes?
- Will my child be learning grammar and spelling lessons that are needed for the Lebanese Baccalaureate official exam?
- What are the expectations for reading at home?
What is MSA?
MSA stands for Modern Standard Arabic. This is the mainstream Arabic program designed for native and near-native speakers of Arabic. It is a standard-based sequential Arabic program from Nursery to Grade 8. Henceforth, MSA students may either join the Lebanese Baccalaureate Track (LB) or the International Baccalaureate (IB) High Level B Diploma courses or Language (A): Language and Literature IB Course.
What is AFL?
AFL stands for Arabic as a Foreign Language. This is a program designed for foreign language learners. The term “foreign” indicates that the students are non-heritage learners whose mother tongue or dominant home language is other than Arabic. The AFL program offers four levels of proficiency from grades 2-12. Students in this program may join IB B Standard Level Diploma courses in High school.
What does the term ‘foreign’ in AFL indicate?
How will my child be placed in one of the above Arabic programs?
New students will be placed in the above Arabic programs depending on their background. A placement test will be given to all new students during admission to ascertain their level in Arabic. Students enrolled in MSA, the mainstream at ACS, may not join AFL as it is not designed for heritage learners. However, AFL students will be encouraged to strive to join MSA.
Is Arabic taught as a first language at ACS?
How is the MSA curriculum designed?
A task force of ACS Arabic teachers specially designed the ACS MSA curriculum. They adapted elements from both the AERO (American Education Reaches Out) Language Arts Standards and Benchmarks and the Lebanese National Curriculum.
How is the AFL curriculum designed?
A task force of ACS Arabic teachers specially designed the ACS AFL curriculum by adapting elements from the AERO (American Education Reaches Out) Language Arts Standards and Benchmarks.
How is my child placed in the MSA sections?
To maintain a balance in the number of students in the MSA sections and in the number of boys and girls in each section, a few elementary MSA students may join an MSA section that is not their homeroom. It is important to confirm that all MSA sections in EC, ES, and MS offer the same curriculum (content, learning activities, assessments and homework).
Lebanese Brevet students are tracked in Grade 8 only to start getting them ready for the Lebanese official exam requirements. This includes teaching them Social Studies in Arabic.
What is the duration of the Arabic classes?
Class duration times are a function of requirements of the Lebanese Ministry of Education, the recommendations set in the AERO+ World Languages Introduction, and in line with latest research regarding language acquisition.
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30 minutes daily in Nursery.
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40 minutes daily in KG I.
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50 minutes daily in KG II.
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60 minutes daily in grades 1-5.
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Four times a week, 55-minute classes per each 10-day cycle for Middle School (6-8).
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Three times a week, 65-minute classes per each 10-day cycle for High School (9-12).
Will my child be learning grammar and spelling lessons that are needed for the Lebanese Baccalaureate official exam?
What are the expectations for reading at home?
- Reading at home is strongly encouraged. Students and parents are always welcome to check out Arabic books from the Library. Both Lower and Upper School Libraries have an excellent collection of Arabic books.
- ACS provides online accounts (I Start Arabic, I Read Arabic, KamKalima) to all students taking Arabic in grades 1-12.
French Program
The French Department follows the AERO Standards for World Languages in grades N-10. In grades 11 and 12, students are prepared to take the IB French Ab Initio, Standard, and Higher Level courses.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often is French taught?
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Early Childhood (Nursery, KG I, KG II): 30 minutes, three times a cycle.
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Grades 1, 2 and 3: 45 minutes, twice a cycle.
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Elementary School (Grades 4-5): 45 minutes, three times a cycle.
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Middle School: 55 minutes, 6 times per 10-day cycle, with students divided into three proficiency levels.
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High School: 65 minutes, 6 times per 10-day cycle, with students divided into three proficiency levels.
How are proficiency levels determined?
What program do you use/follow?
The French Department follows the AERO Standards for World Languages in grades N-10 and the IB Standards in grades 11-12. To meet these standards, a variety of resources and materials are used to plan class activities and assignments (various textbooks, grammar books, magazines, DVDs, literature books, music, movies, online e-learning platforms, and educational games).