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Assimil Arabic With Ease: A Review
Are you looking for a comprehensive and effective course to learn Arabic? Do you want to learn both the standard and colloquial forms of the language? If so, you might want to consider Assimil Arabic With Ease. In this article, we will review this popular course and tell you everything you need to know about it. We will also give you some tips on how to use it effectively and who it is suitable for. By the end of this article, you will be able to decide if Assimil Arabic With Ease is the right course for you.
What is Assimil Arabic With Ease?
Assimil Arabic With Ease is a self-study course that teaches you how to speak, read, and write Arabic. It is based on the Assimil method, which is a natural and intuitive way of learning languages. The course consists of a book and audio recordings that cover 76 lessons. Each lesson has a dialogue, a translation, notes, exercises, and cultural information. The course aims to teach you both Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA), which are the most widely used forms of Arabic in the world.
The Assimil Method
The Assimil method is a learning approach that mimics how children learn their native language. It involves listening to authentic dialogues, reading their translations, understanding their meanings, and repeating them until they become natural. The method also encourages you to use your intuition and logic to figure out the grammar and vocabulary of the language. The method claims that you can learn a language in a few months by spending 20 to 30 minutes a day on the course.
The Content and Structure of the Course
The course covers a wide range of topics, such as greetings, introductions, family, hobbies, travel, food, shopping, weather, health, work, education, culture, and more. The course also introduces you to the Arabic alphabet, script, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. The course is divided into two phases: the passive phase and the active phase. In the passive phase, which lasts for 49 lessons, you simply listen to the dialogues, read their translations, and understand their meanings. In the active phase, which starts from lesson 50 onwards, you start speaking and writing in Arabic by using what you have learned in the previous lessons. You also review the earlier lessons by translating them from English into Arabic.
The Pros and Cons of Assimil Arabic With Ease
Assimil Arabic With Ease has many advantages and disadvantages that you should be aware of before buying it. Here are some of them:
Pros
Cons
It teaches you both MSA and ECA, which are useful for communicating with native speakers.
It exposes you to authentic and natural dialogues that reflect real-life situations.
It explains the grammar and vocabulary in a clear and concise way.
It provides exercises and cultural information that reinforce your learning.
It helps you develop your listening, reading, speaking, and writing skills.
It allows you to learn at your own pace and convenience.
It can be confusing and overwhelming to learn two forms of Arabic at the same time.
It does not provide enough practice and feedback for your speaking and writing skills.
It does not cover some advanced topics and aspects of the language.
It can be boring and repetitive for some learners.
It can be expensive and hard to find in some countries.
How to Use Assimil Arabic With Ease Effectively
If you decide to buy Assimil Arabic With Ease, you should follow some guidelines to get the most out of it. Here are some tips on how to use the course effectively:
Follow the Instructions
The course comes with a detailed introduction that explains how to use the course and what to expect from it. You should read this introduction carefully and follow the instructions given. For example, you should listen to the dialogues several times, read their translations aloud, review the notes and exercises, and do the active phase as instructed. You should also avoid skipping lessons or jumping ahead, as the course is designed to be progressive and cumulative.
Repeat the Lessons
One of the key principles of the Assimil method is repetition. You should repeat each lesson until you can understand it without looking at the translation. You should also repeat the earlier lessons as you progress through the course, as this will help you consolidate your memory and recall. You can use the audio recordings to practice your listening and pronunciation skills, and the exercises to practice your reading and writing skills.
Review the Notes and Exercises
The course provides notes and exercises that explain and test your knowledge of the grammar and vocabulary of each lesson. You should review these notes and exercises regularly and make sure you understand them. You should also check your answers with the answer key provided at the end of the book. If you have any doubts or questions, you can consult a dictionary, a grammar book, or an online resource for more clarification.
Use Additional Resources
While Assimil Arabic With Ease is a comprehensive and effective course, it is not enough to make you fluent in Arabic. You should supplement your learning with additional resources, such as books, podcasts, videos, apps, websites, tutors, or language partners. These resources will help you expand your vocabulary, improve your grammar, expose you to different dialects and accents, and practice your communication skills. They will also make your learning more fun and enjoyable.
Who is Assimil Arabic With Ease For?
Assimil Arabic With Ease is a suitable course for different types of learners, depending on their goals, levels, styles, and preferences. Here are some of the learners who can benefit from this course:
Beginners and Intermediate Learners
If you are a beginner or an intermediate learner of Arabic, Assimil Arabic With Ease can help you build a solid foundation in the language. It can teach you the basics of MSA and ECA, which are essential for understanding and communicating with native speakers. It can also help you develop your skills in listening, reading, speaking, and writing in Arabic.
Self-Learners and Independent Learners
If you are a self-learner or an independent learner of Arabic, Assimil Arabic With Ease can be a great resource for you. It can provide you with a structured and systematic curriculum that guides you through the language step by step. It can also allow you to learn at your own pace and convenience, without relying on a teacher or a class.
Learners Who Want to Learn Colloquial Arabic
If you are a learner who wants to learn colloquial Arabic, Assimil Arabic With Ease can be a useful course for you. It can teach you ECA, which is one of the most widely spoken dialects of Arabic in the world. It can also expose you to authentic and natural dialogues that reflect how native speakers use the language in everyday situations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Assimil Arabic With Ease is a popular self-study course that teaches you how to speak, read, and write Arabic. It is based on the Assimil method, which is a natural and intuitive way of learning languages. The course consists of a book and audio recordings that cover 76 lessons. Each lesson has a dialogue, a translation, notes, exercises, and cultural information. The course aims to teach you both MSA and ECA, which are the most widely used forms of Arabic in the world.
Some of the cons are that it can be confusing and overwhelming to learn two forms of Arabic at the same time, it does not provide enough practice and feedback for your speaking and writing skills, it does not cover some advanced topics and aspects of the language, it can be boring and repetitive for some learners, and it can be expensive and hard to find in some countries.
If you decide to buy Assimil Arabic With Ease, you should follow some guidelines to get the most out of it. Some of the tips are to follow the instructions, repeat the lessons, review the notes and exercises, and use additional resources. The course is suitable for different types of learners, such as beginners and intermediate learners, self-learners and independent learners, and learners who want to learn colloquial Arabic.
Assimil Arabic With Ease is a comprehensive and effective course that can help you learn Arabic in a natural and intuitive way. However, it is not a perfect course and it is not enough to make you fluent in Arabic. You should always supplement your learning with other resources and methods, and practice your skills with native speakers. By doing so, you will be able to achieve your goals and enjoy learning Arabic.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about Assimil Arabic With Ease:
How long does it take to finish Assimil Arabic With Ease?
It depends on how much time you spend on the course each day, but generally it takes about four to six months to finish the course.
How much does Assimil Arabic With Ease cost?
The price of Assimil Arabic With Ease varies depending on where you buy it from, but generally it costs around $100 to $150 for the book and audio recordings.
Where can I buy Assimil Arabic With Ease?
You can buy Assimil Arabic With Ease from the official website of Assimil, Amazon, or other online or offline retailers that sell language courses.
What other languages can I learn with Assimil?
Assimil offers courses for many languages, such as French, Spanish, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Turkish, Hebrew, Persian, and more.
What are some alternatives to Assimil Arabic With Ease?
Some alternatives to Assimil Arabic With Ease are Teach Yourself Arabic Complete Course, Colloquial Arabic of Egypt Complete Course, Alif Baa: Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds, Al-Kitaab fii Ta'allum al-'Arabiyya: A Textbook for Beginning Arabic Part One.