Abstract

Mona Kamel Hassan

Lots of research tackled how language use varies when produced by men and women in their daily life communication. Fitzpatric et al. (1995:19) state that there should be differences in relation to male and female communication as “people vary their speech production, consciously or unconsciously, for reasons related to both their internal state (for example, mood) and the constraints of the situation in which they find themselves (for example, their interaction partners)”. This agrees with Lakoff (1975:31) who states that people change their use of the language regarding the status of the language user in any society. In other words, a certain sentence might be acceptable if produced by a woman but unacceptable if produced by a man.

In an attempt to contribute to the field of research, the researcher finds that a comparative study that examines AE and CCA strategies in L1 and L2 (when modals are not the preferred choices of native and non-native speakers responding to the questionnaire), with a special reference to gender, would be of great interest. Findings can: expose learners to different social behaviors of men and women in their own culture. learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) and Arabic as a foreign language (AFL) can learn L2 strategies to avoid any “communication breakdown” which might lead to “pragmatic failure”, Thomas (1983:226).

The present study investigates the following research question:

If modals are not employed by Egyptians and Americans while resonding to the questionnnaire, what are the alternative strategies employed to perform functions as obligation, advice, etc. by American male and female learners of CCA, and Egyptian male and female learners of AE in L1 and L2?

120 subjects responded to an open ended questionnaire (eliciting the use of modals or alternative strategies): 60 native speakers of AE (30 males and 30 females), and 60 native speakers of CCA (30 males and 30 females).

AE and CCA responses were compared.

Results revealed cultural as well as gender differences. American AFL learners and Egyptian EFL learners lack training on how to use different strategies appropriately in L2

contexts.

Biography:

Mona Kamel Hassan got her BA in English Literature from CairoUniversity in 1985. In 1994, she got her MA in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language from the AmericanUniversity in Cairo. Dr. Hassan also got her Ph.D. in Linguistics from HelwanUniversity in 2005. She is working as an Arabic Language Instructor at the Arabic Language Institute in the AmericanUniversity in Cairo since 1994. Dr. Hassan presented papers in different international conferences and she also has two publications at the AmericanUniversity in Cairo Press. Dr. Hassan is interested in the field of socio-linguistics, pragmatics, and the methods of teaching.

Abstract

Hala Yehia Abd El-Wahab

The purpose of this study is to focus attention on how the social role of men and women in the Arab world is presented in one of the main Arabic books which is taught to foreigners in the various places of learning all over the world including the Arabic Language Institute at the AmericanUniversity in Cairo. The social role of both sexes, as presented in the book, will be investigated with regard to the roles which men and women play while communicating in daily life contexts.

The book analyzed, Al-Kitab Al-‘Assasi is composed of three separate volumes. Only the twenty- five lessons in volume I, the elementary level, are the focus of this study. Basic texts and exercises are examined. Furthermore, the pictures and drawings presented in the book are sources of inference in the study.

It was found that this book reflects many cultural aspects related to the social role of men and women in the Arab world. Some of these aspects, as presented in this book, correspond to existing societal reality, but others do not. This book ( Al Kitab Al-‘Assasi ) introduces some prevalent stereotyped features, but indicates how some of these features are changing as well.

The question of what to present in textbooks written for non-natives to increase their cultural awareness and to facilitate their L2 learning process should be answered. If the existing stereotypes are presented in foreign language textbooks, textbook writers will be accused of perpetuating the stereotypes features, and preventing the expected changes. On the other hand, the presentation of the expected changes of the culture will give an unrealistic picture of this culture. In each case, L2 learners will suffer from lack of cultural awareness. Even though Al-Kitab Al-‘Assasi is a step in each of these two directions, some teaching advice for learners, teachers, and curriculum designers will still be provided to improve real cultural acquisition.

Biography:

Ms. Hala Yehia Abd El-Wahab graduated from the AmericanUniversity in Cairo in 1986 with a B.A in Middle East studies and a minor in Arabic studies. She completed a Master degree in Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language from the AmericanUniversity in Cairo in 1991. Hala started teaching in the Arabic Language Institute in the AmericanUniversity in Cairo since 1989. Her main interest is in Arabic culture and its relation to teaching Arabic as a foreign language.

Abstract

Ebtesam Orabi Mohammadi

As a teacher of Arabic for foreigners I realize the extent to which culture represents a very important element of foreign and second language learning and teaching.Any foreign language learner will not be able to communicate effectively using the target language unless s/he is aware of the cultural elements related to the situation in which s/he isinvolved. One of the most frequent challenges that face foreigners when interacting with Egyptians, is forms of address. The wide variety of forms used by Egyptians and the cultural connotations for each form puzzles most of our students. Gender, social class and age are the main factors that determine addressing people in the Egyptian culture. This paper investigates the cultural differences in addressing people and its pedagogical implications in our Arabic language classrooms with the focus on the dialect and the culture of Cairo. Participants of this study are ALI and CASA teachers and students. To collect the required data for this paper, a questionnaire was distributed among ALI and CASA students. In addition, interviews were conducted with ALI and CASA students and teachers to gather more information about challenges students face in addressing people and different techniques employed by teachers to teach forms of address. These data will be analyzed and discussed in order to give teachers and course designers more insights when teaching forms of address.

Biography:

Ms. Ebtesam Orabi Mohammadi graduated from the department of Arabic literature, faculty of arts, AinShamsUniversity and she is a graduate student in the TAFL Program (Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language) at the Arabic Language Institute of the AmericanUniversity in Cairo. For the time being, Ms. Orabi has been teaching Arabic as a foreign language at the Arabic Language Institute in the AmericanUniversity in Cairo.