College Offers Region's First Interactive Videoconference Course in Arabic

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DATE: April 30, 2008

CONTACT: Lisa Saunders

(845) 574-4244

SUNY Rockland Community College Offers Region's First Interactive Videoconference Course in Arabic

Syrian-born instructor believes that learning Arabic eases the way for American travelers

Suffern, NY - This summer, students at community colleges in Rockland, Orange, Sullivan and Ulster can say mrhaba (hello) to each other as they simultaneously learn Arabic via SUNY Rockland's videoconferencing course.

While the "live" instructor, Syrian-born Guzide Kobati, will be based in the classroom at Rockland Community College, students at the other colleges will participate remotely while viewing the teacher on a screen. The instructor will also teach at least once at each of the other colleges.

Ms. Kobati believes that learning Arabic eases the way for American travelers. "When students visit a very conservative Arabic community, I want them to understand not only the language, but also culture." Kobati was troubled by the recent account of a British teacher in the Sudan who was jailed for naming a teddy bear, "Muhammed," unaware that using that name for an animal is viewed as disrespectful. Kobati teaches her students phrases that enable them to communicate respectfully.

Kobati has lived in the U.S. since 1992. She was born and raised in Syria, where she spoke Turkish at home, Arabic at school and in the community. She learned English at school and by listening to the world broadcast, "Voice of America." Her first experience teaching Arabic as a second language was as a college student in Turkey. In addition to teaching Arabic at RCC, she also works at Columbia University on a project to build an Arabic language database for computer translation.

RCC's Elementary Arabic I is the first semester of a one-year course. The course emphasizes the development of basic language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading and writing through intensive training in oral fluency, basic grammar and sentence structure, as well as through enrichment of cultural experiences and activities.

Arabic is becoming an extremely important language to learn as many American companies have formed joint ventures with Arab companies and governments. For example, the Dow Chemical Company and a unit of Kuwait Petroleum recently announced the formation of a petrochemicals joint venture.

Students from any college working toward a degree, or those simply interested in learning something new, can learn Arabic on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The 4 credit course runs for eight weeks from 6/10-7/31. Students attending the RCC campus must register by June 10 for Arabic I in Summer Session II. For more information, please contact Mara Lee Bierman, Professor of Spanish and Coordinator of Foreign Languages, at 845-574-4361, mbierman@sunyrockland.edu

###

Rockland Community College, a unit of the State University of New York, is located 25 miles northwest of NYC. The majority of its students transfer to four-year colleges, and many find immediate employment upon earning their associate's degree or certificate. The College also offers others, from preschoolers to senior citizens, the opportunity to simply learn something new. Quality education...at a price you can afford.