This collection was curated by an ASCCC OERI discipline lead. The curated list provided here is intended to facilitate faculty selection of an OER text in lieu of a commercial text. If you are aware of additional resources that should be included, please contact us via our general OER e-mail.
Using an openly licensed resource that is missing from the list below? If so, please let us know.
This collection provides Open Educational Resources (OER) for teaching and learning Arabic in higher education, particularly within California Community College language programs. The materials include complete textbooks, instructional resources, and adaptable teaching materials designed to support Arabic language instruction from the beginner level through intermediate study.
The resources in this collection focus on developing the four core language skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—while introducing learners to the linguistic and cultural diversity of the Arabic-speaking world. Lessons emphasize meaningful communication, foundational grammar, and vocabulary presented in real-life contexts that help students gradually build proficiency in Arabic.
These materials are designed to support flexible teaching environments, including face-to-face, hybrid, and online courses. Because they are openly licensed, instructors are encouraged to adopt, adapt, and remix the resources to meet the needs of their students and programs.
Arabic Level 1
Textbooks
- Arabic Level One (Kassas) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Arabic Level One is a beginner-level Open Educational Resource designed for students enrolled in introductory Arabic language courses. The textbook presents vocabulary, grammar, and communication skills through structured lessons that support the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing abilities in Arabic.
Lessons are organized around everyday topics such as introductions, family, daily life, and university environments, helping students build practical communication skills while learning essential grammatical structures. The material incorporates guided practice, communicative activities, and cultural notes that introduce students to aspects of Arab culture and society.
The textbook is designed for use in community college and university Arabic programs and can be used in online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses. As an Open Educational Resource, instructors may adopt, adapt, or modify the materials to meet the needs of their students.
Key Features
- Beginner-level vocabulary and grammar presented in context
- Activities that support listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills
- Cultural notes related to the Arabic-speaking world
- Structured lessons designed for introductory Arabic courses
This OER textbook is part of a growing Arabic OER pathway, supporting students from beginning to intermediate levels while promoting accessible and affordable language learning.
- Introduction to Arabic (Kassas, et al., ASCCC OERI) (CC BY)
Introduction to Arabic is an Open Educational Resource designed to introduce students to the fundamental elements of the Arabic language. The resource focuses on helping beginners understand the Arabic writing system, alphabet, pronunciation, and basic linguistic concepts that form the foundation for further language study.
The textbook explains key features of Arabic such as letter forms, diacritics, vowel patterns, and basic grammatical terminology, allowing learners to develop the skills necessary to read and recognize Arabic words. It also introduces students to the geographical and cultural context of the Arabic-speaking world.
This resource is ideal for students beginning their study of Arabic or for courses that include an introductory module on the Arabic script and language structure before moving into full communicative instruction.
Key Features
- Overview of Arabic-speaking countries and language context
- Introduction to the Arabic alphabet and writing system
- Explanation of diacritics and vowel patterns
- Basic linguistic concepts and grammatical terminology
Ancillaries
In addition to the open textbooks, this collection includes Canvas course shells for Arabic Levels 1, 2, and 3 designed to support instructors in implementing the OER materials in online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses.
Each Canvas shell is organized into weekly modules aligned with the corresponding textbook chapters and includes structured learning materials such as vocabulary practice, grammar explanations, reading and listening activities, discussions, and assignments. Many of the assignments and practice activities are linked to the ADAPT platform, providing students with interactive exercises and automatically graded activities that reinforce the course content.
The Canvas shells provide a ready-to-use course structure that integrates the Arabic OER textbooks with interactive learning tools. Instructors can easily import the shells into Canvas and adapt them to meet the needs of their students and programs while maintaining flexibility for course customization.
- Arabic Level 1 Canvas Shell (Canvas Commons) (CC BY)
This Canvas course shell provides a complete online course structure for Arabic Level 1, aligned with the Arabic Level One OER textbook. The course is organized into weekly modules that guide students through vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, and speaking activities designed for beginner learners.
The course includes discussions, assignments, and interactive practice activities, many of which are connected to the ADAPT platform for automatically graded exercises and additional language practice. The shell provides instructors with a ready-to-use framework that can be imported into Canvas and customized to fit different teaching formats, including online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses. - Arabic Level 1 ADAPT Integrated Assignments
This ADAPT course provides interactive homework assignments aligned with the Arabic Level 1 OER textbook and Canvas course shell. The exercises reinforce vocabulary, grammar, and reading comprehension through automatically graded activities. ADAPT integrates with Canvas, allowing assignment scores to transfer directly to the Canvas gradebook and giving students structured practice throughout the course.
Arabic Level 2
Textbooks
- Arabic Level Two (Kassas) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Arabic Level Two is an Open Educational Resource designed for students continuing their study of Modern Standard Arabic after completing an introductory Arabic course. The textbook expands learners’ vocabulary and grammar knowledge while strengthening their ability to communicate about everyday topics in Arabic.
The resource includes thematic chapters that address topics such as family, studies, hobbies, favorite seasons, and daily life, allowing students to practice using Arabic in familiar contexts. Each chapter integrates vocabulary development, grammar explanations, cultural content, and a wide range of interactive learning activities.
Compared to other introductory Arabic materials, this textbook includes a larger number of practice activities and classroom tasks, helping students reinforce their understanding of language structures through guided exercises, discussions, and communicative practice.
Key Features
- Thematic lessons focused on everyday communication
- Vocabulary and grammar development for second-semester learners
- Numerous practice activities and exercises
- Cultural readings related to daily life in the Arab world
- Activities that support listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills
This resource is designed for second-semester Arabic courses in community college and university programs and can be adapted for online, hybrid, or face-to-face instruction.
- Introduction to Arabic II (Kassas, et al., ASCCC OERI) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Introduction to Arabic II is an Open Educational Resource that continues the study of Modern Standard Arabic at the beginner-intermediate level. The textbook builds on the foundations introduced in the first course and provides structured lessons that help students expand their communicative abilities.
The resource includes thematic chapters that guide students through topics such as family, school life, hobbies, seasons, and daily routines, enabling learners to describe their experiences and express ideas using complete sentences in Arabic.
Unlike the Arabic Level Two textbook, this resource focuses primarily on presenting the instructional content and language explanations, with fewer built-in classroom activities or assessments. It can therefore serve as a core instructional text or reference resource that instructors may supplement with additional exercises and assignments.
Key Features
- Suitable as a core instructional or reference textbook
- Structured lessons introducing vocabulary and grammar
- Readings and explanations supporting language comprehension
- Themes related to everyday life and student experiences
Ancillaries
- Arabic Level 2 Canvas Shell (Canvas Commons) (CC BY)
This Canvas course shell provides a structured online course framework for Arabic Level 2, aligned with the Arabic Level Two OER textbook. The course is organized into weekly modules that guide students through vocabulary development, grammar practice, reading passages, listening activities, and communicative speaking tasks.
The shell includes discussions, assignments, and interactive learning activities, many of which are linked to the ADAPT platform to provide students with additional practice and automatically graded exercises that reinforce course concepts. These modules help students expand their ability to communicate about everyday topics such as family, school life, hobbies, and daily routines.
This course shell can be imported directly into Canvas and customized by instructors, providing a ready-to-use structure for teaching Arabic Level 2 in online, hybrid, or face-to-face learning environments. - Arabic Level 2 ADAPT Integrated Assignments
This ADAPT course provides interactive homework assignments and assessments aligned with the Arabic OER textbooks and Canvas course shells. The platform includes automatically graded exercises that reinforce vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension, and it integrates with Canvas so grades can transfer directly to the Canvas gradebook.
Arabic Level 3
Textbooks
- Arabic Level Three (Kassas) (CC BY-NC-SA)
Arabic Level Three is an Open Educational Resource designed for students who have completed introductory Arabic study and are ready to expand their proficiency in Modern Standard Arabic. The textbook builds on the foundations established in earlier levels by deepening students’ grammatical knowledge, expanding vocabulary, and increasing opportunities for communicative practice.
The resource is organized into thematic units that explore topics such as city life, transportation, shopping, personal appearance, storytelling in the past, and food and meals. These themes help students practice discussing real-world situations while strengthening their ability to understand and produce more complex language.
Each chapter integrates vocabulary development, grammar explanations, reading passages, listening and speaking activities, cultural content, and assessments, allowing learners to develop their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in a structured and communicative way.
Key Features
- Theme-based lessons connected to real-life contexts
- Expanded grammar topics and vocabulary development
- Reading, writing, listening, and speaking activities
- Cultural insights related to Arab societies and traditions
- Integrated assessments and practice tasks within each chapter
This resource is designed for third-semester Arabic courses in community college and university language programs and can be used in online, hybrid, or face-to-face instruction.
Ancillaries
- Arabic Level 3 Canvas Shell (Canvas Commons) (CC BY)
This Canvas course shell provides a structured online course framework for Arabic Level 3, aligned with the Arabic Level Three OER textbook. The course is organized into weekly modules that guide students through vocabulary development, advanced grammar topics, reading passages, listening activities, and communicative speaking tasks.
Each module integrates vocabulary, cultural content, grammar explanations, reading and writing activities, listening and speaking practice, and assessments, allowing students to strengthen their overall Arabic proficiency.
The shell also includes discussions, assignments, and interactive activities, many of which are connected to the ADAPT platform to provide students with additional practice and automatically graded exercises. Instructors can import this course shell into Canvas and adapt it for use in online, hybrid, or face-to-face Arabic language courses. - Arabic Level 3 ADAPT Integrated Assignments
This ADAPT course provides interactive homework and assessments aligned with the Arabic OER textbooks and Canvas course shells. The platform includes automatically graded exercises that reinforce vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. ADAPT integrates with Canvas, allowing grades to transfer directly to the Canvas gradebook and giving students additional structured practice.
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