Jordan: Intensive Arabic Language Studies -- Summer

Students experiencing Bedouin life in a traditional tent during the rural homestay in North Jordan.

The SIT Jordan: Intensive Arabic Language Studies program is an intensive, field-based Arabic language immersion program held during the summer. Based in the capital city of Amman, students are fully immersed in an Arabic-only environment and learn through a combination of classroom instruction, field exercises, and meaningful homestay experiences.

Complementary educational excursions outside of the program base reveal Jordan's rich heritage, culture, and geography while providing diverse contexts in which to practice language skills. Students have the unique opportunity to live with a Bedouin community during their excursion to the Badia area of Jordan. Group excursions to both the north and south of Jordan include site visits to Petra, the Dead Sea, and Aqaba while providing myriad opportunities to learn Arabic in customized field-based settings.

The emphasis of the course is Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), with additional instruction in Jordanian Colloquial Arabic, as well. Students gain an understanding of Arabic diglossia and proper usage of MSA versus colloquial.

Students at an advanced proficiency level may opt for a unit in Media Arabic. This component focuses on the acquisition of specialized vocabulary used in print and electronic media in the Arab world. Students read, listen to, and analyze stories from the local Jordanian press and other Arab media outlets.