Al-Waha

, "The Oasis") is an immersion-based Arabic-language camp for students between the ages of 8 and 18 associated with Concordia Language Villages. It was established in 2006 with the help from a grant from the U.S. State Department.cite news
last = Robertson
first = Tom
title = Concordia unveils Arabic language camp
publisher = Minnesota Public Radio
date = 2006-07-10
url = http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/06/26/arabiccamp/
accessdate =2007-12-21 ] The camp is located near Vergas, in northwestern Minnesota, on the shores of Lake Trowbridge.cite news
title = Kids study Arabic at Minn. summer camp
publisher = Associated Press
date = 2006-08-05
url = http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-08-05-arabic-camp_x.htm
accessdate =2007-12-21 ] Al-Wāḥa occupies a location that previously used by Waldsee, the German language camp, and Lesnoe Ozero, the Russian language camp.

Daily life

At Al-Wāḥa, Arabic language and culture are taught through Arabic games, arts and crafts, dances, sports, and songs, as well as culturally-authentic foods.cite web
title = Arabic Language Village Opens
publisher = Concordia College
url = http://www.cord.edu/About/arabic.php
accessdate = 2007-12-21 ] Each day is focused around a theme, which include everything from Morocco and Palestine to Ramadan and other holidays, as well as literature and other arts.cite web
title = Arabic Flashcards
last = Davis
first = Robyn
publisher = Center for Contemporary Arab Studies
date = 2007-05-14
url = http://ccas.georgetown.edu/center-features.cfm?id=27
accessdate = 2007-12-21 ] Additionally, all the signs and daily activities are named in Arabic and Arabic script.

Language use

The main language used is Modern Standard Arabic, although this variety of Arabic is not used in informal situations (see diglossia). The integration of Modern Standard Arabic with the many Arabic dialects posed a challenge for the counselors, but they decided to expose villagers to the dialects through skits and songs, and dialect speakers spoke dialect during free time. Counselors come from countries such as Egypt, Sudan and Lebanon, in addition to the United States.

State Department

Preparations for Al-Wāḥa began a year and a half before its opening, with the help of national prominent experts in the Arabic language. Its curriculum was being developed independently before receiving a $250,000 grant from the U.S. State Department to fund the camp. This grant, part of the National Security Language Initiative, is the first grant that Concordia Language Villages has received for its villages. A spokesperson for the State Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs asserted that the government does not plan to track students who attend al-Wāḥa.

References

External links

* [http://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/arabic Concordia Language Villages Arabic program site]