Teaching Associate ProfessorFaculty Advisor for INJAZ refugee outreach group
Green Zone trainee – to help student veterans identify and connect with appropriate resources
Professional biography
I began my studies of Arabic (long ago) at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, as a member of the United States Marine Corps. After completing my enlistment, I taught Marines in the Survival Level Arabic Course aboard Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina for two years. I then attended the University of Texas at Austin for my undergraduate and graduate studies, during which time I had the opportunity to study in Damascus, Syria for the yearlong capstone experience of the Arabic Flagship Program. I specialize in teaching Arabic as a foreign language and my research interests focus on pedagogical development. My thesis discussed the potential effects of nontraditional grammar sequencing on students’ written output. I am also very interested in the incorporation of culture in Arabic courses (via films, authentic texts, music, colloquialisms, etc.) as a means of encouraging student engagement with the language and culture outside of the classroom.
Courses
ARAB 101: Elementary Arabic I
ARAB 102: Elementary Arabic II
ARAB 203: Intermediate Arabic I
ARAB 204: Intermediate Arabic II
ARAB 305: Advanced Arabic I