Arabic١٢٣
Year 11Autumn TermAges 15-16

Lesson Plans

Formal Language and Register

1

Understanding Register in Arabic

⏱ 60–65 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Distinguish between formal, semi-formal, and informal registers
  • Adapt language register based on audience and purpose

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Register sorting: read 6 short Arabic texts — sort them into formal, semi-formal, and informal categories.

Main Activities

  1. 1Define register: formal (رسمي), semi-formal (شبه رسمي), informal (غير رسمي) with Arabic examples of each
  2. 2Comparison activity: rewrite the same message in 3 different registers (text to a friend, email to a teacher, letter to a company)
  3. 3Identify register markers: vocabulary choices, sentence length, use of colloquial vs MSA
  4. 4Writing practice: write 6 sentences and label the register of each

Resources Needed

Register sorting cardsThree-register writing frameWriting Practice Worksheet

⭐ Extension Challenge

Rewrite a casual Arabic conversation as a formal report — note all the changes you make.

2

Formal Letters and Emails

⏱ 60–65 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Write a formal letter or email with appropriate Arabic conventions
  • Use polite and diplomatic language

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Spot the errors: read a formal Arabic letter with 6 register mistakes — find and correct them.

Main Activities

  1. 1Teach formal letter conventions: opening (سيدي المحترم/سيدتي المحترمة), body structure, closing (مع فائق الاحترام)
  2. 2Formal email conventions: subject line, greeting (تحية طيبة وبعد), sign-off (مع خالص التقدير)
  3. 3Polite request phrases: نرجو من سيادتكم (we kindly request), يسعدنا أن (we are pleased to), نود أن (we would like to)
  4. 4Write a formal letter of complaint to a hotel about poor service

Resources Needed

Formal letter templatePolite phrases reference cardVocab cards worksheet

⭐ Extension Challenge

Write a formal email applying for a work experience placement at an Arabic-language organisation.

3

Formal Academic Writing

⏱ 60–65 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Use formal Arabic in academic contexts
  • Apply impersonal and passive structures for formal writing

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Formality upgrade: read 5 informal Arabic sentences — rewrite each in formal academic register.

Main Activities

  1. 1Academic writing features: impersonal structures (يُلاحظ أن it is noted that), passive voice, hedging language
  2. 2Hedging phrases: من المحتمل أن (it is likely that), قد يكون (it may be), يبدو أن (it appears that)
  3. 3Read a short academic-style Arabic text — identify all formal features
  4. 4Writing: write a formal academic paragraph about climate change using impersonal structures

Resources Needed

Academic writing features guideHedging phrases bankWriting Practice Worksheet

⭐ Extension Challenge

Write a 200-word academic-style summary of a topic you studied this year.

4

Register in Context: Exam Practice

⏱ 65–70 minutes

Lesson Objectives

  • Apply register awareness in exam-style tasks
  • Switch fluently between registers as required

🌅 Warm-Up (5 min)

Register relay: teacher says a sentence informally — learners race to rewrite it formally.

Main Activities

  1. 1Exam-style tasks: write responses in the correct register for 3 different scenarios
  2. 2Register switching: rewrite the same content as a formal report, a blog post, and a text message
  3. 3Tracing practice for formal vocabulary and polite phrases from this unit
  4. 4Self-assessment: evaluate your own ability to switch registers and set improvement targets

Resources Needed

Exam scenario cardsTracing WorksheetSelf-assessment form

⭐ Extension Challenge

Create a register reference guide with example phrases for formal, semi-formal, and informal Arabic.

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