Dari Course 1 - Listening/Speaking

Theme: “Trip to Afghanistan and participating in Nowruz festival.” Nowruz (literally “new day”) marks the first day of springand is widely celebrated in Afghanistan and the neighboring countries of Iran and Tajikistan as New Year’sDay (according to the solar calendar). The history of Nowruz goes back three thousand years. Through interactive activities, learners will explore Nowruz traditions and customs; they will learn when Nowruz is celebrated, how long the festivities last, andwhat families and communities do to welcome the start of spring.

The program will target learners in grades K-1 (5-6 years old); however, activities will be varied in order to differentiate instruction for older learners who may be entering the program at this level. For instance, younger children will be exposed to and practice the language using coloring and drawing, while older learners will complete charts and Venn diagrams.

The curriculum is intended for intensive STARTALK programs (5 days a week, 6 hours per day, including 2 hours for homework and further practice), but can be easily adapted for different program structures such as weekend schools, semester long programs, etc.

In the process of learning students will watch movies, listen to children stories, play related games, write words and short phrases related to self and Nowruz, and interact with each other as well as with their Afghan friends and other native speakers. Learners will also interpret photographs and simple pieces of literature (i.e., children songs, games, etc.). In addition, learners will make an illustrated list of their favorite activities and foods during Nowruz. They will further work in pairs or small groups to list similarities and differences between New Year’s celebrations in Afghanistan and the United States. They will look at the Nowruz related pictures and brainstorm ideas that may be associated with Nowruz. They will listen to authentic simple texts about Nowruz and complete charts answering What, When, Where questions. By the end of the program, learners will be able to list their favorite foods, games, activities, and important places that Afghans usually visit during Nowruz. They will also be able to identify areas that are similar to or different from New Year’s celebrations in the United States.