Beginning Pashto is part of a set of materials for teaching oral and written Afghan Pashto. The Pashto writing system is taught in the first unit of the book and is used in the presentation of the material from then on. In the first three units, material is provided also in a romanized transcription. After that, the transcription of a word or phrase is given only when the word or phrase is introduced, or when pronunciation is the focus. Dialogues and readings on various topics (e.g. food, shopping, weather, family, etc.) are used, with accompanying presentations on grammar and vocabulary and exercises for oral practice and conversation. The Workbook, which is mostly in English, provides background information on points in the dialogues and readings, discussion of grammar, and information on individual vocabulary items. Each unit in the workbook contains a number of exercises providing additional practice on the points covered in the textbook. In addition to the beginning textbook, the set consists of a glossary, an intermediate textbook, a reader, a conversation manual and a set of taped lessons that correlate with the textbooks and conversation manual. The materials are designed to bring an English-speaking student to a 2+ or 3 on the Interagency Language Roundtable proficiency scale, or an Advanced on the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages proficiency scale. An overview and brief description of each component of the Pashto Materials is included. (Author/AB)

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