Charlestown High School, part of the Boston Public Schools, offers Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian dialect, with focus on reading, writing, speaking, listening, and a significant cultural component. This course provides students with an introduction to Modern Standard Arabic and Arab culture. It is designed for students who have never studied Arabic before and begins with an introduction to Arabic sounds and letters. The teaching and learning emphasizes the functional use of Arabic and communication in context by means of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Students acquire enough familiarity with the Arabic language and culture to interact with Arabic-speakers at a basic level. Students end the course with greater curiosity and cultural sensitivity towards the Arabic-speaking world.