Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Rachel Yepremian
Staff Writer
Dr. David Zakarian is the new Haig & Isabel Berberian Endowed Professor in Armenian Studies at Fresno State. He is beginning his first semester and is teaching Armenian 1A-Elementary Armenian – speaking, reading, and writing. Students from different backgrounds, majors, and cultures, take Armenian courses at Fresno State for a variety of reasons.
“The Armenian language course is different from the other two courses I teach. It is mainly to try and teach them conversation, how to pronounce words, and to learn to read,” said Dr. Zakarian. “When you see someone that knew no Armenian, suddenly start speaking Armenian, that is the best part of it. They come to class and greet you in Armenian. I really love that.”
Dr. Zakarian mentioned that many of the students registered for the Armenian 1A course are non-Armenian and that most have no prior knowledge of the Armenian language. “They wanted to learn Armenian, so they started from scratch,” said Dr. Zakarian.
This course consists of students of many different levels. Some of them are already bilingual, some of them have learned another language, and for some, learning a language is a new process. Most of the students in the course are freshmen, with many different skill levels, which presented a challenge for Dr. Zakarian.
By the end of the course, students are expected to know the Armenian alphabet, to be able to speak about themselves, to write basic sentences, and to be able to smoothly read the language.
Dr. Zakarian is closely monitoring the students’ progress throughout the course by giving quizzes, homework assignments, and encouraging participation in the classroom. He assists those who need additional attention, while still maintaining a balance and ensuring that the entire class is constantly learning something new and growing.
“It’s not just about knowing two languages. If you have formally studied a foreign language already, you know what grammar is,” said Zakarian. “You can distinguish between vowels and consonants and are aware of various grammatical concepts. If you have never heard these terms before, it is more challenging.”
Students in the class were surveyed to find out what their expectations were and how they liked the class. The responses of the students varied, but many said that that learning Armenian seemed like a unique and interesting option.
“I think this class is interesting and fun, especially since the Armenian letters are different than the Latin characters,” said junior Donovan Dean. “I also hope to gain a better understanding of the Armenian culture, language, and history.”
“I am taking this class to better understand my culture and language, and to communicate with my family,” stated freshman Deran Poochigian. “The class is interesting and helpful in learning Armenian.”
Junior Viktoriia Olkova is taking the course because she is part Armenian and wanted to learn more about the language. “I really like the course,” said Olkova.
“This class is very fun and I look forward to coming and learning every day,” said freshman Anestaysia Mcelroy. “I wanted to take Armenian to learn another language beside Spanish.”
Junior Katherine Arslanian is taking the course to “understand how to write Armenian and how to conduct more conversations.”
“I am minoring in Armenian,” said sophomore Jordan Mazmanian. “I hope to learn to speak basic Armenian and learn more about the language.”
No matter their initial reason for taking the Armenian 1A course, Dr. Zakarian is guiding students through an experience that they would not be able to gain anywhere else and the progress has been wonderful.