Mahmoud Azaz

Interests

Research

Arabic Linguistics,Arabic Second Language Acquisition,Arabic Sociolinguistics, andArabic Pedagogy

Teaching

Elementary Arabic,Intermediate Arabic,Advanced Arabic,Arabic Linguistics,Arabic Sociolinguistics,Methods of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language,Second Language Acquisition of ArabicLanguages and Societies in the Middle East,Methods of Teaching Arabic as a Foreign Language, andArabic-English Translation

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Books

• Azaz, M. S. (2022). Perspectives on Arabic Linguistics XXXIV . London, New York, Amerdam: John Benjamins.
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  This volume brings together eleven peer-reviewed articles on Arabic linguistics. The contributions fall under three areas of linguistics: Phonology and phonetics; syntax and semantics; and language acquisition, language contact, and diglossia. They reflect some various perspectives and emphases. Including data from North African, Levantine, and Gulf varieties, Standard Arabic, as well as Arabic varieties spoken in diaspora, these articles address issues that range from sibilant merging, raising, lexicalization, agreement, to diglossia, dialect contact, and language acquisition in heritage speakers. The book is valuable reading for linguists in general and for those working on descriptive and theoretical aspects of Arabic linguistics in particular.
• Azaz, M. S. (2015). Arabic translation of Historians, State, and Politics in Twentieth Century Egypt: Contesting the Nation. Author: Anthony Gorman. The National Center for Translation, Cairo, Egypt.
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  URL to the book translation provided.

Journals/Publications

• Abourehab, Y. G., & Azaz, M. S. (2018). Pedagogical translanguaging in community/heritage Arabic language learning . Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 20.
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  This article examines the potential of pedagogical translanguaging in a community/heritage language context. With focus on Arabic as a multidialectal and multiglossic language, the paper primarily examines the function of translanguaging practices in teacher-learner and learner-learner interaction to construct and negotiate linguistic knowledge in the standard variety of the language. The results show that the learners’ linguistic repertoires (multiple varieties of Arabic and English) are actively and dynamically employed in the exchanges to negotiate linguistic knowledge (lexical and grammatical) in a setting that venerates the standard variety as a medium of instruction with a monolingual policy. Also, the results show how these multidialectal practices are sometimes utilised to acknowledge and give voice to the heritage learners’ dialectal identities. It is argued that community/heritage language learning contexts are ideal translanguaging spaces in which heritage language learners find ample opportunities for identity negotiation and knowledge construction. These opportunities are augmented in a classroom atmosphere that gives legitimacy to their dialects and challenges the monolingual ideology. Pedagogical implications are discussed for Arabic heritage and mainstream second language programmes with heritage learners.
• Azaz, M. S., & Al-Faifi, E. (2021). Lexical Variation in Regional Modern Standard Arabic  . Language Matters - Studies in the Languages of Africa (Routledge Press), Volume 53, 2022 - Issue 1, 16.
• Azaz, M. (2018). Structural surface overlap and derivational complexity in crosslinguistic transfer: Acquisition of English genitive alternation by Egyptian Arabic-speaking learners. Second Language Research (SLR, Sage Publications), 29.
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  This article adopts the surface overlap and derivational complexity hypotheses to study crosslinguistic transfer in the adult second language (L2) acquisition of English genitive alternation (between the s-genitives and the of genitives) by intermediate and advanced Egyptian Arabicspeaking learners. While the s-genitive (e.g. the boy’s shirt) and the of-genitive (e.g. the shirt of the boy) are allowed in principle to denote possession, the s-genitive is the native option when the possessor is human and the possessum is nonhuman. In standard syntactic analyses, the sgenitive is held to be more complex than the of-genitive, since it involves raising the possessor in the determiner phrase (DP). Egyptian Arabic is also known for its genitive alternation; it uses the synthetic genitive (the construct state), and the analytic genitive (the free state) that both overlap partially or significantly with the of-genitive. The results of an elicited production task showed that the intermediate group tended to produce the of-genitives in contexts in which the s-genitives were the target construction. The advanced group, on the other hand, produced the more complex s-genitives. These findings suggest that the surface overlap involved between the of-genitives and the corresponding genitive constructions in Egyptian Arabic conspired to trigger this crosslinguistic transfer. Also, resorting to the overlapping of-genitive option can be viewed as a strategy to avoid the more complex s-genitive option. The results of the advanced group imply that the acquisition of English genitive alternation undergoes two developmental stages. In the first, learners favor the less complex and overlapping of-genitives. In the second, they acquire the syntactic derivation in the s-genitives that raises the possessor in the DP.I attached the article proof sent by the publisher.
• Blair, R., & Azaz, M. S. (2018). Self-guide distinctions and episodic memory in L2 motivation: The case of Arabic in the United States. System (Elsevier), Volume 81, April 2019, Pages 192-205, 44. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2019.01.015
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  Utilizing the L2 Motivational Self System framework, the present study investigated L2 self-guides, particularly the ought-to L2 self distinction (ought-to L2 self/own and ought-to L2 self/others), in foreign language (FL) motivational behavior and their origins in episodic memory. A questionnaire was administered to Arabic learners at a private university in the United States. The results indicated that ought-to L2 self/own and ought-to L2 self/others exhibited dichotomous behavior; the former was found to positively affect the learners' motivation while the latter was found to negatively affect it. Consistent with previous studies, L2 self-guides were most influential on the learners’ motivation when mediated by L2 learning experience or ideal L2 self; L2 learning experience was found to pose the strongest direct effect and ideal L2 self was found to pose the strongest indirect effect. Furthermore, associations between episodic memory and L2 self-guides were found but selective, driven presumably by self-relevant information, activation of episodic memory, and valence (positive or negative emotions during an event) shared across them. The study concludes that L2 self-guide distinctions may exhibit different effects on FL motivational behavior in the target language context. Also, it concludes that L2 self-guides exhibit particular associations with episodic memory (see attachment with official submission).I attached the published version.
• Azaz, M. (2018). L1 Transfer Effects in the Production of Generic Plurals in L2 Arabic. Modern Language Journal (Wiley & Sons), 103(1), 16. doi:DOI: 10.1111/modl.12542
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  This study examines L1 English persistent transfer in the acquisition of plural nouns semantics in L2 Arabic. Drawing on previous research on the L2 acquisition of plural nouns interpretation, the study presents and discusses new production data of specific and generic definite plurals by English-speaking learners of Arabic at beginning (n = 15), early-advanced (n = 15), and high advanced levels (n = 11). The results from two meaning-based elicitation tasks showed that the beginning group heavily transferred their L1 English generic bare plurals in the production of target-like Arabic generic definite plurals. The early-advanced group fluctuated between bare and definite plurals. Only the high-advanced group who had studied Arabic in an immersion setting combined with very structured classroom instruction showed considerable stability in their production of target-like definite plurals. A careful analysis of the textbook series the beginning and early-advanced groups were taught from showed that the semantics of plural nouns, and more broadly, the semantics of the definite article, were not explicitly taught. The study concludes that the L1 effects in mapping definite and bare plural nouns to their meanings are exacerbated in the absence of explicit instruction. Further pedagogical implications for teaching form-meaning mappings for articles are discussed (official submission attached).Attached is the published article.
• Azaz, M. S. (2018). The link between morphosyntactic accuracy and textbook presentation: The morphosyntax of subject-verb agreement in Arabic. Foreign Language Annals (Wiley & Sons), 51(4), 21. doi:DOI: 10.1111/flan.12367
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  The acquisition of morphosyntax presents challenges for learners of all second/foreign languages. This crosssectional study investigated English-speaking learners’ morphosyntactic accuracy in the symmetrical subjectverb agreement type (in subject-initial sentences) and in the asymmetrical subject-verb agreement type (in verbinitial sentences) in Arabic. In addition, it examined the extent to which their accuracy rates were reflected in implicit exposure to and explicit presentation of those structures. The results of a prompted production task showed that first-, second-, and third-year learners exhibited low morphosyntactic accuracy rates only in the asymmetrical type. In addition, the production of Group 2 (secondyear) and Group 3 (third-year) was patterned after that of Group 1 (first-year) in the symmetrical type but exhibited greater variation in the asymmetrical type. Implications for explicit textbook presentation and instruction of morphosyntactic intricacies are discussed.Published article attached.
• Azaz, M. (2016). Crosslinguistic effects in L2 acquisition: The case of Arabic determiner phrases. Al-Arabiyya: The Journal of the American Association of Teachers of Arabic (Georgetown University Press), 49.
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  The current article investigates crosslinguistic effects in the acquisition of three types of determiner phrases in Arabic by English speakers. These types show typological similarities, differences, and structural overlap in terms of definiteness between Arabic and English. Results of a grammaticality judgment task and a forced choice task showed an effect for the first language, although not full. With regard to the determiner phrases that show structural overlap, these are kind-denoting singulars, the results demonstrated that whereas beginning English-speaking learners of Arabic fluctuated between definite-marked nouns and bare nouns, advanced learners opted for the target Arabic definite-marked nouns. These results were couched within first language transfer effects, recovery from these effects, and the feature reassembly hypothesis (Lardiere 2009). Pedagogical implications that include the integration of definite article semantics in textbooks, the role of structured-input activities, and explicit instruction of definiteness in instructed Arabic second language acquisition are discussed.Published article attached.
• Azaz, M. (2016). Integrating the Genre-Based Approach into Teaching Writing in Arabic As a Foreign Language. Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, 18, 31-60.
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  Research on teaching writing in Arabic as a less commonly taught language is still in its infancy. Motivated by the dearth of research on the integration of the genre-based approach into teaching writing in Arabic and the absence of such an approach, this paper proposes a genre-based framework for teaching writing in Arabic. Building on conclusions drawn from recent research, it proposes four specific guiding principles. Furthermore, it offers a model lesson plan that shows an instructional sequence of how a single genre, which is congratulation letters, both personal and formal, can be effectively taught. Moreover, results of a survey conducted on a selected group of instructors of Arabic (n = 10) showed that they responded very positively to the proposed model. The guiding principles and the lesson plan are aimed to offer the underlying theoretical knowledge and a practical example for teaching this genre and other relevant ones in Arabic.Published article attached.
• Azaz, M. S. (2017). Metalinguistic knowledge of salient versus unsalient features: Evidence from the Arabic construct state. Foreign Language Annals (FLAN, Wiley & Sons), 50(1). doi:DOI:10.1111/flan.12248.
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  This study examined to what extent English-speaking learners of Arabic demonstrated varied metalinguistic knowledge of a salient feature (head-direction) vs. an unsalient feature (definiteness) in the Arabic construct state. In addition, it examined whether this knowledge was utilized in form-focused task performance. In the target construction, the head is canonically positioned before the complement (left-headed) and the definite marker is prefixed to the complement. Salience of these two features was operationalized in terms of inherent prominence; head-direction was determined to be more salient than the monosyllabic proclitic definite article. Metalinguistic knowledge was conceptualized in terms of the learners' ability to selectively focus attention, provide explicit explanations, and use metalanguage. A beginner group (N = 20) and an intermediate-proficiency group (N =18) completed a multiple-choice task. A retrospective think-aloud interview with 10 participants from each group sought to capture the manifestations of their metalinguistic knowledge. The quantitative-qualitative analysis revealed that while both groups demonstrated complex metalinguistic knowledge of head-direction, they did not demonstrate the same knowledge of definiteness placement. A follow-up correlation showed strong connections between manifestations of metalinguistic knowledge and response type distribution in the task. The role of metalinguistic knowledge in language learning and relevant pedagogical focus-on-form implications are discussed.Published article attached.
• Azaz, M., & Frank, J. (2017). Bidirectional cross-linguistic influence in late bilingualism: Evidence from the container-content relation. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism (LAB, John Benjamins), 9.
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  The container-content relation represents a set of nominal configurations unexplored in the acquisition literature. Whereas in English the switch from a noun-noun compound (water bottle) to a noun-prepositional phrase (bottle of water) is associated with a semantic shift from container to content, Spanish and Arabic adopt single canonical configurations for both conditions, noun-prepositional phrase and noun phrase, respectively. Importantly, Spanish, Arabic, and English display structural overlap in the content condition maintained by head-first isomorphic strings. In the container condition, they show structural dissimilarity; whereas English uses a head-final construction, Arabic and Spanish consistently use head-first constructions. Results from an elicited sentence-reordering task demonstrate that advanced late learners pattern native speakers when tested in Spanish but not when tested in English. Additionally, when tested in English, Arabic-speaking and Spanish-speaking learners overextend their L1 canonical configurations to both conditions. Furthermore, bilingual native speakers do not perform at ceiling, suggesting bidirectional cross-linguistic influence. Published article attached.
• Azaz, M., & Frank, J. (2017). The role of perceptual salience in the L2 acquisition sequence of the Arabic construct state. International Journal of Applied Linguistics (IJAL, Wiley & Sons), 29. doi:DOI:10.1111/ijal.12165.
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  Perceptual salience has been proposed as an essential factor in the order in which various linguistic phenomena are acquired. This study examines its influence on the acquisition sequence of a single construction, which is the Arabic construct state. Mapping certain English constructions to the definite Arabic construct state entails restructuring head direction (a feature of high salience) and the position of the definite marker (a feature of low salience). Results from a prompted sentence completion task suggested that early English-speaking learners of Arabic were sensitive to head direction but not definiteness. Analysis of intermediate and advanced groups captured the acquisition sequence of the Arabic construct state, proceeding in two gradual phases. During the first phase, English-speaking learners restructure head direction. Only later do they adjust definiteness.Published article attached.
• Azaz, M. (2014). Transition from Coptic to Arabic in Early Muslim Egypt: An Attempt to Resolve a Sociolinguistic Puzzle. Journal of the 13th Annual Southwest Graduate Conference in MENAS, 6, 4-19.
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  Transition from Coptic to Arabic in Egypt is one of the most controversial areas of study in historical sociolinguistic research in medieval history that has been described as a puzzle (MacCoull, 1985; Gamal, 1976). In this paper, I attempt to resolve this puzzle by charting out the phases of Coptic disuse from 640 A.D. to the end of the eleventh century. In addition, I examine the change of the status of Coptic from an everyday language into a domain language. By analyzing relevant historical narrative, the paper explores a complex matrix of factors that played a role in this transition: social, linguistic, political and religious, searching for the manifestations of language planning policies, both deliberate and indeliberate, that the Arabs developed after the conquest. The paper concludes that although Coptic fell into disuse, it still represents the Coptic-Christian identity that is an integral component of a deeply-rooted Egyptian culture.Article attached.

Presentations

• Azaz, M. S. (2018, Feb). The Genre-Based Approach in Arabic as a Foreign Language: Benefits and Challenges. SLAT Roundtable. University of Arizona: SLAT Program.
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  This is a panel that I formed in the SLAT Roundtable 2019. It included three presentations by Janelle Moser, Dr. Emma Trentman and myself. Motivated by the dearth of research on the genre-based approach in Arabic as a Foreign Language, this panel presents results of three studies. They examine the potential of this approach for curriculum development, textbook analysis, and teaching writing. Also, they discuss challenges of this pedagogical approach.Slides attached for the presenters.
• Azaz, M. S. (2018, Winter). Structural surface overlap and derivational complexity in cross-linguistic transfer: Acquisition of English genitive alternation by Egyptian Arabic-speaking learners. Purdue Second Language Studies Conference. Purdue University, Indiana: Department of Linguistics at Purdue.
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  This paper adopts the surface overlap (e.g., Hulk and Müller, 2000; Müller, 1998; Müller and Hulk, 2001; Yip and Matthews, 2000, 2007, 2009) and derivational complexity (Jakubowicz, 2011; Prévost et al., 2010; Strik and Pérez-Leroux, 2011; Strik, 2012) hypotheses to study the adult L2 acquisition of English genitive alternation (between the s-genitives and the of-genitives) by intermediate and advanced Egyptian Arabic-speaking learners. While the s-genitive (e.g., the boy’s shirt) and the of-genitive (e.g., the shirt of the boy) are allowed in principle to denote possession, the s-genitive is the native option and when the possessor is human and the possessum is nonhuman. While the factors driving this genitive English alternation has been studied extensively in native language, the L2 acquisition of this alternation is an underresearched area of study (see Gries and Wulff, 2013). In standard syntactic analyses, the sgenitive is held to be more complex than the of-genitive, since it involves raising the possessor in the determiner phrase (DP). Egyptian Arabic is also known for its genitive alternation; it uses the synthetic genitive (the construct state), and the analytic genitive (the free state) that both overlap partially or significantly with the of-genitive. The task used in the present study was a meaning-based paper-pencil sentence completion task that was prompted with pictures. The task included 15 frequent target items that elicited the sgenitives (all denoting alienable possession) with human possessors (e.g., boy) and nonhuman possessums (e.g., shirt). The participants were instructed to complete the missing words in each test sentence with the help of a pair of pictures. The task was carefully designed to elicit the sgenitives that best characterize the possessive relation established in each pair of pictures. The binomial logistic regression in Generalized Linear Mixed Effect Regression was used to determine the difference between the two genitive response types by the two groups. The results showed that an intermediate group (n = 21) tended significantly to produce the of-genitives in contexts in which the s-genitives were the target construction. The advanced group (n = 15), on the other hand, significantly produced the more complex and nativelike s-genitives. These findings suggest that the surface overlap involved between the of-genitives and the corresponding genitive constructions in Egyptian Arabic conspired to trigger this crosslinguistic transfer. Also, resorting to the overlapping of-genitive option can be viewed as a strategy to avoid the more complex s-genitive option. The results of the advanced group imply that the acquisition of English genitive alternation undergoes two developmental stages. In the first, learners favor the less complex and overlapping of-genitives. In the second, they acquire the syntactic derivation in the s-genitives that raises the possessor in the DP.Abstract and slides attached.
• Azaz, M. S., & Blair, R. (2018, December). Self-guide distinctions and episodic memory in L2 motivation: The case of Arabic in the United States. AAAL 2019 Con - American Association For Applied Linguistics. Atlanta, Georgia: American Association For Applied Linguistics.
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  The L2 Motivational Self System (D€ornyei, 2009) has offered a model of second language (L2) motivation that considers the role of possible self-guides. This study examined an expanded version of this model by incorporating a distinction in the ought-to L2 self: ought-to L2 self/own and ought-to L2 self/others. Also, it examined the relationship between memory and L2 self-guides. A questionnaire was administered to L2 Arabic learners to capture core constructs of L2 motivation and memories of past experiences, known as episodic memory. The results indicated that L2 learning experience had the strongest direct effect and ideal L2 self had the strongest indirect effect on intended effort. L2 selfguides were most influential when mediated by L2 learning experience or ideal L2 self. However, ought-to L2 self/own and ought-to L2 self/others exhibited dichotomous behavior, in which ought-to L2 self/own had a positive effect and ought-to L2 self/others had a negative effect on intended effort. Importantly, associations between episodic memory and L2 self-guides were found but selective, driven presumably by shared emotional and self-relevant content. The study concludes that L2 self-guide distinctions exhibit different effects on L2 motivation in the target language context. Also, it concludes that L2 self-guides exhibit particular associations with episodic memory.Slides attached.
• Azaz, M. S. (2017, March). Hierarchy of difficulty in the L2 acquisition of number, gender, and definiteness in Arabic. 31st Annual Symposium on Arabic Linguistics. University of Oklahoma, Norman: The Arabic Linguistics Society t.
• Azaz, M. S., Combs, M., & Bever, O. (2017, spring). Arabic Language Planning in Egypt: An Integrated Approach. MENAS Colloquium Series. University of Arizona (MENAS): Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
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  The sweeping globalization processes have created 'an alarming' linguistic reality in which the status of Standard Arabic (SA) is seriously dwindling. 'Englishization' and 'dialectization' are discreetly penetrating the economic, political, and cultural domains in substantial ways. This situation has created 'a serious crisis' that is shaking the status and functions of SA, the marker of the Arab identify. This has motivated policy makers and intellectuals in the Arab world to express their deepest concerns. Egypt, a leading country in the region, developed a number of language promotion initiatives to face an alarming situation. However, these were deemed unsuccessful due to the lack of clear vision and effective implementation dynamics. In this talk, the presenters critically evaluate the existing promotion policies of SA in Egypt and the interconnections among status planning, corpus planning, and acquisition planning. They present results of an extensive survey that was conducted on Egyptian teachers of Arabic, Arabic linguists and intellectuals, and policy makers. In addition, they examine a sample of an existent SA curriculum to examine the integration of SA global functions. This research project is expected to develop an (alternative) interdisciplinary language-planning model for SA in Egypt. This model rests on (i) the interconnections among status planning, corpus planning, and acquisition planning; (ii) the development and maintenance of practical implementation dynamics; and (iii) the role of SA language education (slides attached).
• Azaz, M. S. (2016, Fall). Integrating the Genre-Based Approach into Teaching Writing in Arabic As a Foreign Language. MENAS Colloquium Series. University of Arizona: Center for Middle Eastern Studies.
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  Research on teaching writing in Arabic as a less commonly taught language is still in its infancy. Motivated by the dearth of research on the integration of the genre-based approach into teaching writing in Arabic and the absence of such an approach, this paper proposes a genre-based framework for teaching writing in Arabic. Building on conclusions drawn from recent research, it proposes four specific guiding principles. Furthermore, it offers a model lesson plan that shows an instructional sequence of how a single genre, which is congratulation letters, both personal and formal, can be effectively taught. Moreover, results of a survey conducted on a selected group of instructors of Arabic (n = 10) showed that they responded very positively to the proposed model. The guiding principles and the lesson plan are aimed to offer the underlying theoretical knowledge and a practical example for teaching this genre and other relevant ones in Arabic (slides attached).
• Azaz, M. S. (2016, January). Health care delivery to the Arabs/Arab-American community: Some cultural considerations. The UA Campus Health Conference. The UA Campus Health Center.
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  This presentation examined some cultural consideration in health delivery in the ME culture. It was attended by around 100 participants. It turned out to be a really important issue in health care delivery. Cultural misunderstanding/miscommunication can really result in serious health issues. Slides attached.
• Azaz, M. S., & Frank, J. (2016, September 23-25, 2016). The role of perceptual salience in the acquisition sequence of the Arabic construct state. Arabic Second Language Acquisition Conference. University of Michigan, Ann-Arbor.
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  Perceptual salience has been proposed as an essential factor in the order in which various linguistic phenomena are acquired. This study examines its influence on the acquisition sequence of a single construction, which is the Arabic construct state. Mapping certain English constructions to the definite Arabic construct state entails restructuring head direction (a feature of high salience) and the position of the definite marker (a feature of low salience). Results from a prompted sentence completion task suggested that early English-speaking learners of Arabic were sensitive to head direction but not definiteness. Analysis of intermediate and advanced groups captured the acquisition sequence of the Arabic construct state, proceeding in two gradual phases. During the first phase, English-speaking learners restructure head direction. Only later do they adjust definiteness.
• Azaz, M. (2015, June). Standard Arabic and Egyptian Dialect (al-Fauṣḥa wa- al-ʕāmiyya): The Centrality of Language in a Complex Struggle. International Society for Language Studies (ISLS) Conference. University of New Mexico: The ISLS.
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  This paper argues that the dominating narrative that couches the call for the spread of Colloquial Egyptian Arabic in a colonial/orientalist tradition may not go without pitfalls. Using narrative analysis it brings forth a new milieu that shows the complex sociological and the sociopolitical context in which these calls emerged.
• Azaz, M. (2015, March). On mapping nominal compounds to their equivalents: Evidence from L2 Arabic, Spanish, and English. SLAT Roundtable. University of Arizona: SLAT Program.
• Azaz, M. (2015, November 2015). Challenges facing Arabic language planning policies in the Gulf and their implications. Middle East Studies Association Annual Conference. Denver Colorado: Middle East Studies Association.
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  This talk surveyed the Gulf States attempts in general and the UAE in particular to reactivate/revive the status of the Arabic language. Using theoretical tenets from Kaplan and Baldauf (1997) and an earlier model by Kloss (1969), this paper systematically analyzes the status planning and corpus planning policies adopted in the Gulf and in the UAE. It employs demographic and educational data to explore the challenges that face these attempts. Multiplicity and complexity of factors including languages ideologies, languages attitudes, and complex interests and purposes, both material and nonmaterial, of the speech communities in the Gulf, will be analyzed. It discusses the centrality of the linguistic purposes in these policies.
• Azaz, M. (2014, January). Linguistic Landscapes: Language and Culture of the Egyptian Revolution. Fourth International Conference on the Development and Assessment of Intercultural Competence. University of Arizona, Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy,: Center for Educational Resources in Culture, Language and Literacy,.
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  Slides attached.
• Azaz, M. S. (2014, March). A General Problem Solving Model Resolves the two Contemporary Conflicting Approaches to L1 Acquisition of Syntax. American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2014 Conference. Portland, Oregon: American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) & Department of Linguistics in Portland State.
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  Slides attached.
• Azaz, M. S. (2014, November). Acquisition of the the definite marker by adult English-Arabic learners. MESA Conference. Washington, DC.
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  Slides attached.
• Azaz, M. (2013, April). Transition from Coptic to Arabic in Early Muslim Egypt: Resolving a Sociolinguistic Puzzle. 13th Annual Southwest Graduate Conference in Middle Eastern & North African Studies. University of Arizona.
• Azaz, M. (2013, February). A Critical Political Discourse Analysis of Two Conflicting Discourses during the Egyptian Revolution.. Jīl Jadīd (New Generation) Conference in Arabic Literature and Linguistics. University of Texas at Austin: Department of Middle Eastern Studies.
• Azaz, M. (2013, June). Transition from Coptic to Arabic in Early Muslim Egypt: Resolving a Sociolinguistic Puzzle. International Society for Language Studies Conference (ISLS). Puerto Rico, San Juan.
• Azaz, M. (2013, March). Do L2 Primes Trigger L1 Translation Targets? Evidence from a Late English-Arabic Bilingual. Arabic Linguistics Society Conference 27. Indiana University, Bloomington: Arabic Linguistics Society Conference 27.
• Azaz, M. (2013, November). The Effect of Activating Metacognitive Processes in L2 Writing in EFL Context. 32nd Annual Second Language Research Forum (SLRF) Conference. Brigham Young University,: Second Language Research Forum & Department of Linguistics.
• Azaz, M. S. (2013, March). Early Syntactic Development: A Tale of Two Conflicting Approaches. Second Language Acquisition and Teaching (SLAT) Round Table. University of Arizona.
• Azaz, M. (2012, March). Exploring the Effect of Activating Metacognitive Awareness in ESL Writing. Arizona TESOL Conference. University of Arizona.
• Azaz, M. (2012, March). Exploring the Effect of L1 in L2 Production: New Evidence from Learners of Elementary Arabic. Second Language Acquisition & Teaching (SLAT) Round Table. University of Arizona.
• Azaz, M. (2012, March). Integrating the Genres-Based Approach in L2 Curriculum: A New Pathway for Learners of Arabic as a Foreign Language.. 12th Annual Southwest Graduate Conference in Middle Eastern & North African Studies. University of Arizona.
• Azaz, M. (2012, November). Arabic Causatives: Investigating Verb Form Productivity in Modern Standard and the Dialects. Illinois Language Symposium on Semitic Linguistics (ISSL). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• Azaz, M. (2012, October). A General Problem-Solving Model Resolves the Two Contemporary Conflicting Approaches to L1 Acquisition of Syntax: A Literature Review and a Proposal. Arizona Linguistics Circle 7. University of Arizona.
• Azaz, M. S. (2012, April). One Revolution but Two Languages: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Two Conflicting Discourses in the Egyptian Revolution. New Directions Conference. University of Arizona.

Poster Presentations

• Azaz, M. S. (2014, March). Acquisition of Syntax-Semantics Interface in Plural Nouns by Adult L1 English-L2 Arabic Learners. American Association for Applied Linguistics (AAAL) 2014. Portland, Oregon.
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  Slides attached.

Reviews

• Azaz, M. (2015. Review of The Integrated Approach to Arabic Instruction by Munther Younes.