Bio
Dr. Ghinwa Alameen is Associate Teaching Professor of Arabic and Director of both the Arabic Program and the Middle Eastern Studies Minor at Iowa State University. An ISU alumna, she earned her Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics and Technology at Iowa State.
She teaches all levels of Arabic language as well as courses on Middle Eastern culture, literature, and cuisine. Her teaching emphasizes meaningful, real-world connections and student engagement through culture-rich, experiential learning. By integrating storytelling, foodways, and digital tools, she creates immersive and relevant language learning experiences.
Dr. Alameen developed the Arabic curriculum at Iowa State, including hybrid and fully online formats. Her classes implement a flipped classroom model and feature original instructional materials, including her authored Arabic Smartbook textbook, that foster interactive, culturally immersive learning.
She is also the creator of Syriancooking.com, a public humanities project that documents and preserves traditional Syrian recipes and culinary narratives.
Beyond the classroom, Dr. Alameen is actively involved in community engagement and serves as faculty advisor for the Arab Student Association. She regularly plans and organizes cultural events, including Arab Culture Nights, food workshops, and outreach initiatives such as Arab Culture Days at local elementary schools. Through these efforts, she continues to contribute to the growth of both programs and to foster cross-cultural understanding through teaching, outreach, and scholarship.
Courses Taught (Past & Present)
- ARABC 1010: Elementary Arabic I
- ARABC 1020: Elementary Arabic II
- ARABC 2010: Intermediate Arabic I
- ARABC 2020: Intermediate Arabic II
- ARABC/FSHN 3200: Taste of the Middle East and North Africa
- ARABC/WLC 3710: The Arabian Nights
- ARABC 3750: Arab Culture
- WLC 3700B: Topics in World Languages and Cultures in English Translation – Middle East
Research Areas
Arabic language pedagogy, Arab culture and storytelling, Middle Eastern cuisine and food culture, Computer-Assisted Language Learning & Artificial Intelligence, Listening and pronunciation instruction
Selected Publications & Awards
Selected Awards
- ISU Award for Early Achievement in Teaching, Iowa State University, 2019
- Diversity Award, College of Liberal Arts and Science, Iowa State University, 2017
- Graduate College Research & Teaching Excellence Awards, Iowa State University, 2014, 2011
- Fulbright Scholarship, 2005-2007
Selected Publications
- Alameen, G. & Levis, J. (2015). Connected speech. In M. Reed & J. Levis (Eds.) The handbook of English pronunciation. West Sussex, UK: Wiley Blackwell.
- Alameen, G. (2011). Learner digital stories in a web 2.0 age. TESOL Journal, 2(3), pp. 355-369.
- Alameen, G. (2010). The role of video subtitling in teaching listening comprehension. In J. Levis & K. Levelle (Eds.), Technology for Oral Communication (pp. 36-47), Ames, IA: Iowa State University.
Outside the university
Dr. Alameen enjoys cooking, gardening, traveling, exploring local cultural events, and spending time outdoors.