Sadam Issa

Sadam Issa serves as Associate Professor of Arabic Studies within Michigan State University's Department of Linguistics, Languages, and Cultures (College of Arts & Letters). He teaches comprehensive Arabic language sequences from first-year through fourth-year levels, alongside specialized courses in Arabic society, literature, media, and Levantine dialects, while directing MSU's Arabic Study Abroad Program in Amman, Jordan. As a certified Oral Proficiency Interviewer (ACTFL), he actively advances language assessment standards.

His research integrates discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and visual rhetoric with language pedagogy, prominently featuring Arabic political cartoons—currently the subject of a book project—and comics-based instructional methods. Investigations span classroom anxiety, technology-enhanced learning, politeness strategies in Jordanian advertisements, and revolutionary folk music, revealing consistent focus on sociocultural dimensions of Arabic communication.

Recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary convergence: visual media (political cartoons/comics) increasingly informs language education research, while sociolinguistic analyses of Arabic media evolve toward comparative cultural studies, particularly regarding conflict representation and religious discourse.

Scientific recognition includes:

• Open Educational Resources (OER) Leadership Awards (Michigan State University, 2021)
• Honor Instruction Award (Michigan State University, 2021)
• Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (U.S. Department of State, 2006-2007)

Issa pioneers curriculum innovation through OER textbooks for first/second-semester Arabic and hybrid learning models, receiving institutional awards for educational leadership. His study abroad program and OPI certification underscore commitment to experiential learning and proficiency-based assessment.