[etni] Re: etni Digest V7 #28

Lea,
I had been a teacher of Spanish in Connecticut before I came on Alyah. 

The day I began to teach in Israel I realized how - sorry that I have to put it 
in these words - backward we are in the teaching a foreign language.

Grammar is a part of teaching. However, in Israel it has become, and still is, 
the backbone of teaching English.

Empathizing English Grammar as it is the rule here, has led to a great dislike 
for the language and, as you put it, " The
very high number of students who can hardly write a grammatically correct 
sentence is the sad result of having neglected Grammar for so long. "

Grammar must be a supportive addition to language teaching, but not teaching 
language itself. 

Grammar is theory and not language per se.

You write quite correctly, "It is time all teachers realized that the
question is not whether or not to teach Grammar, but how to teach it!"

I ask you; How can teachers realize something that they have no idea about.? 
Where are other methods taught?  What changes have been made and taught in the 
teachers colleges? What technology has been introduced in the classroom? I will 
answer my own question - NONE !!! Nothing has really changed since I arrived in 
1970.

It was my luck to have taught for 19 years in a school were the principal had 
given me full support, not the English co-coordinator. I was supported when I 
asked that English  computer programs be introduced in the computer room. I 
stopped giving grammar exams. We studied grammar from a wonderful  book that 
made it easy due to the fact that the vocabulary was easy to understand and it 
was designed to teach. Once a week was enough. I made sure that all students in 
the class orally read at least six answers from the book. They had no fear of 
grammar.The fact that I was kept as a Moreh Bahir for 19 till retirement was 
for me the proof of my success.

I will not mention the name of the school but believe me it is one of the top 
schools in Israel. I also will not go into, here,  what has to change and how.

Leah, I have taught for 35 years in Israel. I have worked in a number of 
schools. When I say that not nothing has changed I tell you that it is based on 
years and years of experience. 

I will like you and others to research what is done in other countries, see 
teaching of foreign language as it is taught using other NEWER methods.



Howard Hanan Sibirsky


From: lkirshenberg@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: re: Grammar needs hip operation

Dear All,
The article on Grammar from the Australian newspaper reflects everything I
have always believed in and that's why I was so happy to read it and I hope
many teachers will. All along the years, when it was fashionable to believe
that we could teach a foreign language without teaching Grammar, I was
against that opinion. Now Grammar is not only officially back, but it is
making a dramatic comeback! It is time all teachers realized that the
question is not whether or not to teach Grammar, but how to teach it! The
very high number of students who can hardly write a grammatically correct
sentence is the sad result of having neglected Grammar for so long.

Dr. Lea Kirshenberg
Levinsky College of Education

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