[etni] Re: etni Digest V7 #28
- From: Howard Hanan Sibirsky <howdon@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: Howard Hanan Sibirsky <howdon@xxxxxxxxxx>, etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, lkirshenberg@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2009 12:13:25 +0200
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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