[etni] fw: The "listening" debate

From: "jahn@xxxxxxxxxxxx" - jahn@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: The "listening" debate

Hello all!

I too wish to voice my feelings on this issue.

Let's start with the positive elements. I would be unhappy to see the Listening Comprehension taken out of the Bagrut exam since I truly think it encourages the kind of listening that isn't required anywhere else on the exam, including the Oral examination. While I accept the fact that it is easy for a student to cheat on this section of the exam, in the final analysis, this exercise is a tiny portion of the whole exam. I am willing to pay that price since the advantages outweigh the disadvantages in this case.
Here we encourage students to read the questions ahead of time so they actually have to listen out for specific information which is not the case in the Oral exam. By the time they sit opposite the Oral Tester, they have a general idea of what could be asked and therefore have to understand global chunks of information. There is a difference!

As for making complaints/suggestions that are heard by the powers that be, I take great exception to the notion that I have to be a school principal so as to be heard. I would like to think that that just isn't true. Are we a
group of people to be ignored? Do we not know what goes on during the Bagrut exam? Of course we don't deserve to be ignored and we know exactly what goes
on during the Bagrut exam. Invigilators (Proctors for those who prefer it!) who don't know how to read the radio frequency scale; Invigilators who, for some reason, totally forget to turn the radio on; Invigilators who feel the need to chat with their partner throughout the entire broadcast. I could add to this but won't since this is already too long! When we voiced concerns
about the time allocated to Module G, we were heard (for which, thanks) so I see no reason why we shouldn't be heard regarding the listening.

Finding an effective solution to the problem is another matter but I trust those whose job it is to find one for us all.

Judy Nesher

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