[etni] listening

Dear Etniers:

I was quite surprised by the thread about listening. Some teachers seem to
think that listening is a rather minor skill, not that important, and should
be dropped from the Bagrut. 

I do not agree. I think that listening is a very important skill. First, I
disagree that in real life people rarely have to listen to a radio to obtain
information as one teacher suggested. I think we do often obtain information
through listening - be it the radio, or a lecture, or even on TV. It is true
that we sometimes have visual clues to help us in addition to our ears, but
not always. I used to always sit in the front row in university lectures
while I was learning Hebrew, because seeing the speaker's lips aided my
comprehension, but students sitting in the middle and back rows had to
depend mainly on their ears. Or, picture a National Geographic television
show, showing animals in the wild on the screen, with a narrator giving out
the information. One does not see the narrator, and must listen and
comprehend the text. Again, the pictures help, just like pictures in a news
article help one to understand the text - but it is just an aid. And this is
not to mention the fact that people do still sometimes tune into the radio
for information - especially when one is "on the go" - in a car, traveling
around, etc. Even the internet provides more and more video clips (again,
with a voice-over talking about the images one sees). 

Secondly, listening is very crucial for learning a new language. I'm sure
that research has shown that activating multiple senses aids memory. In
another words, a student who both hears a word and sees a word will find it
easier to learn than a student who only hears or only sees the word.
Listening and Reading are mutually reinforcing. This is why deaf students
are at such a disadvantage when learning a foreign language - and also why
extremely dyslexic students are also at a disadvantage. The former depend
only on their eyes, the latter, (to some extent), depend only on their ears.


One teacher suggested that the oral exam is a test of listening as well as
speaking. However, the same teacher admitted that the listening required of
the student in the oral exam is limited (I'd add "extremely" limited) since
the student really only has to understand a few questions - many of these
questions the student can anticipate. This is a far cry from understanding a
lecture about pollution in the ocean, or whatever. 

Now, we are all aware of the pedagogical backwash of the bagrut. As long as
there is listening comprehension in the Bagrut, teachers will work on the
skill in class - not just in high school, but down into junior high school
and elementary school as well. Take it out of the Bagrut, and it will begin
to disappear from the text books and the classroom.

The fact that it is easier to copy in the listening comprehension than in
other parts of the exam is a challenge that should be met. I was glad to see
that the Ministry once again had 2 versions of the exam in the winter, and I
hope that this will continue. At any rate, 2 versions are a MUST for A and
E, because of the listening comprehension. (When there are 2 version, many
cheaters are caught.) Also, I think it would be a good idea to change the
balance and have fewer multiple choice questions and more semi-open
questions. First of all, that makes it harder to cheat. Secondly, semi-open
ended questions are closer to note-taking, which, (unlike answering multiple
choice questions) is a "real-life" skill.

I don't see any problem with listening comprehension being 30% of E - which
means it is still only worth 10% of the Bagrut as a whole. (Actually - 8%).
Any less would be ridiculous. And don't think that the listening
comprehension is "easy" for everyone. The passages have become more
difficult in recent years (and the questions). Even 5 pointers don't all get
100% on the listening, and it is certainly a challenge for many of the four
pointers. And if a student CAN understand a lecture in spoken English, why
shouldn't he/she get credit for this important skill?

Logistics. I was sorry that the poll had us choose between the radio
broadcast and tapes. Why not both?? I think the radio broadcast should
continue - with tapes available as back-up. Even today, we have a "back-up"
tape at school (the LD tapes - of which a school is given at least one copy)
which can be used if the radio broadcast fails for any reason. At present,
one must get permission to use the back-up tape in the event that the radio
broadcast fails. The ONLY thing that I think should be changed is this
directive!! I think that schools should automatically have the right to use
the back-up tape if the regular broadcast flopped - and I think that schools
can be trusted to do this without going to Matech Bechinot. (And
then...schools hesitate to ask mateh bechinot for fear that the answer will
be no.) Directions should be given that if the proctors do not begin the
broadcast on time, or if the reception is not clear, they should immediately
turn off the radio, and use the back-up tape. The ministry should be
generous in providing a decent number of back-up tapes. The cost of each
individual tape is really negligible once tapes are being prepared. 

I also have another request. On the day of the bagrut, the radio stations
that are broadcasting the LC should repeatedly give their "sign" ("This is
Reshet Gimel"- or whatever) - say every 15 minutes for the 2 hours before
the broadcast, and every 5 minutes for the 15 minutes before the broadcast
to make it easier to "tune in". Fortunately, A is broadcast before E, and in
many schools, there are fewer A students, and the time can be used to make
sure the radios are tuned to the correct station. Naturally, the proctors
AND students must be given clear instructions as to when to turn the
broadcast on. The broadcast time should be written clearly on the board by
the staff. 

Well, that's my opinion. Hope you were all listening...

Sharon Tzur


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