----- Original Message ----- From: "ERICH" <erichl@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: re: poll suggestion: old bagrut vs. modules As far as I know, a language is a verbal means of communication, most of my teaching is spent on developing verbal skills, such as idiomatic expressions, having discussions, pronunciation and even (I know this is a no no) asking the students to learn expressions by heart!! Therefore, I suggest we keep the oral bagrut, however unfair and subjective it is, after all a live language isn't based on unseens with incredibly tricky questions which don't test communicative skills, but rather how much a student can get into the thoughts of the writer of the exam. I have made a survey of how the students feel about the projects and they all said they learned something from them, even the fact that they took it from the internet actually helped them to read and summarize. Shabbat Shalom Carmen Linda wrote:
I would also like to see an end to the oral for the reasons you mentioned. In addition, I would like to see the end of projects, for the many reasons enumerated on this forum a little while back. Everyone I've spoken to is very unhappy with this module systerm. What I don't understand is why we aren't doing anything about the above! Linda Kuras Mizrahi Nira wrote:It would be interesting to see the results of such a poll. I'd agree to TWOexams, one in the summer of 11th grade and the other in the summer of 12th grade. The first one can include literature questions, as Jennifer Byk suggests. That could be a problem though, because I wouldn't like to see a closed list of stories and poems. Three exams are an exaggeration and I think it's clear by now that having 7 different modules puts too much pressure on the system.The reason I want an exam at the end of 11th grade as well is the fact thatwhen we had only one exam in 12th grade, students in 10-11th grades were too complacent. The exam seemed a long way off and they didn't do the work they were assigned. They kept saying that they would worry about English when thetime came - in 12th grade...I know many people wouldn't agree, but I would also like to put an end tothe Oral Bagrut Exam. I find that many examiners, including myself, are extremely generous towards the 3-4 points groups out of pity... The result is that the Oral grades certainly don't reflect the quality of students' speech. It's a lot of hassle, we get paid peanuts and the students get a"gift" grade. In my opinion, it isn't worth the trouble, not to mention thecost to the education system.
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