Frequent Words' Lists
and the
Effective Teaching of Hebrew as a Second Language
Rahel Halabe
Mifgashim June 15
2003
Mifgashim List is a project of The Lookstein Center for Jewish Education in the
Diaspora, The School of Education, Bar Ilan University
http://listserv.biu.ac.il/archives/mifgashim.html
In a previous message sent to MIFGASHIM, I suggested that Teaching Hebrew
through Hebrew Children Literature can be, not only enjoyable and lively,
but at the same time, a very effective way for transmitting a natural
idiomatic language to our students. Here I would like to raise Hebrew
teachers' awareness to the potential of another important tool: the
Frequent Words List. At first glance this tool might not look as rich and
as exiting as stories and songs, but it actually has the potential of
enabling the students to engage in a meaningful Hebrew conversation and to
approach more interesting and age appropriate texts earlier on.
Students learning Hebrew should not be expected to memorize the
frequent words appearing on these lists. Rather, teachers should have them
always in mind. They should try and incorporate them creatively into lessons, games,
posters and into the everyday Hebrew conversation in the class and in the
schoolyard. A conscious use of these words by the teacher will expose the
students regularly to the most common daily vocabulary. It will help them
internalize it and eventually use it both passively while listening and
reading and actively in talking and writing.
Frequent Words Lists (FWL) are used regularly in the teaching of English
as a first language. Remedial teachers use them to drill their students in
the spelling of the most common vocabulary they are likely to need in
their
writing. This is not the suggested use of FWL in our case, the Teaching of
Hebrew as a second Language. Here their role is much wider and more
important.
Old Hebrew (Biblical or Modern) textbooks for adults used to teach the
language gradually - from the grammatically easy to the more difficult
i.e.
from the 3 consonants Simple Verbs to the Weak Verbs, starting from the
Qal pattern and proceeding slowly to the rest of the Binyanim. This
approach
might have a sound linguistic rational, but has not proven satisfactory
when the objective is an active daily use of the language. The reason for
this, if we continue with the above verbs example, is the fact that many
of the common verbs are not Simple Verbs and some are not necessarily Qal
verbs.
The approach today in both the introduction to Biblical Hebrew and in
Israeli ulpanim (immersion courses for adults) teaching Modern Hebrew is much more pragmatic. Lessons are planned based on frequency rather than on difficulty. The very frequent verbs, nouns, syntactic structures etc. are introduced earlier
on, even if they are grammatically more difficult to grasp. An ulpan student is in
a
short time exposed to a relatively wide realistic picture of the language
and is expected to apply it right away.
This pragmatic approach is supported by the fact that in Hebrew as in all
other languages, a relatively small group of frequent words accounts for a
surprisingly high percentage of the total word count, the words in actual
use. As statistics for Hebrew are hard to find, and assuming they do not
differ much, allow me to quote numbers describing the Canadian Elementary
School WFL:
The first 100 most frequent words account for about 59% of the total word
count.
The first 500 most frequent words account for about 80% of the total word
count.
The first 1000 most frequent words account for about 87% of the total word
count.
The picture described is quite striking. It means that the number of times
each of these very frequent words is used is many folds greater than other
less frequent words which are used significantly fewer times or rarely. A
child is more likely to use or encounter words such as: 'want', 'say'
or 'play' many times a day, but only seldom come across a word
like 'maneuver'.
Prof. Shlomo Haramati in his book 'Havanat haNikra baSiddur uvaMikra'
(Jewish Agency, Department for Religious Education and Culture in the
Diaspora 1983) presents 4 Frequency lists: Biblical, Genesis, Siddur (prayerbook) and Modern Hebrew. His analysis and comparison of these lists are invaluable
for the Hebrew school teacher. He found that there is a great over lap
between Biblical and the Modern Hebrew lists:
88% of the Biblical FWL are among his Modern FWL.
This means that by laying a good foundation to any of these two parts of
the Hebrew school curriculum, we are simultaneously helping in doing the
same for the other. Basic roots dealing with eating, drinking, walking,
listening etc. are of the first on both Biblical and Modern FWL. They are
most important in understanding a Biblical story as in conducting a simple
everyday conversation. As teachers we should therefore study these lists
and be diligent in including words listed on them (verbs,
nouns, adjectives, prepositions etc.) in our interaction with the
students. If we are alert and ready to use our creativity, we will
find that the opportunities to
use this vocabulary are abundant. Heard again and again on a daily basis
these
words will turn to be very familiar. First they will be familiar enough
for the student to recognize them while reading and listening. Eventually
the
student will also find them available for active speech and later for
writing as well.
Prof. Haramati suggests: 1172 words for the Biblical list, 279 words for
the Genesis list, 556 words for the Siddur list and 1072 for the general
Modern Hebrew reading list.
Considering the great overlap his suggested overall list consists of only
1736 words.
Teaching this number of words is a goal that can certainly be achieved in
the first grades of elementary school, leaving the later grades for
expansion and enrichment of students' vocabulary and for its actual use in
more advanced and complex subjects.
Prof. Haramati's lists have still a great potential as teaching aids, but a
more updated tool reflecting current use is needed as well. The Modern
Hebrew FWL offered in Haramati's book is already 20 years old and based
only on texts used in elementary Hebrew schools in the Diaspora. It is not
a list of frequent words in a modern child's world. Haramati's list is
therefore lacking the Hebrew words for: ball, computer, car, airplane,
space, movie, exam.... just to mention a few. I am not aware of a Hebrew
FWL based on the vocabulary encountered by Hebrew speaking Israeli
children
in their day-to-day conversations, readings, interaction and interests in
general.
I would greatly appreciate it if any of MIFGASHIM readers could direct me
to any such lists if they do exist.
Hebrew schools teachers in the Diaspora need the FWL in order to help them
focus and work more effectively towards their objectives in transmitting
the language to their students. It allows them to carefully choose and
emphasis the vocabulary they want to present, offer it in reasonable
order, prioritize and apply it in every possible way to facilitate
students'
maximum exposure. In the meantime, until such lists are found or produced
through scholarly and statistically valid work, I would like to encourage
teachers to create their own class or their own school FWL. You can start
from Prof. Haramati's lists or from glossaries in modern Hebrew Ulpan
books
for adults (i.e. Ivrit min haHathala). You can even use your students'
first language FWL (English, Spanish...) and translate it. Such lists will
serve as a base to be sifted through, added to and adapted as needed.
Teachers should also be aware of frequent syntactic structures and other
grammatical patterns, and try to transmit them early on together with the
frequent words. This subject may deserve a separate discussion.
Students' mastery of the basics is the most important step for their
future
progress in language acquisition. Hebrew is a key not only to their
spiritual and cultural tradition but also to understanding Israel and
connecting with Israelis. Hebrew Frequent Words Lists can help ensure
students' solid foundation of Hebrew and their continuing interest and
enthusiasm in full Hebrew usage.
Prof. Haramati's recommended Vocabulary lists for the
Jewish day school in the Diaspora can be found at:
פרופסור הרמתי: אוצר מלים עברי יסודי מומלץ לביה"ס היהודי
בתפוצות 1983