1. Teaching Hebrew through Hebrew Children's
Literature
Rahel Halabe
Students in Hebrew day schools in the Diaspora spend a
considerable portion of their school day from an early age in classes
dedicated to the study of the Hebrew language. Still, in many cases, while
graduating (from elementary or secondary schools) they are able to demonstrate
only less than desirable skills in reading with comprehension or listening with
comprehension, and even poorer in speaking and in writing.
Sadly enough the learning process itself is not always
perceived as exciting and rewarding: uninspiring material, watered down
stories, tedious writing drills and slow progress do not allow the
introduction of more interesting, age appropriate subjects.
One of the best solutions to this picture is very simple, most
pleasurable and in fact readily available. Unfortunately it is usually
underestimated, ignored or at most underused . It can be easily found in the
original unadapted treasures of modern Hebrew literature
and especially in the literature written for children and young adults, that
has
been listened to, read and very much enjoyed by Israeli kids (and, yes, by
adults too!) for decades.
I would like to suggest that massive exposure from the
earliest age possible to stories, poems and songs is the most effective and
enjoyable way to acquire the Hebrew language. Children who listen
daily to Hebrew stories and poems , listen to and
sing along a great number of Hebrew songs, are more likely to absorb and later
master the language in form, content and spirit, than those spending most of
their class time reading silently simple textbook pieces,
memorizing vocabulary lists, and writing diligently in their workbooks.
As parents raising children in any first language we are
encouraged to talk and sing to our babies from the day of birth, and to read
aloud to them from as early as possible. More than that, we are encouraged to go
on reading to them even after they start reading themselves. Reading aloud to them through their childhood and into their teens (in a level somewhat higher
than their own reading level), is strongly recommended. Based on
research, this is not just a good way of bonding but also extremely important
for building their various language skills - vocabulary and natural grammar -
as well as intellectual openness and conceptual grasp. This practice helps in
laying the foundation of a richer, more active vocabulary for speech as well
as for future
reading and writing.
We should not underestimate our youngsters abilities to learn more than
just their first language. We should try and imitate the process of first
language acquisition in the teaching of the second language. This can be done
through immersion in everyday Hebrew conversation and through the exposure to the
Hebrew literature. By listening to daily stories and poems read aloud daily,
by singing so many songs, young students will be exposed to natural, fluent
Hebrew in their early years, thereby accumulating a considerable vocabulary
(even if at the start mostly passive), and intuitively internalizing the
Hebrew grammar. When the time comes, they will be much readier to approach
reading as well. As is the case in their first language, familiar Hebrew
vocabulary will assist them when they try to decipher the Hebrew text. They
will recognize in print the vocabulary constructing their world in facts and
concepts, a vocabulary parallel to the one they have acquired in their first
language. Topics covered in Hebrew children's literature are not restricted to
Holidays and other Judaic subjects but include any subject dealt with in
the first-language part of the curriculum: nature and science, technology and
transportation, feelings and human relationship, play & humor etc. etc.
With gradual consistent exposure to Hebrew literature through their school
years, students will eventually develop a comfortable familiarity with the
language and the culture depicted through it. From Miriam Yalan Shtekelis's
rhymes for toddlers, the wonderful picture books of Miriam Roth, through
Devora Omer's novels and biographies, all the way to David
Grossman's 'Mishehu laRootzs Ito' for young adults - just to mention a few
of the abundance. They will listen to all these read aloud and eventually
will feel at ease reacting to them and talking about them, and with time,
they will be more likely to read them themselves for their own pleasure.
Children's literature in Hebrew as in other languages use most basic
themes, vocabulary and sentence structures and at the same time is rich and
literary enough to serve as an excellent gateway to literary Hebrew in
general.
Hebrew literature should be offered primarily for its joy and as a pleasant
experience and not as a texts for study and immediate benefit. A story
should not be dwelled upon for too long, nor should it be read slowly by
the students, and laboriously plowed with written questions and answers and
vocabulary quizzes. Rather, understanding should be achieved instantly by
the reader aloud using animation, acting, pointing to objects around the
classroom, through the windows, in posters and picture books. This
comfortable story telling atmosphere allows for interruptions,
clarifications, reactions and later conversation.
Following the first reading, the teacher should be able to judge the
instant feedback, be flexible enough and decide if a repeated more fluent
reading would be welcome, or a conversation preferred. Young kids would
listen with delight to repeated readings of poems and picture book stories
whereas older children and certainly teens would be happy just to find out
the plot and continue on to heated discussions about its content.
Also, while offering these readings, we should keep in mind and make it
clear to our listeners that not every word has to be understood and
explained but rather the general plot of story and its themes should be
captured. In order to keep the narration as natural as possible,
explanations should be limited to key words only which will be treated as
described above.
Gradual age appropriate material will allow much to be understood through
the context. Is this not the way children expand their vocabulary in their
first language? Most words are naturally understood and acquired from
within a context, be it life situation or literary context.
Massive exposure to Hebrew literature together with the consistent use of
most frequent vocabulary in daily class interaction (a subject deserving
discussion on its own) is most important. It will ensure that the child
encounters and reencounters numerous times the same word, the same root,
the same verb form or the same syntactic structure in different stories and
different real life situations, thus internalizing them for passive and
active use. Here is where quantity leads to quality. Instead of spending
long hours and days studying intensively a limited number of uninspiring
textbook pieces, the child will come across a very large number of
exciting, sensitive, funny, poetic, informative works from Hebrew
literature that will deepen his/her grasp of the Hebrew language and enable
him/her to integrate it into use. More than that, opportunities to apply
newly introduced words and forms in the stories read, to daily situations,
are abundant all around us, provided we are conscious of the need to apply
them.
When students in later grades reach the stage where grammar might deepen
their understanding of the language and fine tune its use, they would
already have a rich linguistic experience to draw from and to apply to the
theoretical study of grammar.
Introducing young students to modern Hebrew literature will not only ease
their way into Hebrew conversation and modern Hebrew fiction and non
fiction written for adults but will support their study of the classical
texts: Bible, Siddur, Mishna and more. In fact, studying the Hebrew of the
past will in its turn support the learning of today's Hebrew, which draws
so much from its layered linguistic traditions. A rich program offering
both past and present will help prepare educated adult Jews well read and
appreciative of their heritage and culture.
To conclude, I would like to encourage Hebrew teachers to start reading
beyond the textbooks they are supposed to teach, collect their favorite
findings of modern Hebrew children literature and start introducing them to
their students. Read aloud only what you really like and appreciate and
pass this appreciation to your students. For the time being suggested
gradual reading lists are not readily available. As I have been doing for
years, you will have to experiment and create your own lists. It does
involve much work. I have no doubt though that you will find this work
very rewarding both in students engagement as well as in their
achievements. You will surely find it rewarding in the array of subjects
for further application, class work and discussions that these readings might
lead to. Be flexible and creative and you will find many opportunities for
all the language skills you are trying to teach: reading with
comprehension, listening with comprehension, speaking, and last in
priorities - writing. (another subject deserving serious discussion).
Appeared on Mifgashim January 5 2002
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