How to Transform a Hebrew "Class" into an "Experience" (Strategic Principle #2)

On the anniversary of our launch one year ago, we are pleased to share a few of the successful innovations that make our classes 'strategic.' This is the second of 3 valuable tips for making Hebrew classes relevant, engaging and memorable.

1) MOTIVATION

2) LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!  Class setup is uniquely un-classroom like.  

3) APPLICATION

To take a lesson from the old adage, setting is very important. Memory scientists note that the teaching environment has a tremendous impact on whether the information will be accessible at a future time. Test taking strategists recommend that students study in the testing room if possible, so that they are more comfortable recalling their studies in pressurized surroundings.

If our mission is to help Americans gain the skills to speak Hebrew in meaningful situations, then we need to give them every opportunity to practice in a meaningful environment.  

In other words, take the class out of the classroom and learn Hebrew ON LOCATION so students can recall the vocabulary they learn next time they find themselves in a similar situation!

What does this mean for the Hebrew classes themselves?

1) Lessons are not desk and blackboard centered.  

The location of the lesson matches it's content. For example, a cooking class will take place in a kitchen, basketball class on a basketball court, and a dining class around a dinner table or inside a restaurant.

2) Location enhances motivation!

Students are excited to be on the rooftop playground, in the park or gym or supermarket. Looking around, they don't see usual evidence of school and they feel an activity is imminent. Of course, knowing that the access point to that activity is Hebrew, they pay greater attention to the introductory language lesson so they can use the new vocabulary and grammar tools to participate.

3) What about reading and writing?

A portable board or poster serves as a reference point for the language concept of the day, with vocabulary listed in Hebrew (no transliteration). Students are encouraged to use writing as a tool for recording vocabulary in their own notebooks throughout the class period, at any time they have something to record (more on this writing strategy in Strategic Principle #3)!  

Bottom line? Despite taking place in a non-traditional Hebrew classroom environment, the surroundings are print-rich and directly related to the theme of the class. All of these innovations reinforce the language and learning goals for the class and motivate students to give themselves up to the experience of learning Hebrew.

Strategic Hebrew lessons take place on basketball courts and playgrounds, in kitchens and restaurants.  The location is chosen to be conducive to the activity and students are so focused on the topic that they are fully engaged even in a lobby or other public space. View images of our classes on our website www.StrategicHebrew.com. Video footage is available on our facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/StrategicHebrew

A Lesson From Sinai: Hebrew is not beyond our reach!

During a recent discussion about the holiday of Shavuot (“Festival of Weeks” which celebrates the giving of the Torah), I asked a group of 3 and 4 year-olds why they thought the Torah was revealed on a mountain.  The students thought for a moment and then offered a variety of answers that centered around the same theme: “the Torah is so special, it needs to be kept in a safe place where we can’t touch it.”

This response is consistent with the students’ life experiences--think about the breakable artifacts preserved on high shelves and used only for ceremonial purposes.  We often do the same with bits of knowledge that feel too challenging for our comprehension (Physics for Poets, anyone?).

But that is not true of the Torah, or truth be told, the Hebrew language.  There is a beautiful collection of verses in Deuteronomy (30:11-14) that speak to this theme.  Moses gives some of his last guidance to the entire gathering of the Jewish people before his death:

“...לא בשמים היא... ולא מעבר לים” It is not in the Heavens... and it is not across the sea...

Moses wants to dispel the notion of keeping the Torah on a pedestal.  He urges the Jewish people to take ownership of it, use it until it becomes a part of them, despite any number of difficulties in observance, differences of opinion, linguistic challenges and other perceived roadblocks.

“...כי קרוב עליך הדבר מאוד, בפיך ובלבבך לעשותו”  It is very close to you, in your hearts and in your mouths to do it.  

Moses’s strategy here is brilliant; he focuses on accessibility by breaking down barriers through language:

“The word is close to you”

The text uses the word “davar,” often translated as “thing,” but really means “word” (as in “dvar Torah”--lit: words of Torah).  Strictly speaking, Moses tells the people to use words to bring the Torah close, to express love and take it into hearts through their mouths.

Any language learner notices the significance of word choice, and in this case, the text speaks particularly strongly in favor of Hebrew knowledge.  Though one does not need to know Hebrew in order to study the Bible, an awareness of the language adds many layers of nuance to the text.

American Hebrew learners can take encouragement from this idea that Hebrew is not beyond our reach.  The more we engage ourselves with it’s use, the more we will appreciate it’s richness and depth.  The first step is to create opportunities to explore and practice our skills.  If we keep the words in our hearts and in our mouths, surely, we will gain greater appreciation for this beautiful language.

The argument for speaking Hebrew in America

The biggest recurring question I faced in founding Strategic Hebrew, Inc. was “why?” 

Why Hebrew?  What is the purpose of learning Hebrew in America?  What if I never go to Israel?  Anyway, most Israelis speak English…

Ultimately, I was being asked to define the value proposition of the Hebrew language to Jewish people living outside of Israel.  I believe there are many reasons to learn to speak Hebrew that are much more culturally and personally significant than ordering falafel on Ben Yehudah Street.   

For example, there are numerous studies that describe the cognitive benefits of learning a second language, such as mental agility, creative problem solving, defense against aging, etc.  These benefits apply to all second languages, so why choose Hebrew?  Is Hebrew more significant to American Jews than Spanish or French?  Absolutely, and here’s why...

The bottom line:  Tradition.  Heritage.  Jewish connectivity and peoplehood.

Language learning incorporates the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing.  Stronger Hebrew language ability leads to greater comprehension skills, which in turn grant access to original texts, such as the Hebrew bible, the Passover Haggadah, and various traditions of prayer.  Understanding the text makes the bar/bat mitzvah and synagogue experience infinitely more meaningful for everyone concerned.

Raising the bar for conversational fluency also allows speakers to connect with fellow Jews throughout the world and dovetails directly with enhanced comprehension of Hebrew texts.  Through learning to speak Hebrew, even those living outside of Israel can find a deeper meaning in our daily life and common heritage.

Hebrew lessons become infinitely more powerful when they are combined with meaningful interactions.  A thirsty person will learn the words to ask for water, while a child who wants to play sports will figure out how to ask the teacher for permission.  When the motivation is strong enough, we learn the words necessary to meet our needs, and with this foundation, our growing vocabularies enliven text wherever we encounter it.

If our communal goal is to learn Hebrew for synagogue participation and text study, why stop with reading exercises and basic Hebrew decoding?  Why not reap all the benefits of having learned a second language, particularly one that connects us so strongly to our collective past and future?  Let’s put our time to good use and learn to speak in Hebrew… what do we have to lose when there is so much to gain?  

Amy Fechter is Founder and Curriculum Strategist at Strategic Hebrew, Inc. A NY State certified teacher with a Master's Degree in literacy from Bank Street College, she has extensively studied language acquisition in both theory and practice. The 'Strategic' approach is the result of more than a decade of successful development and implementation of constructivist language instruction for students nursery through adult.