NOTE: This year I am on sabbatical leave. In Israel, a teacher can take every seventh year off, receive 70% salary, and study almost any subject. I decided to take a course in Arabic as 60% of my students are L1 Arabic speakers. I speak Hebrew as a second language, can get by on my French, and know several hundred words of Yiddish and Amharic. I enrolled in a program of one intensive day per week for 9 months. Fringe Benefit: I can empathize with my pupils:
1 Learning a new alphabet which has its own insane logic is VERY DIFFICULT. I still sound words out letter by letter, getting several triads of letters confused. I am still a non-reader.
2 I get flustered when called on to read ALTHOUGH: The group is tiny, we are about the same age and level, we are supportive, and the teachers are superb;
3 I HATE being corrected by the teachers.
4 I probably have a mild learning disability, so if I want to make the most of this year, I’ll have to work really hard.
5 Working really hard is going to take time from other things.
6 When I try to speak—and our teachers force us to speak—I forget everything I know; it is so frustrating.
7 I can find strategies that work: Making cards, finding Arabic speakers to speak with.
8 When I look at words I just read, I still can’t identify them; I must decode them all over again.
9 I know I’m improving but it’s slower than I expected.
THIS HAS GIVEN ME TREMENDOUS INSIGHT AS TO WHAT A WEAK LEARNER GOES THROUGH!
- BarriSilverberg's blog
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Yeah, I know what you mean! I felt the almost the same when I started learning French. I guess my progress in knowing my students better was much faster than in French:)
You are absolutely right, it's invaluable experience. It helps to tailor the way we teach to their needs, to think of new activities and techniques.
Hi Barrisilverberg,
good luck with your work and make the most of your sabbatical year :) It is good to experience learning new things and that way you can sharpen your teaching skills. Here in your case, there are many factors comparing to traditional learners: one of them might be age, because you know some adults aren'T really happy to be corrected by the teachers whereas young learners don't mind this :)
Thanks for your post, all the best luck with Arabic from Turkey...
I took a course in Spanish one Sabbatical and I was almost like my deaf students. In class I could, of course, hear the teacher but outside of class I was not exposed to Spanish in any way (I hate soap-operas, so that was out!). When learning isn't reinforced outside the class it is even harder.
So important to remind ourselves how difficult it really is!
Great idea!
I had the same experience when learning Turkish even though I had the advantage of living in Turkey while learning (and of having aTturkish mother-in-law :-) Turkish really is an amazingly difficult language to learn! Luckily it is the most beautiful poetic flowery language imaginable ♥
...
Don't give up! I've been studying Arabic on and off for eight years, and can now say, maybe, that I'm fluent, at times. If you speak Hebrew the logic of the grammar should be much more straight-forward, and of course, you're in the perfect place. I feel that now I too need to learn a new language to better understand the needs of my students. As language teachers, we should always be learning languages to be able to empathise with our students.
Where did you study Arabic? I have to travel 130 KM once a week!
So long, and thanks for all the comments.
BTW, how do you get your picture up there? All I got to put up was this undershirt, which, after a week could really use a wash.
Hi Barri and everyone else
Unlike you, I must confess, Spanish was all plain sailing for me. I did not always agree with the teacher's methods but the knowledge of French really helped me. I've always wanted to try Arabic but can never find time and learning new alphabet puts me off too.
LEO
Hi Barri and everyone else
Unlike you, I must confess, Spanish was all plain sailing for me. I did not always agree with the teacher's methods but the knowledge of French really helped me. I've always wanted to try Arabic but can never find time and learning new alphabet puts me off too.
LEO
Hi Barri,
I studied in Egypt and elsewhere. It's a beautiful language. I know they do courses now at Hebrew U. Hope your undershirt doesn't smell too bad - as I'm not part of the race, I don't have to wear one. Keep up the great blogging this week.
Michaela
British Council