Recently, the Education Ministry’s Religious Education Administration (Hemed) and Rav Uriel Ovadia, the supervisor for secondary education, organized a day-long seminar on improving English instruction. As part of the seminar, which was geared for principals and English teachers from the southern, central, and Tel Aviv districts, Dr. Vitela Arzi, head of Orot Israel College’s English department, gave a lecture entitled, “English Instruction as an Interdisciplinary Experience in Israel’s Religious Public Schools.”
Dr. Arzi called upon the Religious Education Administration and the school principals to formulate a vision which will make English-language instruction a high priority and to rely on this vision when defining goals, guiding, and leading, in cooperation with parents and teachers and with their creative input.
According to Dr. Arzi, low English scores in Israeli religious public schools can be attributed to two factors: First, in general, Israel suffers from a significant shortage of qualified English teachers in every sector. Second, religious students in particular may be exposed to negative attitudes about studying English, which is often perceived as a manifestation of an ideological world antithetical to religious educational values. The result is a “vicious cycle,” whereby religious public school graduates are reluctant to train as English teachers even when they possess the necessary skills. Thus, the religious educational system’s primary objective must be to break this “vicious cycle.”
Dr. Arzi noted that a foreign language can be acquired in one of two different ways: structured, direct learning in a formal classroom setting and unstructured, “random” learning in an informal or recreational setting. As she demonstrated, recent empirical studies have proven that long-term exposure to television and movies – as well as to popular music and computer games – improves English language skills and vocabulary. Recognizing the significance of informal, “random” learning can shed light on the achievement gaps between students in the religious public school system and students in the general public school system, because religious students are not exposed to the same degree of informal learning as their peers in the general school system. Therefore, religious public schools must find suitable alternatives and increase their efforts to narrow the gaps – while working to recruit qualified teachers.
In addition, Dr. Arzi explained that due to the Internet revolution, educators must treat English as a second language rather than as a foreign language and adopt the learning tools used to teach a second language. Thus, educators must ensure that English is “present” and accessible throughout the school and during many different activities and that the entire faculty be involved in the effort. For instance, teachers can develop Jewish-themed learning centers which incorporate English-language activities, put out printed or online English school newspapers, organize English-language recess-time activities, initiate English writing competitions, and produce English-language school plays. Furthermore, school principals should provide their students with English texts and invest in English libraries.
During the course of her talk, Dr. Arzi presented examples of various successful Orot Israel College initiatives which implement these ideas. She added that one need not be concerned that this approach will hurt Hebrew-language skills or vocabulary, because research has shown that language skills are not only transferred from the mother tongue to the second language but also vice versa. Improving literacy – by reading and writing in English – has a positive effect on Hebrew literacy as well.
In conclusion, Dr. Arzi called upon the Religious Education Administration and the school principals to formulate a vision which will make English-language instruction a high priority and to rely on this vision when defining goals, guiding, and leading, in cooperation with parents and teachers and with their creative input.
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