[etni] Dr English- a software using memory aids to teach ABC's in a weird way
- From: HAGIT LAHAV חגית להב <hagit_27@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:17:32 +0200
Not a long tome ago, there was a post here about a software called "Dr
English" to teach English to different level and target audiences, ministry
approved etc.
(Here is the link that was posted here- http://www.h2e.co.il
<http://www.h2e.co.il/> )
I have tried the trial version of the Beginners level, (you can only try the
first lesson) and it was introducing the ABC's.
I was happy to see it use visualizations and pictures to help remembering
the letters only that the pictures show symbols that sound like the letter
in Hebrew, not in English ? and it seems very problematic to me. Shouldn?t
the visual that stays in our mind be the original sound in the English
language, rather than another one?
I want to give some examples and ask your opinion, because I have quit the
software thinking it?s not something that I'll use, since it contradicts
everything I know and have learnt about teaching the sounds of letters to
young learners.
Example 1-
For the letter C ? there is a picture or a round pin, half circled, and the
instruction in Hebrew to the pupils is:
"Imagine a SIKA in the shape of the letter C" (why should we ask hiom to
memorize the sound of S for SIKA in Hebrew when in English this symbol,
visual memory aid stands for "a pin"???
Example 2-
For the letter E- there is a picture of a man reading an open newspaper, and
the instruction in Hebrew to the pupils is: "Imagine a man with "ETON" in
the shape of the letter E. Eton stands for the Hebrew sound "E" ? but can
this represent the sound/s of the letter E in English, not to mention that
the sound of a Newspaper is N, not E???
Last one- Example 3-
For the letter F- there is a drawing of a chink with its wings open in the
shape of F, and the instruction in Hebrew to the pupils is: "Imagine EFROACH
in the shape of the letter F. The pupil sees a chick, that I would, btw, use
for the sound CH- so why turning the sounds to a Hebrew sound "EF", that
doesn't even represent the sound of the letter in our mind?
There are a lot more... but I think that's enough.
Waiting to read your responses about this.
Thanks
Hagit Lahav
School of Arts, Tel- Aviv.
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