[etni] Fwd: re: unofficial coursebook survey
- From: ETNI list <etni.list@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: Etni <etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:21:56 +0200
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Adi Orian <austenorian@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: unofficial coursebook survey
Hi Laurie and all,
I think the exact opposite: I think the coursebooks should be as
general and as broad as possible, let me be clearer: the farthest from
the kids' lives, the better! When the topics are specific, many
students cannot relate (specific singers, specific activities, etc.)
and when the names are ones they know it is a source of endless jokes
in class, not to mention banter (or humiliation) for the student who
happens to have the same name.
When the topics are general enough, and more so when they are remote,
yet interesting, anyone with some basic curiosity can relate and it is
up to the teachers to mediate: introduce the topic, explain it, offer
exciting points of view, etc.
Notwithstanding my objections to the HOTS program as is, what I'm
saying is exactly in the HOTS spirit - getting students to think,
explore, be intrigued, and not just recite things they're familiar
with, only in English.
The short and long of it, I utterly disagree with the opinions you convey.
Would love to hear what others have to say.
shabat shalom, Adi
Laurie wrote:
> For quite some time, I've been hearing from teachers, especially in
> the Bedouin Sector, that many of the coursebook units are unsuitable
> for their pupils. The topics are far from their lives and the kids
> just don't connect and this leads to their disconnecting.
>
> Of course, we want to expose our pupils to new things, broaden their
> horizons. But we must also take into account their "home base". If
> they have no anchor, then the kids will just sail away and we lose
> them.
>
> Many teachers have also commented on the photographs of young people
> included in the books. None of them look like the kids in their
> classes! Names of kids....places mentioned..nothing that makes them
> feel at home while learning a foreign language.
>
> Perhaps there are other teachers who feel the same. I'd like to hear
> from you. Please be specific and refer to the coursebook and unit.
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