[etni] Re: etni Digest V10 #302

From: Kara Aharon <aharonmk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Date: Sat, 01 Dec 2012 21:14:57 +0200
Batya,

I agree with you about verbal skills - that's why I said "don't some of
these sound like the skills ..." and not "all of these".

It's unfortunate that students are taught to solve unseens without
understanding the text. I think we all know that "teaching to the test" in
any subject doesn't result in real learning. If the MOE were interested in
preparing students for the real world they would allow and encourage an
emphasis on verbal and comprehension skills rather than judging teachers by
how well they taught their students to write standard sentences and copy
text from reading passages.

This is why I specialize in informal education.

Kara Aharon
Yerucham, Israel
08-6589425, 052-3903306
aharonmk@xxxxxxxxxxxx
www.englishfun.net

>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "sbshai" <sbshai@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <aharonmk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, 28 November, 2012 7:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [etni] Re: The purpose of UNSEENS
>
>
>>I don't regard unseens as a good preparation for real life language skills
>>that our students will face on the job.  Very rarely will a question be
>>posed to them that they can answer successfully by merely copying a text,
>>for one thing.
>> As I'm sure we've all experienced to one extent or another, it's possible
>> for a student to do well on an unseen without really understanding the
>> text! (I'm referring specifically to 4 and 5 point exams.)
>>
>> It has been my occasional experience that when we review an unseen in
>> class, test savvy students are impatient if others ask comprehension
>> questions. And the serious students would like more attention paid to
>> writing.  (This is where good grammar and vocabulary, to begin with, are
>> essential for a successful outcome.)
>>
>> One point is certain (and they've said this to me many times): Unseens do
>> not help their verbal skills.  Only classes run exclusively in English (5
>> points, at least) can hope to do that!
>>
>> I'm not saying unseens are a complete waste of time, only that their 
>> worth
>> is quite limited.
>>
>> Just one teacher's opinion after many years of experience.
>>
>> Batya

**************************************
** Join ETNI on Facebook
   https://www.facebook.com/groups/31737970668/
** ETNI Blog and Poll
   http://ask-etni.blogspot.co.il/
** Etni homepage - http://www.etni.org
** post to ETNI List - etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** help - ask@xxxxxxxx
***************************************
[etni] Re: etni Digest V10 #302

Other related posts:
