[etni] literature and thinking skills
- From: טיטלבאום טובה <teitel_j@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:56:08 +0300
The Israeli M of E did not invent the wheel when it introduced HOTS to the
educational program. Australia has learning programs based on creative thinking
skills and metacognition since the 1990s. However, these thinking skills are
used in all aspects of learning - history, language development etc. NOT in
teaching literature in a foreign language. It is commendable that the M of E is
trying to kill two birds with one stone i.e develop thinking skills and teach
lit. in a foreign language. The end result will be that neither will happen.
People think most effectively in their native tongue. You count in your mother
tongue,," the inner voice" that speaks to you when you are facing a problem is
your native tongue. Why not develop thinking skills in the language where it
will be most effective for the learner?!
As for literature - it should never have been dropped from the Bagrut
requirements, but if you've been teaching long enough you will remember the
"buzz words" of the time. English is a "communicative skill" English should be
taught using "real life" situations. Literature was thought to be pretty much a
waste of time - certainly if it was not going to be tested. As the M of E never
backs down from any of the goals it sets, we will effectively kill off the love
of literature to introduce a program that would be far more effective if taught
in L1, and so as I said kill off two birds with one stone
Just a passing question - is it at all possible to teach literature effectively
if we do not use higher order thinking skills?
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