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  • From: John Ronning <ronning AT ilink.nis.za>
  • To: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Pedagogy
  • Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 17:57:22 -0700


I'm quite happy to have run across Randall's beta version a few weeks ago
and have been using it with my first year students (first semester on
this side of the world). I concur with Randall's comments on this
subject and note that so far so good with using the material, which is
quite excellently done. The students are making faster progress that we
did with a traditional appproach in the beginning.

I don't think the goal of using modern (living) language teaching
techniques is to get people to be able to speak fluently in BH, but
rather to help people get an intuitive grasp of the language (am I right,
Randall?), which results in a number of intangible benefits such as
increasing students' interest and confidence and ability to remember the
basics (whether vocabulary or grammar and syntax).

The tapes are a great plus and make the course suitable for self study.
One student I thought was going to have to drop out because he missed so
many classes for personal/family/work reasons, came back after our
mid-term break at the head of the class, largely with the help of the
tapes.

I've long thought that teaching Hebrew should incorporate some of the
same techniques that were used when I studied modern languages, and am
quite happy that Randall has put together a package that saves me having
to invent one myself (which I'd probably never have time to do).

As for whether someone can "know" Hebrew without the oral component, I
may be biased, but if someone can't read a verse out loud without
stumbling over every other word (typical student who has had two, three,
or four years of Hebrew), I'd have a hard time respecting his exegetical
abilities.

Something that I don't think has been mentioned yet for those who have a
goal of "immersion" in BH: since one can't go to where BH is spoken
fluently, perhaps the next best thing to do is to commit to memory as
much of the Scriptures as you can in Hebrew. (I assume this was one of
the main "jobs" of the Massoretes). E.g. after I learned Hebrew I
memorized about the first 30 chapters in Genesis; the purpose was to
understand the theology, not so much the language, but I think a
by-product is perhaps to aid in getting an intuitive grasp of the
language. I might add that if the 19th century source critics had done
this, I doubt they would have come up with their wacky theories about the
origin of the Pentateuch.

I do also think, by the way, that Bryan's grammar is also pedagogically
well done and has much to commend it,and I also don't really have much
against traditional grammars (I learned by Lambdin), but Randall's
approach seems to especially help what seems to be a large percentage
with a "mental block" for Hebrew.

Cheers,

John




  • Pedagogy, Bryan Rocine, 04/12/1999
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Pedagogy, John Ronning, 04/16/1999

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