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Language Immersion and Judaics
Curriculum
.jpg) Through the Judaics and Hebrew immersion programs, HDS students develop a strong sense of their own identities, and a lasting connection to Jewish tradition. These goals are achieved through daily participation in Jewish practice, whether it is singing, cooking for a holiday, ushering in the Sabbath, or text study conducted exclusively in Hebrew. The school uses the Tal-Am/Tal Sela method, in which children study in Hebrew for half the day. In the Gan (kindergarten), the General Academics and Judaics program are combined, and one staff member speaks to the children exclusively in Hebrew. Teacher collarboration and subject integration also enhance Judaic learning. See the overview of General Studies to read about how technology and music were integrated into a second grade project on Sukkot.
Hebrew is also important as Israel is second only to North America in the number of companies listed on the NASDAQ and there is a demand for Hebrew speakers in high-tech, international relations, and marketing. When we use Hebrew websites and view Hebrew from the internet on our SMART Board, we are helping the children tune in to the importance of knowing Hebrew not only to connect to their honored heritage, but also as a tool for global communication.
For additional information on the Gan Judaics/Hebrew program and on particular aspects of the Judaics/Hebrew curriculum in Grades 1-5, click on one of the links to the above right.
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Benefits of Immersion Programs
The State of Michigan has recognized the importance of studying a second language in every aspect of a child's life. According to the Michigan Department of Education,
"[s]tudents who study two years of a language other than English score significantly higher on the SAT verbal and math test." Moreover, "students' learning skills in general are enhanced through foreign language study." Recognizing the importance of language learning, Michigan law now provides that children entering the third grade starting in 2006 must study a foreign language for two years in order to graduate from high school. Elementary school language study will qualify if it is the equivalent of two years of high school study, under guidelines now being written by the Department of Education. Mich. Code 380.1278a(2).
Studies have shown that young children can learn as many spoken languages as one can allow them to hear systematically and regularly at the same time. Children, however, rapidly lose this ability as they age. The benefits of being bilingual are well-documented. Learning a second language at an early age not only leads to the direct benefit of becoming fluent with the correct accent in the language, it also leads to:
- higher scores on standardized tests in reading, language arts and math
- improved listening and memory
- improved problem solving skills
- greater cognitive development in areas of mental flexibility, creativity, divergent thinking, and higher-order thinking skills
- greater sensitivity to other languages and a better ear for listening
- better understanding of the structure of English
- greater understanding of other cultures and peoples
For a bibliography summarizing the many studies on this subject documenting the benefits of bilingual education, click here.
In addition to the general benefits of second language acquisition, learning Hebrew by immersion:
- allows students to achieve a much greater degree of fluency in Hebrew
- strengthens Jewish identity
- allows the speaker to feel instantly at home in Israel and creates stronger ties to Israel and its culture
- opens the door to the entire range of classical and modern Jewish texts.
HDS aims to provide an environment that supports and nurtures Jewish learning, expression, and living by integrating Jewish experiences into the curriculum framework and routine of the day. To reach this goal, the school focuses on both communal and individual experiences through tefillah (prayer), holiday celebrations, giving tzedakah (charity), mitzvah projects (community service), and doing mitzvot (living values), which guide students to become more responsible for themselves, the way they treat others, their school and the world in which they live. Click on one of the links to the upper right to learn more about our curriculum for each class, or to start with the Gan immersion and Judaics program, click here.
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