Question 1

How does Gateways use the Hebrew program in its classrooms?

Accepted Answer

During each B’nei Mitzvah program class, every student has a 1:1 tutor with whom they work for 45 minutes. They use a schedule to structure the time, and this lets the students know what to expect. Many students have token systems to help keep them motivated and focused during this time. Most of our students also take breaks as they are needed. The students begin their weekly routine by using their illustrated flash cards to review the sounds and mnemonics for each letter. Students then read through a page of reading exercises that are written in a large print, clear font with wide spacing. This reading practice also allows their tutor to assess whether the student has mastered the previous lessons and is ready to learn new letters and vowels. If the student requires more time on their current lesson, they engage in more reading practice, often in the form of games such as Tic-Tac-Toe and Bingo. If a student is ready to move on, they learn the mnemonics and movements for new letters and vowels, and color in new flash cards.

Question 2

Can this system be used in a classroom with students who do not have 1:1 aides?

Accepted Answer

Definitely. The Gateways Hebrew program can be used by a single teacher for an entire class. However, in this setting, teachers may have to work harder in order to assess each student’s progress, make individual changes to the students’ materials, and make sure that no student falls behind.

Question 3

Can this system be used with students who do not have disabilities or learning differences?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Although the Gateways system was developed for students who have learning needs, many students without diagnoses have benefitted from it as well.

Question 4

What do your reading materials look like?

Accepted Answer

Our Hebrew reading exercises and prayers are all designed to be easy to read. They are written in a very clear Hebrew font and are produced in large print. There are large spaces both between words and between lines. Additionally, we have placed small spaces between syllables of single words.
Some students consistently have difficulty remembering the sounds of certain letters and vowels. In these cases, tutors will mark up their reading pages with visual reminders of a letter’s mnemonic. Instructors may fade these markings over time, as the student becomes more comfortable with the letter sounds.

Question 5

How quickly can students learn Hebrew with this program?

Accepted Answer

The Gateways Hebrew program allows each student to learn at their own pace. Students only learn new letters when they are able to complete their reading exercises at a very high level of accuracy. This ensures that they have mastered the previous lessons and will not be overwhelmed by new information. There are a total of 31 lessons in our program, which means that it takes most students over a year to learn all of the letters and vowels.

Question 6

Can students who do not read English learn how to read Hebrew?

Accepted Answer

Reading Hebrew is actually easier than reading English! This is because a letter or vowel in Hebrew always makes the same sound. This is not the case with English, where the sound a letter makes can change depending on where it is in a word and what letters are next to it. Since Hebrew has almost no exceptions to the rules for how letters and vowels sound, students can find it significantly easier to decode.

Question 7

Do all your students learn how to read Hebrew?

Accepted Answer

Although many of our students learn how to read Hebrew through the Gateways Hebrew program, it is not appropriate for all of our students. Students who use a sight-word program to learn how to read English often struggle to make the switch to a decoding program, and our Hebrew program is not recommended for these students. Additionally, some parents prefer that their children spend time focused on skills other than learning Hebrew.

The Gateways Hebrew Program

A Multi-sensory Approach to Language Learning

Using the Gateways Hebrew Program

Bringing the Program to Your School

Frequently Asked Questions

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