Code-Switching Functions in Modern Hebrew Teaching and Learning

ABSTRACT

The teaching and learning of Modern Hebrew outside of Israel is essential to Jewish education and identity. One of the most contested issues in Modern Hebrew pedagogy is the use of code-switching between Modern Hebrew and learners’ first language. Moreover, this is one of the longest running disputes in the broader field of second language research and education. Based on recent conceptualizations of bi/multilingualism together with findings from an empirical investigation of beginner students at an Australian university, this article argues that strategic use of code-switching serves the needs of both learners and teachers working within a bi/multilingual educational environment.

Keywords:

• Bi/multilingualism
• classroom discourse analysis
• code-switching functions
• learners’ perspectives
• Modern Hebrew pedagogy
• second/foreign language pedagogy
• university-level instruction

Acknowledgments

My sincere gratitude goes to the teachers and students who agreed to participate in the research project, which this article is based on. I was fortunate to receive their full support and cooperation, which enabled this study to take place. I would also like to thank the anonymous reviewers, as well as Professor Emerita Suzanne Rutland, whose insights and suggestions have helped in shaping the final version of this article.

Notes

¹ The term “L2,” as used in this article, encompasses all forms of teaching and learning a language which is not the learners’ first language. Hence L2 includes foreign/second/additional/heritage language.

² Italics indicate Hebrew and/or translation from Hebrew; all translations are mine.

³ See Gilead (2014), pp. 15–23 for a detailed discussion.

⁴ For similar reports attested to in other L2 contexts (especially EFL classes), see Rodrigues and Oxbrow, (2008) and Debreli and Oyman (2016).

⁵ In Gilead (2016, forthcoming) the author presents five extracts to support her argument of predominant use of Hebrew in all classroom interactions. The article does not include quantitative analysis. Yet, numerical analysis of the five extracts clearly demonstrates that the majority of all interactions took place in Hebrew, as follows: Extract 1—Hebrew 72%-English 28%, whole-class discussion; Extract 2—Hebrew 89%-English 11%, whole-class discussion; Extract 3—Hebrew 67%-English 33%, during students’ pair work; Extract 4—Hebrew 42%-English 58%, during students’ pair work; Extract 5—Hebrew 88%-English 12%, introduction of new language.

⁶ I point out that these testaments need to be juxtaposed with other testaments regarding the importance of having most interactions carried out in Hebrew (see Gilead, 2014, 2016, forthcoming).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yona Gilead

Dr. Yona Gilead is the Malka Einhorn Modern Hebrew Lecturer and Program Coordinator (for Hebrew Biblical and Jewish Studies in the School of Languages and Cultures) at the University of Sydney.