ISRAEL: Jewish primary school children learn Arabic under an innovative scheme in Israeli schools which brings Arab teachers into the classroom

Record ID: 397352

  • Title: ISRAEL: Jewish primary school children learn Arabic under an innovative scheme in Israeli schools which brings Arab teachers into the classroom
  • Date: 9th February 2012
  • Summary: MASARWA WITH HEADMISTRESS OF LAPID ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LEAH DEAN CLOSE OF MASARWA TALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) HEADMISTRESS OF LAPID ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, LEAH DEAN, SAYING: "There were some points along the way that were difficult, for instance on Holocaust Memorial Day, or the issue of the national anthem. There are things in which we -- I think we solve these problems by
  • Embargoed: 24th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel, Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics,People,Education
  • Reuters ID: LVA1KTHN0V6J5SBU9KI9QTBNQXV2
  • Story Text: Israeli-Arab teachers are being employed by a number of Israeli primary schools as part of a programme to teach Jewish students Arabic.
    Very few Israeli Jews speak Arabic, or hear it on a daily basis. In a country where 20 percent of the citizens are Arabs, it's not just politics and cultural differences that separate the Jews and Arabs, but also language and education.
    Wala' Jibara, a 28-year-old Palestinian woman from the Israeli-Arab town of Taybeh, is now in her sixth year of teaching Arabic and Hebrew to Israeli Jewish students. She hopes language teaching can help change negative perceptions towards Arabs.
    "There is a big difference between students who learn Arabic with me for three years, and who are exposed to Arab culture through an Arab teacher, and between students who do not see Arab teachers in their school and do not hear the language. Most (Israeli Jewish) students are usually afraid of the Arabs because they only hear negative things about them in the news on television. The students here are not afraid and they come to me and tell me that they are not afraid because they know Arabs and know the language," Jibara said.
    The headteacher of Nitzanim school -- an Israeli Jew -- says she hopes to break down barriers in a society where Arabs and Jews have little interaction. There are only a few mixed Arab-Jewish schools in Israel, and communities live apart.
    "In our school, the Nitzanim school, we believe there is a connection between that way you behave as a person in your day to day life and the values you learn and the way you behave in school. Our interest in Arabs and the Arabic language doesn't just come from wanting to teach Arabic in a Jewish school, but from the sense of creating a connection with other people who are different from us," Simi Peretz says.
    The "Let's talk" programme by Merchavim, the Institute for the Advancement of Shared Citizenship in Israel, is bringing more Arab teachers into Israeli schools -- and most of them are women.
    "Well the teachers that we've integrated, until now, all except one, are women. I think for two reasons. Because firstly in teaching, very much in the same path as Jewish citizens of Israel, the overwhelming number of teachers, especially at primary schools where we are focused, are women. And secondly, it takes a good deal of courage and sense of self to move into this position and take on the challenges and we found young women particularly willing and able to take this major step," Director of Merchavim, Mike Prashker, told Reuters Television.
    The scheme is now being used in 50 of the Jewish state's primary schools.
    The programme starts teaching Arabic in the third year of primary school and focuses on conversational Arabic. Teachers use a variety of teaching methods, including songs, stories and games to encourage students.
    At the Lapid Elementary School, Hadeel Masarwa wants to instil in her students a love of the Arabic language.
    "First of all I was very optimistic regarding the programme 'Let's talk'. Because we teach them Arabic through songs and games. It is a very lively way to teach. Secondly, I wanted my method of teaching to be different, I wanted to make them love the class and wait eagerly for their Arabic lesson. They always ask for more than two Arabic lessons, they sing when they see me, and they always call out 'Hadeel, Hadeel,'" Masarwa explained.
    Masrawa says when she started, it was not easy to interact, but the children are taught to discuss diversity, respecting "the other," and breaking down stereotypes on both sides.
    "There were some points along the way that were difficult, for instance on Holocaust Memorial Day, or the issue of the national anthem. There are things in which we -- I think we solve these problems by doing two things. One, by learning the narrative of the other side. I think this is one of the things we do at Lapid. I think Hadeel learned a lot about us, about our history and pains. And we too, through Hadeel, learned the Arab narrative. The second thing is the issue of showing mutual empathy, which I think is very important," the headteacher of Lapid Elementary School Leah Dean told Reuters Television.
    Hebrew, the native language of Israel's Jews, is a required in all Israeli schools, including those catering to Palestinian children inside Israel. Arab schools start teaching it in the third year of primary school.
    Unlike Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, territory Israel captured in a 1967 war, the 1.6 million Palestinians who live in Israel have Israeli citizenship, though many complain of discrimination manifested by poorer funding for infrastructure and education.
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