Teaching Children Hebrew at Home

While Latin gets much attention for its relationship to SAT performance, and Spanish demands attention for its application, Hebrew is a language that oft is overlooked as a requirement for children unless they are Jewish. Sometimes the children will have an interest in the language. Sometimes parents wish to have their children learn the language of the Old Testament - for religious, historical, or cultural reasons. Learning foreign languages is easier for children than it is for adults. Learning Hebrew has similar benefits to other languages - it makes children more culturally aware, it allows them to see the roots of words used in the English language, it requires discipline, and finally, the grammar of the language helps children to understand the grammar of English.

Hebrew is not an easy language to learn if you don't already know it. But there are resources available to help you teach your children Hebrew - even if you are not familiar with the language yourself. Hebrew Made Easy is one place to start. This book features eight lessons introducing students to the Alef-Bet (the Hebrew Alphabet). The benefit of this book is that it costs only $1.95 - and it does not assume a prior knowledge of Hebrew.

Another great resource for teaching the Alef-Bet is Akhlah. Akhlah is a website that provides various worksheets and coloring pages for children. It can be used as a supplement to Hebrew Made Easy.

Of course there is Rosetta Stone if you are inclined to use the computer to teach a child Hebrew. Another option, if you are familiar with Hebrew or have access to a tutor, is to begin with Derech Binah: The Hebrew Primer. Also available from Behrman House are pre-primers, readers and more.

While you may need to do a bit more searching to find good Hebrew resources than you would to find other languages, plenty exist that are both friendly to those who are unfamiliar with the language and for those whom have experience with the Hebrew language.

Anyone can learn a foreign language if they put in the time and dedication it takes to learning it. This being said, anyone can help a child to learn a foreign language - even if they are not as familiar with it as they would like. Larry M. Lynch in "Five Tips for Successful Foreign Language Learning" gives five great tips for anyone learning a foreign language. Here are a few tips specific to teaching children Hebrew:

1. Make it fun. If the kids like what they are doing, they will retain it.

2. Make sure you have sessions at least three days a week for 30-45 minutes each day. Work up to five days a week for an hour at a time, but don't jump in all at once. You don't want your child to become completely overwhelmed.

3. If your child asks you a question you don't have an answer to, don't be afraid to say "I don't know." Then, use this as an opportunity to teach the child how to find answers using research methods.

4. Take advantage of the plethora of materials available to you online.

5. If your child becomes frustrated, take a break. If you become frustrated, take a break.

6. Don't be afraid to make flashcards, drawings, etc. to help memorize letters and words!