HANC LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM

ED 560-DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROJECT/RABBI GLASS

BY YAAKOV AICHENBAUM

I have had the privilege to observe and be trained in the language enrichment program
that is now in use in the resource room of the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County.
This program was developed over the last twenty years by Rabbi Shaul Klein, the
director of HANC’s resource room. HANC is an elementary school in West
Hempstead, New York that has approximately 500 students. At the time of my visit,
over fifty students were enrolled in the resource room program. The school is coed,
but the boys and girls are in separate classes in the upper grades. The school goes
through grade six. The students of HANC come primarily from families that identify
with the Young Israel movement. On the other hand, the staff of HANC is a
heterogeneous group of men and women who come from various backgrounds. Rabbi
Klein himself has a chassidish orientation and he writes a regular column about
chinuch in a Yiddush newspaper. Throughout this analysis of the HANC language
enrichment program, it will be demonstrated how this unique program is sensitive to
cultural diversity and how it easily lends itself to the blending of various cultures.
Rabbi Klein observed that remedial help in Hebrew subjects has traditionally
focused on helping the child “pass the next test” or helping the child to understand a
particular lesson. However, the remediation does not usually equip the child with the
skills that he is lacking nor does it teach the child how to compensate for his
deficiencies. In other words, the student might learn a particular lesson, but the
child’s deficits have not been addressed and he will continue to need remedial help.
Rabbi Klein, therefore, developed a system that addresses the training of children with
LD in the skills that they need to gain independence in their learning and to eventually
be successful in the mainstream classroom.
Rabbi Klein postulates that if a child has a limited Hebrew vocabulary, he
cannot ultimately succeed in learning Torah. The problem is exacerbated as the child
gets older and there is an increased emphasis on textual learning and analysis.
Consequently, this program was developed to significantly enrich a child’s vocabulary
in order to facilitate his ability to function in a textual context. This program is
adaptable to most types of LD with the exception of mental retardation. For whatever
reason the child has not learned the basic vocabulary that is needed for textual
learning, this program provides him with a working knowledge of this core
vocabulary.
Rabbi Klein’s program is built on the use of flashcards that have one Hebrew
word on one side and the English translation on the other side. These words represent
the most common words that are found in Chumash. Many different techniques and
modalities are employed in the use of these cards in order to form a strong mental
association with the word in the child’s mind. The end product of this system is a
strong recognition and recall of over 500 frequent Chumash words, most prefixes and
suffixes, the ability to work with these words in a textual context, and an increase in
reading and comprehension speed.

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 HANC LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
ED 560-DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROJECT/RABBI GLASS
BY YAAKOV AICHENBAUM
I will now describe in detail how this program operates.
Each child is first tested on his knowledge of 231 of the most common
Chumash words that should be in the vocabulary of an average third grader. A
baseline is established for each child and an IEP is then designed. Usually, five new
words are introduced to the student in each session. The Rebbe first models the
pronunciation and translation of the word and then the child repeats it. The student
then copies the word three times in his notebook with the translation. Afterwards, the
student makes a visual clue on the Hebrew side of the card. The clue can be a
pictorial representation of the word, a pneumonic device, etc. The theory is that this
clue represents the child’s own association to the word. Constant review of this
association will help the student to recognize this word as a “sight word.” After the
clues are made, the Rebbe reviews the cards with the child until he can translate all
five words correctly.
Everyday, the child reviews all the old cards. Initially, the Rebbe models the
pronunciation of the word and then the child repeats the Hebrew and provides the
English translation. The Rebbe then repeats the Hebrew and the English.
Consequently, even a child with poor kriah skills develops the ability to recognize the
words and to pronounce them correctly. The reinforcement of the words through
many modalities enables the student to master the words. After the child is proficient
in the pronunciation of the words, he is able to review the cards by himself. This has
an added advantage for a resource room setting. Many children can be working in the
resource room simultaneously while the Rebbe works individually with another
student. This program encourages a differentiated learning environment where each
child can work at his own pace under the guidance of a Rebbe. After the child has
reviewed the cards sixty to seventy times, the majority of the words have become a
permanent acquisition of the child.
Various other methods are used in order to further reinforce this acquisition.
First, the child is given words to use in sentences that the child himself composes.
For example, the child might be given the words kusd 'rtc and aht. The child would
then use the words in a sentence such as “The aht dug a rtc that was kusd.” Rabbi
Klein encourages the children to try to make a sentence that contains a Torah idea if
possible. This sentence is then written down. When used with a behavior
modification program, the children are very enthusiastic about composing sentences.
This exercise also helps to make this vocabulary tangible and not just an abstract list
of words.
Once the child has automatized the words, another technique is utilized to
further reinforce the words. The child is given another set of the same cards that is
printed in Rashi script. The child then reviews these clueless cards with a Rebbe that
will correct any mistakes. Since he already knows the words, the child is able to sight
read the words even if he is weak in his deciphering of Rashi script. This further
reinforces the words and also accustoms the child to read in Rashi script.

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 HANC LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
ED 560-DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROJECT/RABBI GLASS
BY YAAKOV AICHENBAUM
In addition, he can make the transition to reading the words without nekudos since he
is familiar with their correct pronunciation.
It should also be pointed out that the cards are designed with a sensitivity to the
cultural orientation of the student. For example, while HANC officially uses the
Sephardic pronunciation of Hebrew, accommodations can be made in pronunciation
when needed. Also, I have observed Rabbi Klein in his home office with children
who go to chassidic chadarim. The cards for these children have the Yiddush tiche of
the words on the back side in addition to the English translation. Likewise, Rabbi
Klein uses a chassidish pronunciation when working with these children. It is a credit
to Rabbi Klein that he is able to relate to the linguistic needs of various groups and his
language program is easily adaptable to each group.
Each child’s progress is carefully monitored. Rabbi Klein and his staff of five
assistants keep a daily log on the activities of each student in the resource room.
Periodic reviews of the child is made in order to determine his mastery of the words
as compared to his baseline. Appropriate modifications are made in the students
program if warranted. For example, a quicker student may be introduced to more than
five new words at a time. Furthermore, when a child has advanced to the point that he
has gained what he can from the resource room, Rabbi Klein helps the child make the
transition back into the regular school program by providing emotional support and by
encouraging the child to come and visit the resource room if they need help with their
studies.
This a basic description of phase one of the program. It must be emphasized
that the success of the program depends on the overlearning of the words. Many
children do not demonstrate long term recall because they do not review enough. The
constant daily review of all the words are the formula for success. Such review firmly
implants the words into the child’s mind.
Another integral component of the program is the substantial behavior
modification that must be utilized in order to enlist student cooperation and
motivation. To an outsider, it might seem that reviewing flashcards day after day is a
tedious and boring exercise. It also might appear that this is especially so in regards
to children with LD, ADHD, etc. Nothing could be further from the truth! In Rabbi
Klein’s words (2004), from the minute he walks into the room in the morning, he
infuses everybody with a feeling of excitement and motivation. Stickers, prizes,
raffles, and unusual pens are standard fare in the HANC resource room. One can only
stand in awe of the sight of a dozen children flipping cards for the 30th-70th time with
a zeal like it is the first time. With a smile on their face, the children confidently
review their cards. The children feel a sense of accomplishment that they have rarely
if ever experienced in their academic career. In this vein, one of my own students
recently confided to me that this is the first thing that he has studied that he really
knows that he knows it. Success breeds success. One the student feels that he is
growing and accomplishing, he will continue to strive to succeed.

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 HANC LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
ED 560-DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROJECT/RABBI GLASS
BY YAAKOV AICHENBAUM
Phase two of the program is the integration of the vocabulary into the learning
of Chumash. The child is given a copy of the parsha that he is learning in class. The
child then highlights the words that he recognizes from the cards. After the child has
automatized the cards, he should be able to highlight the vast majority of words in
most parshios. The page filled with highlighted words also encourages him to learn
the passukim since he can visually ascertain that he indeed knows most of the words
already. This makes it easier for the student to focus on the few words that he does
not recognize instead of being overwhelmed. The Rebbe then breaks up the passukim
into small segments. The Rebbe then translates the passuk segment by segment with
the child repeating after him. This is repeated again at a faster pace. The child then
assumes the role of Rebbe and teaches the passuk in the same way with the Rebbe
acting as the student. The Rebbe also asks questions about the passuk and provides
additional information that is essential for the understanding of the passuk. Behavior
modification is a also used to keep the motivational level at its maximum. This phase
can be accomplished either individually or in a group setting. This method of learning
Chumash is both fun for the student and extremely instructional.
HANC offers an ,hrcg program for each grade. Children in the resource room
come to the resource room during this period. Therefore, they do not miss any of
their other Hebrew subjects. A child who is participating in phase two of the program
is prepared to participate in his mainstream Chumash class. He is already familiar
with the vocabulary and he has a feeling of confidence and self esteem. Even students
who are still in phase one of the program begin to perform better in their regular
classroom. They start to recognize words and to gain confidence in themselves.
Phase three of the program is for the boys who will be studying Gemara. There
is a separate set of Gemara cards which the boys use when they have finished the
Chumash cards. Occasionally, when a boy starts the program at an older age when
his peers have already started learning Gemara, he may be introduced to some
Gemara cards simultaneously with the Chumash cards in order to give him the feeling
that he is also working on Gemara like his friends in the mainstream program. While
Gemara is not taught in the resource room, Rabbi Klein teaches Gemara in private
practice the same way he teaches Chumash. After completing the Gemara cards, the
student should be able to highlight the majority of words in most parts of the Gemara.
In addition to the recall of vocabulary and the ability to translate Chumash, the
program produces many side benefits. First, the automatization of the words helps
increase the speed that the child can recognize and read words including words that
were included in his baseline. Consequently, he is also able to follow better in class
because his mind is processing words quicker. In addition, the flipping of cards can
be beneficial for children who have dexterity or motor control problems.
Furthermore, the writing down of words can help a child learn to write neater.
Personally, one boy whom I am working with has significantly improved his writing
in spite of the fact that he is somewhat dysgraphic.

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 HANC LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
ED 560-DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROJECT/RABBI GLASS
BY YAAKOV AICHENBAUM
The results of this program are astonishing. Children who knew virtual nothing
are able to gain independence in learning and often end up with a stronger vocabulary
and learning skills than children in the mainstream program. The program is not a
quick fix; rather, it takes months and sometimes years depending on the baseline of
the student and the nature of his disabilities. Nevertheless, the program is quite
successful. In fact, two of the Rabbis at HANC were so impressed by the program
that they incorporated a modified version of it into their regular classrooms. Rabbi
Klein claims that hundreds of children have been saved because of this program.
I can personally attest to the effectiveness of this program. I am presently
working with a sixth grade boy who has ADHD. His vocabulary was below a third
grade level at the beginning of the school year and it was difficult to get him to sit still
and follow a text inside. He would reluctantly read in a quick and muffled voice. At
the present time, he has mastered over 500 Chumash words and 250 Gemara words.
He now follows a text inside and reads with confidence.
One of the few problems that confronts the program is the absenteeism of some
students. For example, special programs, art, and gym classes often take the students
away from the program. Since this program depends on constant and consistent
review, frequent absences are detrimental. Another issue that the program faces is the
initial reluctance of some parents to agree to enroll their child into the program.
Many people are under the impression that remedial help should be in the form of
extra help in the student’s weak subjects. They view the flashcards as a waste of
valuable time. Fortunately, Rabbi Klein’s reputation and the success of the program
are enough to convince most parents of the merits of the program.
Now that this program has been described, its sensitivity to cultural diversity is
readily apparent. Some additional points should be made in this regard. First, each
child has his own personalized set of flashcards with his name printed on them. This
provides the child with a sense of pride in his work and an appreciation of his own
self worth. Second, the clues that the student makes on the cards are a classic
example of scaffolding that was promoted by Garcia (2002). Each clue is a
representation of the child’s background and experiences. It represents how the child
relates to that particular word. This vastly increases the impact of the clue in the
learning process. Also, the symbolic repertories that are utilized in drawing the clues
and making sentences with the words facilitate the cognitive development of the child
since this is done in the context of the child’s own experiences.
Garcia (2002) discusses at length that learning is an activity that requires the
construction of knowledge and not the passive reception of new information. The
language skills that are developed in the resource room of HANC are created through
the interaction between the teacher and student. Also, Garcia (2002) advocates that
testing must be done in a way that is conducive to the needs of culturally diverse
students. The children in the HANC resource room are constantly tested with
procedures that elicit performance and that have clearly defined specifications.

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 HANC LANGUAGE ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
ED 560-DISTRICT ANALYSIS PROJECT/RABBI GLASS
BY YAAKOV AICHENBAUM
Testing is done in conjunction with behavior modification and with encouragement
from the tester. For example, the child is instructed that he should not say that he
does not know the meaning of a word when he is being tested; rather, he should say
“skip it.” Subtle techniques such as this permeate the whole program. The child is
constantly built up and negative statements or feedback are minimized. Furthermore,
testing is done only when the teacher feels that the child is ready to be tested.
Garcia (2002) delineates that successful teachers must have certain
characteristics. They must specify task outcomes and what students must do to
accomplish tasks. This is clearly done in HANC. Each child knows exactly what he
should be doing and he often knows what do even without be specifically instructed to
do so. Also, Garcia stresses that teachers must communicate high expectations for
students. HANC excels in this area. Rabbi Klein and his staff provide each child
with a sense of hope and encouragement that they will master the program and
continue to grow in their learning. The HANC teachers also pace instruction
appropriately and promote involvement. Finally, Garcia (2002) suggests that teachers
must be highly dedicated and they must also be willing to change their instructional
practices and even their instructional philosophies over the years. This is also an area
that HANC excels in. Rabbi Klein developed this program over a twenty year period.
It has undergone many revisions and he is constantly striving to improve it. Rabbi
Klein and his staff are totally dedicated to their students and they extend themselves
beyond what is expected of them.
Consequently it is no wonder that this program is so successful. This program
can easily be adapted to many settings. All that is required is a dedicated Rebbi who
believes in his students and in the importance of what he is doing. Rabbi Klein has
said that he knows that he could teach at a higher level, but he believes that what he is
providing is as important as learning Tosfos. This attitude and a great program are the
keys to his success in the HANC resource room.