Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport

State of Israel

Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport

Pedagogical Secretariat

English Inspectorate

for

Achieving the Benchmarks

at the Foundation Level

Jerusalem 2005

Members of the Writing Committee:

Dr. Judy Steiner, Chairperson / Chief Inspector for English Language Education, Ministry of Education
Marsha Hachmon / English Inspector, Ministry of Education LevinskyCollege
Judy Kemp / English Inspector, Ministry of Education (retired)
Judy Segal / English Inspector, Ministry of Education BeitBerlCollege
Debby Toperoff / English Inspector, Ministry of Education TalpiotCollege
Barbara Vendriger / English Inspector, Ministry of Education LevinskyCollege

Special thanks to:

the English Advisory Committeethat examined the document in-depth and made revisions accordingly.
all the teachers, counselors and teacher trainers for their invaluable comments and suggestions that played a crucial role in the development and writing of this document.

Prerequisite Knowledge, Skills and Strategies

for Achieving the Benchmarks at the Foundation Level

Rationale

The rationale for writing this document derives from elementary school teachers’ questions regarding the role of grammar and accuracy within the domains of the national curriculum at the foundation level:

Grammar: Should pupils at the foundation level be taught rules? If so, at what stage and to what extent?
Accuracy: To what extent should accuracy be expected and assessed at the different stages of the foundation level?
Teaching: How are grammar and accuracy integrated into teaching at the foundation level?

The purpose of this document is to supplement the curriculum by:

demonstrating how to map out prerequisite knowledge, skills and strategies needed to reach targeted benchmarks at the foundation level.
demonstrating how to map out the prerequisite knowledge, skills and strategies for a specific task for each of the three stages* for the same targeted benchmark at the foundation level.
providing a tool to map out prerequisites for additional benchmarks at all levels.

* Each level of the national curriculum (foundation, intermediate and proficiency) is divided into three stages. At the foundation level, for example, stage one refers to the fourth grade, stage two to the fifth grade, and stage three to the sixth grade.

Organization of the Document

a. Map of the Prerequisites (MOP)

The map of the prerequisites indicates the prerequisite knowledge, skills and strategies for a specific benchmark along a continuum from stage one to stage three of the foundation level. These sample maps provide an overview of the development of the knowledge, skills and strategies that will enable pupils to achieve the benchmarks throughout the foundation level. The prerequisites for each stage are cumulative and therefore it is assumed that pupils have acquired the prerequisites of the lower stages.

b. Checklist of the Prerequisites (COP)

The checklist provides alist of the prerequisites needed for a specific task at a specific stage for a targeted benchmark. It enables the teacher to monitor pupils’ progress towards achieving the targeted benchmark.

c. A blank map and checklist to be used by the target audiences.

Target Audiences and Possible Uses

Target Audiences / Possible Uses
Teachers /

unit planning
integrating classroom testing and teaching
developing tables of specification for classroom testing
adapting materials
mapping out additional tasks

Teacher Trainers /

training teachers in the implementation of the mapping process and the use of the checklists

Material and Test Writers /

developing materials and tests

Points for Clarification

The process of learning vocabulary and grammar includes the following stages: First, a lexical chunk is learned. A lexical chunk is a sequence of several words which the mind recognizes as a whole with a single meaning, for example, Close the door. Second, there is pattern awareness of the lexical chunk. The chunk is recognized as a sequence within whichindividual words can be varied, for example, Open/Close the door. Third,the pattern is analyzed as a language structure, for example, the lexical items open and the door are analyzed grammatically and the imperative structure is learned as a rule.

The following arethe definitionsand examples of the three stages:

Terminology / Definition / Examples
lexical chunk / a sequence of words that is recognized as a whole / What’s your name?
pattern awareness / recognition of lexical chunks as a sequence within which individual words can be varied / What’s your name? / address? / phone number?
rule / analysis of the patterns as language structures / knowing the rule for asking wh- questions

The prerequisites were identified in order to enable pupils to achieve a specific benchmark by performing a specific task. Unlike the previous curriculum (1988) that contained lists of grammatical structures to be taught according to specific grade levels (e.g. simple past tense was only introduced in the sixth grade), in the current curriculum (2001), grammatical structures are taught according to the context of a specific task as part of the prerequisites for a targeted benchmark (e.g. simple past tense can be introduced at any stage in the foundation level, as required by the task).

Grammar rules are taught in the context needed for performing the task that the pupils have to complete. The emphasis is on applying the rule in context rather than just stating and practicing the rule in isolation.

The prerequisites are not listed in any specific hierarchical order.

Map of Prerequisites for a Specific Benchmark (MOP)

Domain / Social Interaction
Level / Foundation
Targeted Benchmark / Ask and answer simple questions about familiar topics and everyday situations
Prerequisite Knowledge Skills and Strategies / Stages
Pupils will know: / One / Two / Three
relevant function words / √ / √ / √
topic-related vocabulary / basic / / varied
word order for simple positive and negative sentences / lexical chunks / patternawareness / rules / √
appropriate tenses
(expressing present, past and future) / vocabulary items, lexical chunks / pattern awareness / rules (present simple, present progressive, past simple, future)
yes/no question form / lexical chunks / pattern awareness / pattern awareness / rules
wh- question form / lexical chunks / pattern awareness / pattern awareness / rules
correct pronunciation and intonation / √ / √ / √
how to listen to one another and respond / √ / √ / √
how to ask for clarification / √ / √ / √