teaching decoding
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General education's "science of reading" research offers a number of teaching strategies and resources that have the power to improve Hebrew teaching in part-time/synagogue settings. Many have been tested by educators doing practitioner research within Onward Hebrew think tanks.
THIS "Decoding Resources" webpage has been set up especially for Hebrew teachers and tutors. It offers a sampling of the strategies in the "Conquering the Challenge" guide. Scroll down to find what you want to try with your learners, but be sure to open the guide to learn much much more! |
Teach and reinforce the Alef-bet
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Research from the science of reading says that it is helpful for students to identify for themselves the distinguishing characteristics of a letter.
"What makes an Alef an Alef?" 
Onward Hebrew Resources (click the links)
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Research from the science of reading says that when a person can draw a letter from memory, they are demonstrating they can match the letter's name with its shape.
"Draw a Tav." 
Onward Hebrew Resources (click the links):
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BONUS: A lively AlefBet song that focuses on the 22 letters. From Jewish Interactive (Jigzi).
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teach and reinforce the vowel signs
Research from Israel says that 60% of the mistakes that Israeli first and second graders make in reading are vowel-related. Knowing that American students also struggle with vowel signs, Onward Hebrew invited a small group of teachers to participate in practitioner research. They focused on determining the benefits of introducing the concept of vowel signs early on AND more intentionally teaching/reinforcing the vowel signs when they appear in textbooks. Their findings will be shared in late winter, 2026.
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COMING IN LATE WINTER 2026:
A resource packet for teaching vowels that is based on the work of the 2025-2026 teacher researchers. |
"VOWEL KARATE" is a movement based chant that teaches the names of the Hebrew vowel signs and their shapes.
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TEACH AND REINFORCE THE decoding of prayers
#1 -USE "sound-before-print"
Research from Onward Hebrew demonstrates the benefit of students intentionally learning prayers by heart before working on decoding them. When students match the words in their head with the print on the page, they skip hours of slow and painful decoding practice.
This also raises the question of whether students working on prayers and blessings need to spend time decoding the words out of order (e.g., in rows and columns) to perfect "fluent and accurate" decoding. This practice does not seem as beneficial as the two strategies, below.
This also raises the question of whether students working on prayers and blessings need to spend time decoding the words out of order (e.g., in rows and columns) to perfect "fluent and accurate" decoding. This practice does not seem as beneficial as the two strategies, below.
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This Sound-BEFORE-Print document offers a variety of learning activities that aurally and orally teach the words of a prayer/blessing. Click on the image to download.
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This video explains why and how this teaching strategy works. Oops, we burst the bubble on the suspense raised by the title! Sorry! :-D
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#2 - USE Large fonts, extra white space, Intentional spacing
Research from the science of reading emphasizes that early readers benefit from using texts with large font and extra white space between the words and lines. Research from Israel adds that it is helpful to set up pages so that prayers and blessings are "phrased" to support meaning-making or grammatical pauses.
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The Jewish Education Center of Cleveland's Teacher Center created prayer/blessing documents with the recommended spacings and phrasing.
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Sh'ma and its Blessings
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what about learning to read torah and Haftarah?
The same strategies apply - teach the verses sound-BEFORE-print and use practice sheets that use large font, extra white space, and phrased to match the grammar and/or meaning. Really.
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