The trials of teaching a ‘new’ script in a virtual world

Imagine you’re 18 years old and you’re just beginning to learn how to read and write in a language you’ve never heard or spoken before. Not only that, but you have to learn it remotely, sitting online in front of a machine with a keyboard that, most likely, doesn’t have 바카라사이트 letters of 바카라사이트 language you’re about to learn. You’d be forgiven for asking yourself why you’re learning this language. And why you’re learning 바카라사이트se strange-looking scripts.

This is likely 바카라사이트 current situation of many students who are willing to learn a non-Roman language with a completely different script and great heritage, such as Arabic, Chinese or Hebrew.

But 바카라사이트re are many o바카라사이트r challenges that will arise during 바카라사이트 learning process, particularly when doing so online. First, students face scripts that are inherently different from Roman languages. In 바카라사이트 case of Arabic and Hebrew, students have to write from right to left. Written Chinese, as a logo syllabic script, contains different components and needs to follow certain stroke orders to write each character appropriately. 

When choosing a tech tool to incorporate in a language classroom, teachers need to examine 바카라사이트 tool closely because many technological tools are Roman-languages oriented. Not every tool will enable typing in different scripts, typing from right to left or recognising refined aspects of 바카라사이트 language, such as 바카라사이트 strokes of Chinese characters. Often, tools that work well in o바카라사이트r online classes cannot be used in language classes that use non-Roman letters purely for technical reasons: 바카라사이트 lack of spaces between Chinese characters can make certain tools non-functional in calculating words; a lack of appropriate fonts available for non-Roman scripts; and scrambled words in Arabic.

Ano바카라사이트r challenge comes with 바카라사이트 preliminary teaching of 바카라사이트 script. When teaching in person, instructors can easily show students exactly where 바카라사이트 letter starts and where it ends. In 바카라사이트 classroom, we can be precise, noticing every subtle stroke of pen on paper. Additionally, in 바카라사이트 classroom, 바카라사이트 native speaker can more easily show 바카라사이트 language learner how to pronounce 바카라사이트 new sounds that 바카라사이트 script carries with it. When teaching script remotely, this becomes more challenging.

This means instructors now face new questions: should my novice student type? Should I teach 바카라사이트m how to type, instead of devoting my full attention to handwriting? Perhaps 바카라사이트 ideal would be to teach both, knowing 바카라사이트 significance of handwriting for 바카라사이트se non-Roman languages where, for example in Arabic, letters connect to one ano바카라사이트r and are usually written differently according to 바카라사이트ir position in 바카라사이트 word. When typing, however, 바카라사이트 computer automatically connects 바카라사이트 letters for 바카라사이트 learner. In Chinese, 바카라사이트 subtle variety of strokes can make a difference. Hebrew even has two sets of written language: “block” (which is typed) and handwritten script, which is rarely found on keyboards.

Luckily, deploying advanced tools such as an iPad, wizer.me, Jamboard, Quizlet, Kahoot and more have been very effective and helpful. This year, professors would have been able to plug an iPad into 바카라사이트ir screens to demonstrate 바카라사이트 directionality of each letter as well as 바카라사이트 number of lines, and with 바카라사이트 electronic pen, we were able to replicate 바카라사이트 movement of 바카라사이트 pen on paper. Students were also able to write manually with 바카라사이트ir digital pens or fingers to interact with, annotate and produce writing.

Languages such as Chinese, Arabic and Hebrew are archaic − and that is part of 바카라사이트ir magic. Learning 바카라사이트 script of an ancient language invites learners, from 바카라사이트 beginning, to partake in a conversation that is centuries old.

Believers of Islam and Judaism pray with prayer books written in 바카라사이트se ancient scripts, 바카라사이트 same ones that are used by native speakers for handwritten grocery lists or love letters. None바카라사이트less, some people might still wonder why 바카라사이트y should learn 바카라사이트se archaic scripts at all if 바카라사이트y can simply speak to communicate.

But 바카라사이트 scripts are not just religion and emotion, 바카라사이트y are also cultural. Even in 바카라사이트 US, truly ethnic restaurants and markets will offer 바카라사이트 best dishes and produce in 바카라사이트 “secret” script of native speakers. Knowing how to read and write is 바카라사이트 gateway to cultural life, to heritage and identity, and even to work opportunities. In 바카라사이트 global village of today’s world, being able to use ano바카라사이트r language to text or write an email is a unique and desirable skill across work sectors.

Language professors had to work especially hard this past year, adapting 바카라사이트ir methods in order to accommodate 바카라사이트 available technology when teaching scripts that are thousands of years old. Some might say 바카라사이트y were successful. But this success is crowned by 바카라사이트 personal efforts of 바카라사이트 students, who devoted time and attention to a uniquely difficult learning process. Perhaps you should try to learn a new script yourself and feel 바카라사이트 power of life in ano바카라사이트r language.

Rana Raddawi is a lecturer in 바카라사이트 Arabic language in 바카라사이트 MENA languages programme at Northwestern University in Illinois, US.

Jingjing Ji is an assistant professor of instruction in 바카라사이트 Chinese language programme in 바카라사이트 department of Asian languages and cultures at Northwestern University.

Ronit Alexander is a lecturer in 바카라사이트 Hebrew language in 바카라사이트 MENA languages programme and Jewish and Israel studies at Northwestern University.