•More about ... The
DIDACTIC METHOD used in ARELE:
ARELE uses in his learning system the analytic and global
system together with visual representations, creating a didactic
unity. In ARELE, there is almost no need of translation
of the words as they are presented in simple and clear pictures
which helps to understand the Yiddish vocabulary easily and automatically.
The constant repetition of the the words, in several activity-pages,
in phrases and in songs or poems, helps to memorize the vocabulary.
•More about ... The ORGANIZATION, DESIGN and
ORDER of ARELE:
The numbering of pages in ARELE, flows from one workbook
to the next, from page 1 to 251.
The organization of the 3 volumes is as follows: ARELE 1-
the green book starts from the letter Alef and continues
until the letter Tes, including the use of correct stroks
on how to write correctly the Yiddish letters, either in script
font or in handwriting (see sample pages 1
and 7) Each new letter taught is emphasized
with color at the beginning of each word related to the picture
presented (see pag. 2) ARELE 2-
the red book, continues with the same design and presentation,
and it goes from Yud to Fey. ARELE 3- the
blue book, -goes from the Tzadik until the last letter,
the Hebrew - Sof.
• More about ... The ALEPH-BEIS SONG:
The purpose of the Aleph-Beis lyrics composed specifically
for the ARELE workbooks, has 4 verses and covers most of
the book's vocabulary (page 251).
The lyrics were elaborated to help the students to remember and
learn the Yiddish Alphabet words and mainly, to memorize it. It
will also help them in the letter recognition, the correct writing
and it will improve the student's orthography. In the long term,
it will help them with the use of a Yiddish dictionary. The book
suggests a specific melody for the Aleph-Beis Song, but
it can be adapted to any other music. (A school in Mexico decided
to use the Mexican song La Bamba). A good alternative would be
to use suitable Jewish music.
•More about ... The PRESENTATION of the
VOCABULARY:
Before introducing a new letter to the students, it is highly
recommended to prepare, for a class group, similar larger cards
of those four words and of their easy corresponding drawings,
(see page 2). Reading and recognition
games can be preformed as suggested in the teacher's Guide, and
then, have those cards afixed in the classroom walls.
This will reinforce the visual relationship between words, letters
and their meanings. When dictation is given it will help the student
to write the words correctly. (For
private lessons small copied cut-outs will serve the same purpose).
•More about ...
HELP for VERB DECLINATION for "Ikh- 
"©
in ARELE:
One of the great difficulties in the teaching of a second language
like Yiddish, is to have the student learn to talk and use correctly
the declination for ikh, the first person subject "I" in
Yiddish. To aid the teacher in this important matter, I designed
for the ARELE workbooks, a simple drawing that is presented
through out the 3 workbooks. It is used several times in phrases
with the correct verb declination (see sample page 159).
(Copyright © note: If this figure or any
of its similars, 
, is to be used with any other material the author must be notified
and the ARELE source mentioned).
•More about ... THEMES:
As you advance with the use of the ARELE workbooks the
simple material increases in content and presentation of specific
themes like: Clothing (see sample page 151);
Fruits (pag.171); Vegetables; Numbers
and Colors; some Antonyms; Transportation (pag.205);
Head and Body (pags.210 and 211);
Portions of Houses and Different types of Housing; Hygiene; Days
of the Week (including, of course, Shabes); Pets (pag.244);
Animals and the Zoo (pag.245). As
suggested in the Teacher's Guide, this themes can be extended
and reinforced with cut-outs, stories, school-plays, games, dictation
and so on. Do feel free to use any other didactic and creative
help-tools!
• More about ...
EXPLAINING the DIFFERENCES among the THREE "ALEPHS" with
a STORY: I also included in the Teacher's Guide an embelished
version of a folk story that will help to teach the differences
between the 3 Alephs: "ah", "oh" and the
silent "ah"- (shtumer aleph). I called this story:
"Di dray briderlakh Alef- The three little brothers Aleph".
Be assured that you will enjoy with your students the use of
ARELE and at the same time, you will all profit from learning
with it!
