Using a Hebrew/Yiddish Text Editor

Teaching with newSLATE

Studying with newSLATE

Using a Hebrew/Yiddish Text Editor Bidirectional text is text that includes both right-to-left and left-to-right characters.  Here are the basic rules for understanding how to edit bidirectional text: Two carets appear on the screen when the caret position lies between two characters with differing directionality.  If you type a character which has the same directionality as the text flow, it will appear at the primary (dark) cursor.  If you type a character which has directionality opposite to the text flow, it will appear at the secondary (light) cursor.  Diacritical marks (nikud, vowels) are typed after the letter with which they are associated. Certain characters, for example parentheses, brackets, quotation marks and hyphens, may not be interpreted by the text editor in the way you want.  This may result in one of these characters appearing reversed or at the wrong end of the text you are typing.  To force the text editor to interpret the character the way that you intend, you will need to place a special code adjacent to the character.  The special code will be either a "right-to-left mark" or a "left-to-right mark." You can find these codes on the virtual keyboards for Hebrew and Yiddish by clicking on the CTRL key.  These codes are represented by small flag symbols facing in the desired direction.  In the most common situations, type the character that was behaving improperly, then click the desired direction mark, to force the character to behave as desired.

Teaching with newSLATE newSLATE makes it simple to provide your students with online opportunites to practice their learning materials.  newSLATE also helps students take responsibility for their own learning.  In language learning, especially at the intoductory level, students must master the fundamentals of vocabulary and grammar.  Practice is the key to mastery, and newSLATE provides increased opportunities for practice.  As a teacher, you can prepare materials for your students to use with newSLATE.  You can prepare examples for your students to expand on, or you can provide complete study materials for your students to master.  Because newSLATE is web-based, you can use it wherever you have an up-to-date computer system with Internet access.  You might begin preparing materials at school, and then continue working on them at home, without worrying about transferring your files or installing software.  Here is a sample outline of the steps and workload involved for a teacher using newSLATE for regular vocabulary reinforcement for a class: Download, install and test system upgrades needed to run newSLATE (estimated time: 0 to 1.5 hours) Add this step if you expect students to use newSLATE at home: Provide each student with a copy of this handout to fill out at home using their own computer with Internet access.  Based on the responses to the handout, decide if you should prepare newSLATE materials for your class. Learn how to use newSLATE to create a vocabulary list (estimated time: 15 to 30 minutes) Prepare initial vocabulary list (10 words and definitions) or select an appropriate ready-made list from a newSLATE public access area.  (estimated time: 10 to 20 minutes) You will need to purchase a newSLATE Access subscription in order to make your own list availble to your students. Assign your students to practice the materials you have prepared or selected.  Assess your students' use of newSLATE through an in-class activity (e.g., short quiz, worksheet, game) (estimated time: 10 to 20 minutes)

Studying with newSLATE Whenever you are faced with the task of learning specific facts or information, newSLATE can help you.  The simplest way to start using newSLATE is to record your vocabulary lists for practice.  For example, when you read a chapter in your text, make a new file for the vocabulary covered in it.  Now you can use that file to review the new words.  It is as simple as making flash cards, with the advantage of multiple question formats, and a growing collection of prepared materials for you to use. Make several, smaller newSLATE files for studying, instead of adding to the same file and making it very large.  You can then select some or all of those files after you select the type of quiz you want to take.