The Psychology Behind Productive Kriah Instruction

Mrs. Chana Wallach

The discussion in so many schools about kriah tends to focus on technical details and methods, but an integral part of our success as teachers of לשון הקדש is often overlooked. The educators’ psychological awareness and mindset toward kriah and לשון הקדש deeply affect how they inspire and engage their students in kriah. Research shows that if a child is not fluent in his language or doesn’t feel connected to it, it affects his self-esteem and sense of belonging. Language is the great connector, which is why the dispersion of language as a result of the מגדל בבל was a tremendous punishment for the greater world. The world was no longer one cohesive group. We all want our students to feel connected to לשון הקדש, and kriah is deeply intertwined with that connection. Once psychological importance is clearly understood and the educator has developed core psychological tools, the kriah instruction can begin in earnest and is often a much smoother process.

The consequences of not feeling connected to לשון הקדש can be profoundly detrimental for our students throughout their lifetimes. Children who grow up to be בני תורה but not fluent readers can feel deep shame and insecurity as adults in shul or at home as the leader of a Torah family. This can cause social withdrawal and isolation and negatively impact their personal connection to Hashem through תפילה and learning. The risks are too significant not to take seriously in the long term when relating to kriah instruction as educators. However, students who face their reading struggles with the support of creative, caring educators will develop resilience, self-confidence, and strength that they will lean on throughout their lives.

The phrase “לשון הקדש” gives us deeper insight into the unique role of our language in chinuch. קדש is, by definition, separate and unlike any other language. The לשון הקדש letters, construction of our language, and pronunciation of our words are the blueprint of the world in creation and therefore define reality. 

Teaching kriah is thus not like teaching any other subject. How our children feel about their לשון הקדשinstruction will directly affect how they feel about their עבודת ה’. We cannot approach teaching kriah the same way we teach other languages, because לשון הקדש is unique. 

Rapport

As educators, how we think and feel about our students will have a profound impact on them. If they intuitively sense our belief in them, they will respond in kind. Building a respectful, positive rapport with our students is often the first step toward creating a successful learning environment. When they trust us, they will feel empowered to try hard and learn something new. It says in Mishlei 27:19: כמים הפנים לפנים כן לב האדם לאדם—as in water the face reflects the face, so the heart of man to another man. This means that how we think and feel about our kriah instruction and, by extension, spiritual development will be reflected to the students we teach in school. 

Additionally, as we are shaping the next generation’s feelings toward לשון הקדש, we must understand the significance of our students’ connection to it and incorporate healthy psychological awareness that will penetrate their hearts. Naturally, one’s teaching will become more passionate, gentle, inspiring, and focused on reaching each child, because we understand the significance of doing so. Instruction will become more engaging, multi-sensory, and personally relevant.  

Visualization

For different ages and school roles, that process will look different, but some common themes are relatable to all. The power of our own visualization is an integral tool. Visualization is the act of envisioning in our minds a specific student or a specific group of students as future adults davening, learning, and becoming leaders of their homes and communities. Be specific in your vision: what kind of leaders, how their faces shine with success, and possibly teaching others as well. And if you can’t envision their academic success at the moment, picture them as a בני תורה giving צדקה and using their savvy skills to help כלל ישראל and the world with their own sense of competence. See them getting an עליה with confidence, saying Tehillim intently, standing in front of a classroom, or reading Rashi with their own children. Often, once you see their success before they do, they can begin to sense it from you and see it themselves. 

Visualization can also work by envisioning something in the past. If you have a student who struggles with kriah, take a few minutes to visualize a time in your own childhood when you were learning a new skill or facing a specific academic challenge. Think about the pain of the struggle, the teacher or adult in your life who gave you the strength and encouragement to face that challenge, and the positive outcome overall. Truly focus on your resiliency and the teachers around you who inspired you when you needed it most. Remember that it’s alright if it took you some time to face your challenge, that we each have our own path to growth, and that children can indeed grow tremendously in their skills. When we shift our perspective to that of a child intensely wanting to succeed and connect it to our own lives, the visualization becomes even more effective. We then become more empathetic and patient with this child’s process. 

The power of letting them know and verbalizing your vision is extraordinary. You can make comments such as, “One day you will be teaching someone to לייען for his בר מצוה;” “I can just see you as a parent doing Chumash or Gemara homework with געשמאַק;” or, “I bet you will be so successful in seminary one day.”  I have seen so much success over the years as an educator and as a mother by verbalizing that vision. This gives children the belief that they can face their language struggles with confidence and achieve ultimate success. They then begin to create their own vision and see themselves as uniquely successful. They, too, can feel that they can access Torah within their own cheilek. Refer to this vision naturally, calmly, and regularly, and the students will believe you and incorporate it into their own self-concept. They can rely on that vision even when you are no longer teaching them, and build their resilience by doing the hard work of practice with focus.

Aspiration

Another tool is resisting the urge to lower expectations, instead sharing an aspirational mindset that allows students to “reach for the stars.” As a child and teenager, I was not a strong Hebrew reader. Although I was always very academic, reading Rashi and לשון הקדש never came easily to me. What changed my path was when my high school principal believed in me enough to encourage me to attend a “top-notch, academic” seminary. I thrived in that environment and spent many hours with texts in לשון הקדש, writing reports, and studying for tests with peers. By engaging my mind, I was able to forget that I struggled with kriah, and I naturally practiced more and more until my reading was beautifully fluent and translation impeccable. 

Fluency comes with regular practice, but that can be daunting when you’re not motivated enough. An engaging curriculum that encourages students to learn and stretch their minds makes kriah instruction flow easily. I have seen beautiful growth in kriah from reading an interesting story in Navi, as the text, or looking up a halacha together with the rebbi. This type of instruction can be used with a reading specialist and a classroom teacher. However, the rebbi or teacher has to believe the student is capable of this hard work before presenting it to him or her. It all starts with the vision and belief that this child can be successful and truly enjoy learning.

Joy and Mindfulness

Another crucial psychological tool in kriah instruction is to teach with joy and to engage in the mindfulness that naturally results from it. שמחה will overflow in the lesson and in teacher/student rapport, allowing anxiety to decrease and instruction to improve naturally in the classroom. 

A teacher can attain this kind of שמחה by a few steps: 

1. Creating our own joyful memories and hobbies outside of school, so we are naturally happier and more present in school. 
2. Before teaching, take a moment to remind yourself what a special זכות it is to teach. It will change your lesson. 
3. Be mindful while you are teaching: notice the child’s smile, his excitement, or what is bothering him. Notice, slow down, and allow yourself those extra few minutes just to be aware. Pick a time during class where you can practice this exercise. Being fully present creates a calmer, happier environment. 
4. Incorporate simple fun into your lesson plan. Play a review game with a ball for younger students (older students might like this, too!); use a timer to test their fluency and have a contest against themselves; and laugh when they inevitably say something charming.
5. Use music as part of instruction when appropriate. That automatically calms the nervous system, shifts the atmosphere, and makes learning less daunting.

If we model that we find learning enjoyable and that kriah is not a burden, then students of all learning styles and differences can connect to the kriah unconsciously. They will absorb that kriah and לשון הקדש are joyful and engaging and can become a source of their own connection to Hashem and Torah. If we can tap into these psychologically simple but vital tools, related to mindfulness, שמחה, vision, and understanding of our mission, then our kriah instruction will be transformed, and our נחת will be immense. It is our hope and תפילה that this sense of mission and שמחה will follow our students throughout their lifetimes.

Chana Wallach is the support director at Torah Academy of Boston Boys Division, where she oversees the academic, social/social-emotional, and service plans of her students. Mrs. Wallach has been a leader in education for a decade, supporting teachers, parents, school staff, and students alike. She is pursuing a doctorate in mental health counseling. Email: cwallach@torahacademy.us.

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