Ben Spackman
12-17-2007, 08:20 PM
I'm looking for a Hebrew grammar to use, to teach an Intro class, under the following constraints.
1) Meet once/week for 45 minutes max.
2) Most know another language besides English, but no one has any familiarity with Semitic.
3) Needs to be relatively cheap, under $30.
I'm teaching a group of graduate students some basics of Hebrew, over 4 months, but it's off the books, so to speak. They're smart, but we can't meet extensively, and most people can't afford anything over $30 or so.
Due to the time limitations (which are imposed externally), I'm hoping for something that is very clear, not too complicated, so they can do a lot on their own, come to class and I can clarify anything they don't grasp on their own. I've used Basics of Biblical Hebrew, and though I have some issues with it, it fits the bill.
Does anyone who's used them have any comments on how Seow (http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Biblical-Hebrew-C-Seow/dp/0687157862/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197940069&sr=8-11), or have other recommendations?
While I have low expectations due to the limitations, I would like to see them capable of a) reading and pronouncing b) knowing how to identify a word and look it up in the standard dictionaries, etc. Basic tools, but a good bit beyond Strongs (which I really wish someone would update the glosses for.)
1) Meet once/week for 45 minutes max.
2) Most know another language besides English, but no one has any familiarity with Semitic.
3) Needs to be relatively cheap, under $30.
I'm teaching a group of graduate students some basics of Hebrew, over 4 months, but it's off the books, so to speak. They're smart, but we can't meet extensively, and most people can't afford anything over $30 or so.
Due to the time limitations (which are imposed externally), I'm hoping for something that is very clear, not too complicated, so they can do a lot on their own, come to class and I can clarify anything they don't grasp on their own. I've used Basics of Biblical Hebrew, and though I have some issues with it, it fits the bill.
Does anyone who's used them have any comments on how Seow (http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Biblical-Hebrew-C-Seow/dp/0687157862/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197940069&sr=8-11), or have other recommendations?
While I have low expectations due to the limitations, I would like to see them capable of a) reading and pronouncing b) knowing how to identify a word and look it up in the standard dictionaries, etc. Basic tools, but a good bit beyond Strongs (which I really wish someone would update the glosses for.)